For an office lunch, look for sliced wholemeal bread if the type of bread and its fibre content are your priorities; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says wholegrain products contain more fibre than white varieties. Then check that the bread is actually medium-sliced and that the slices suit your lunch. If you’re unlikely to finish a whole loaf quickly, consider a half loaf or freeze lunch portions as soon as you get home.
Pre-sliced bread saves you time when you’re making sandwiches in the morning. You’ll also need to decide whether you want wholemeal bread: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre than white varieties.
A half loaf or freezing portions for each lunch may work better if you only take bread to work on a few days. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you’re not going to use it quickly.
If someone sharing your lunch needs to avoid an allergen or follow a particular diet, the current packaging is more important than the bread’s name or a product description you looked at earlier.
First decide which type and quantity of bread you want for your office lunch. Then check the slice thickness, current nutritional information and ingredients for each loaf.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Type of bread and fibre | Check whether the bread is labelled as wholemeal. Compare the nutritional values of specific products on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If I usually take bread to work, I want to know which type I’m choosing and how much fibre it contains. Around 33% of consumers make this their priority. |
| Slice thickness and suitability for toppings | Check whether the bread is pre-sliced and what slice thickness the packaging specifies; ‘sliced’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘medium-sliced’. | My sandwiches need to fit in my lunchbox and be easy to top; around 27% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Quantity and storage | Choose between a whole and a half loaf based on how many days you’ll eat it. Consider whether you can freeze any unused slices straight away. | I don’t take bread to work every day and don’t want any left over to go to waste. Around 20% of consumers consider the right quantity first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients list, allergen information and nutritional details on the packaging if they’re relevant to your choice of lunch. | If colleagues are sharing my lunch, I want to check what’s in the bread before making sandwiches. Around 20% of consumers give this check top priority. |
The colour or name alone doesn’t tell you whether bread is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre than white varieties.
If you want wholemeal bread, look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label and read the ingredients list for the product you’ve chosen.
Sliced bread may also be thinly sliced or cut in a different way. The fact that a loaf is pre-sliced doesn’t tell you whether the slices will suit your toppings and lunchbox.
Check the slice thickness on the packaging or product page. If thickness is important, take a look at the slices before you buy.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, opened wholemeal bread usually keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard. A whole loaf may not be the best choice if you only take bread to work now and then.
If needed, choose a half loaf or freeze a whole loaf in lunch portions as soon as you buy it.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread may become drier if it’s frozen for longer.
Ingredients and allergen information can change, as Albert Heijn notes in its product information. The bread’s name also won’t tell you whether iodised baking salt was used to make it.
If you have a dietary requirement or allergy, check the current packaging and, if in doubt, ask the retailer or baker about the specific loaf.
Albert Heijn has an online wholemeal bread category where you can browse loaves for packed lunches.
Jumbo lists finely sliced wholemeal bread and half loaves of wholemeal bread, giving you options to consider in different sizes.
Lidl lists sliced wholemeal bread among its products.
Aldi lists finely sliced wholemeal bread and a separate wholemeal variety with extra fibre.
Plus lists wholemeal bread online, including a half loaf for anyone wanting to choose the right quantity.
Dirk lists bread in different types and sizes, including a half loaf of wholemeal bread from Bakker van der Akker.
No, slice thickness isn’t a measure of nutritional value. Look at the type of bread and compare the nutritional information for the products you’re considering; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre than white varieties.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened wholemeal bread keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard and for 1 to 3 months in the freezer. If you’re unlikely to finish a whole loaf quickly, freeze it in portions as soon as you buy it; it may become drier if frozen for longer.
You can’t tell from the name of the bread. The Dutch regulations on Overheid.nl define baking salt as iodised salt for making bread, but that doesn’t confirm that every individual loaf is made with it. If you have a specific dietary requirement, check the current product information or ask the baker or retailer.
Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the bread you’re using. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre highlights the importance of checking labels when dealing with food allergies, so don’t rely solely on a general bread name or an online description you looked at earlier.
