For the Sinterklaas parade, choose a clearly labelled wholemeal loaf that’s easy to prepare before you leave. Sliced bread saves you the effort of cutting it, and a half loaf may suit a small group. Labels such as ‘fine’, ‘sliced’ and ‘half’ don’t confirm that the bread is medium-sliced. Check the slices themselves, and always check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the current packaging.
If you want to make sandwiches at home to take with you, sliced bread can save you time. A half loaf may be a good fit if you only need a few sandwiches. Check the actual slice thickness if medium-sliced bread is important to you.
The colour of bread doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal. Check the product description and compare the stated fibre content on a like-for-like basis, such as per 100 g.
If salt, iodine or gluten matters to you, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging of the loaf you’re buying. Don’t assume another wholemeal variety has the same ingredients.
Before the parade, work out how many sandwiches you want to take and whether you’ll need to slice the bread at home. Then check that it’s labelled wholemeal and, if relevant to you, look at the details on the label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and taking it with you | Check whether the bread is sliced, how many sandwiches you need and what the slices actually look like. | I want to make sandwiches before leaving without having to slice the bread, and I don’t want to take too much for a small group. Around 50% of consumers prioritise easy portioning. |
| Wholemeal bread and fibre | Check that it’s labelled wholemeal and compare fibre per 100 g, rather than comparing the values per slice with those per 100 g. | When colour doesn’t tell me much, I want to be able to confirm that the bread is wholemeal and compare its fibre content. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this check. |
| Salt, iodine and gluten | Check the current ingredients and allergen information; compare salt per 100 g and, if relevant, see whether iodised salt is listed. | If salt, iodine or gluten matters to me, I want to be able to check the ingredients of this specific loaf. This is the main purchase priority for around 17% of consumers. |
These words don’t all describe the thickness of a slice. A loaf can be sliced without the slices being the right thickness for the sandwiches you want to make.
Look at the slices or ask in store about their thickness. Treat ‘sliced’ as a sign that you won’t need to cut the bread yourself, not as an indication of slice thickness.
The colour of the bread and a reference to several grains don’t, on their own, confirm that it’s wholemeal.
Look for the wholemeal description on the product you choose. If you want to compare fibre content, use the same basis for both loaves, such as per 100 g.
Ingredients and nutritional values vary from recipe to recipe. For example, Jumbo lists wheat, rye and barley as allergens in Rond Fijn Volkoren; that product information doesn’t apply to every other wholemeal variety.
When you buy the bread, check the current packaging for allergens, salt and any mention of iodised salt.
These brands offer examples of wholemeal varieties. Compare the details for the specific loaf you’re considering: a label such as ‘fine’ or ‘half’ doesn’t confirm that it’s medium-sliced.
The range includes AH OerDesem volkoren Allinson heel gesneden.
Jumbo’s bread range includes Fijn Volkoren and Rond Fijn Volkoren.
Among its wholemeal options, Lidl lists Halfje extra volkorenbrood.
Aldi describes Fijn Volkoren as a sliced loaf and also offers a separate wholemeal variety called Extra vezelrijk.
Plus lists options including Rond fijn volkoren heel and Rond fijn volkoren half.
Dirk lists wholemeal bread in its Bakker van der Akker range.
No. The colour alone doesn’t confirm that bread is wholemeal. Check the product description and ingredients for the variety you want to take with you.
Look at the slices themselves or ask in store about their thickness. Labels such as ‘fine’, ‘sliced’ and ‘half’ don’t, on their own, give a reliable indication of thickness.
Read the current ingredients list and check whether it mentions iodised salt. If iodine matters to your purchase, don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
Jumbo lists wheat, rye and barley as allergens in Rond Fijn Volkoren. Check the current allergen information every time you buy, for the exact variety you’ve chosen.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the bread you choose. For sandwiches, also check the storage instructions for the fillings and pack them for your journey accordingly.
