If you’re picking up bread for a small household, start by choosing an amount you’re likely to finish. Half a multigrain loaf may suit you better than a whole one. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific product, as ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. Check the current label too if bakers’ salt or allergens matter to your choice.
If you’re buying for one or two people, half a loaf can help you match what you buy to what you’ll eat over the next few days. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread among the foods that are wasted most often.
If you want to know more than the word ‘multigrain’ tells you, check the ingredients and compare the fibre and salt per 100 g in the half loaves you’re considering.
If the ingredients matter to your choice, read the ingredients list, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ statement for that exact variety. If you’re keeping an eye out for bakers’ salt or iodised salt, check whether either is listed too.
For a small top-up shop, start by thinking about how much bread you’ll use. Then compare the labels on the half loaves if wholemeal flour, nutritional information, bakers’ salt or allergens will influence your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of bread | Check that it’s half a loaf and read the storage instructions. | If you often have a whole loaf left over, buy only what you can finish or freeze. Getting the right amount is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal flour, fibre and salt | Read the ingredients and compare the fibre and salt per 100 g for the specific products. | If you’re deliberately looking for bread made with wholemeal flour, check the ingredients rather than relying on the name. Around 33% of consumers prioritise comparing labels. |
| Bakers’ salt and allergens | Look for bakers’ salt or iodised salt, and read the full allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ statement. | If certain ingredients affect what you can choose, you’ll want to know what’s in that particular loaf. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
The word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. As a result, you might think two loaves with different ingredients are much the same.
Read the product description and ingredients list, and check the proportion of wholemeal flour if it’s stated.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using bakers’ salt isn’t compulsory. So the type of bread alone won’t tell you whether it contains bakers’ salt.
Check the ingredients for the specific loaf to see whether ‘bakers’ salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ is listed.
Half multigrain loaves can contain different gluten-containing cereals and other allergens. Any ‘may contain’ statement can also vary from one product to another.
When you buy it, read the full allergen information for the exact variety, even if you’ve bought the bread before.
These examples of half multigrain loaves show which product details you can compare. Always check the current packaging for the variety you’re buying.
AH Vloerbrood meergranen half is a half brown multigrain loaf with sunflower seeds.
Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is described as half a wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Lidl describes Halfje donker meergranenbrood as a 400 g loaf containing wheat, barley and buckwheat, among other ingredients.
ALDI describes Boeren volkoren meergranen as half a loaf.
PLUS Korenlanders Donker Meergranen Rond 1/2 is a 400 g half loaf.
Dirk describes Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half as half a multigrain loaf.
No, ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean that the bread is wholemeal. Read the product description and ingredients list for the half loaf, and check how much wholemeal flour the manufacturer says it contains.
No, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t have to use bakers’ salt. If you want to know whether a particular loaf is made with bakers’ salt, look for ‘bakers’ salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ on the label.
Follow the storage instructions on the bread and, if needed, freeze any slices you won’t use in time in portion-sized batches. That way, you can buy an amount that better suits what you need straight away on a small top-up shop.
It varies by variety. For Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half, Jumbo lists wheat, barley, oats and rye, among other ingredients, and notes that other allergens may also be present. For Korenlanders Donker Meergranen Rond 1/2, PLUS lists wheat, barley, oats and sesame, among other ingredients. Always check the current allergen information for the loaf you’re buying.
