Choose half a loaf if you also want to eat sandwiches or decide for yourself how large to make your toast. If you want ready-to-top toast slices for a small festive get-together or drinks, Melba toast is a better fit. Either way, compare the amount with how much you expect to use: even a smaller pack may leave you with some leftovers.
If you’re buying for one or a few meals, compare half a loaf with the number of toast slices you’ll actually need. Buying less only helps if the amount suits your plans. Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling advises against buying more bread than you need.
For small nibbles at a festive get-together or drinks, Melba toast is an alternative to bread that you still need to toast and cut. Check that the shape of the toast suits the toppings you plan to serve.
Check the label on the specific pack before you choose. Ingredients can vary between toast products; Jumbo lists wheat, barley and soya, among other ingredients, for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel.
Choose this if: you want sandwiches as well as nibbles, or you’d like to decide how large to make your toast.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to toast and cut the bread.
Choose this if: you want small toast slices that are ready to top.
Bear in mind: pack sizes vary by product; a pack of toast slices isn’t the same as half a loaf.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Amount and leftovers | Compare the meals you have planned with half a loaf or the weight of a pack of toast. Think about what you’ll do with any leftovers. | If I’m buying for a small group, I don’t want to end up with more bread or toast than I can use. Around 45% of consumers prioritise reducing leftovers. |
| Ease of serving and shape | Choose between bread you need to toast yourself and toast slices that are ready to top; check that the shape suits your toppings. | For small topped nibbles, I want to serve them straight away, without having to slice and toast bread first. Ready-to-serve toast is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ information on the pack you’re buying. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, a suitable label matters more than the size I want. This is the top priority for around 19% of consumers. |
You can toast and cut half a loaf yourself; Melba toast comes as ready-made toast slices. So the amount of preparation you need to do before serving is different.
First decide whether you also want to eat sandwiches or mainly want to make small nibbles that are ready to top.
The amount of toast varies by product. A 240 g pack won’t necessarily suit the same number of occasions as a 100 g pack.
Compare the weight with what you plan to serve, and think ahead about whether you’ll use any leftovers later.
‘Naturel’ doesn’t tell you which allergens or potential traces are listed for a specific pack of toast.
Check the current label every time you buy, even if you’ve bought a product from the same brand before.
A product page for Krokante Melba toast lists wheat, barley and soya lecithin in the ingredients, but also includes an allergen statement that contradicts this.
Don’t use that page to decide whether the product is suitable for someone with an allergy. Check the label and ask the retailer or manufacturer for clarification if the information is still conflicting.
Melba toast for small nibbles that are ready to top; Jumbo lists a 120 g pack of Melba Toast Naturel.
Albert Heijn stocks both half loaves and Melba toast naturel; these are two different options for serving.
ALDI lists Sun Snacks Melba Toast Naturel in a 240 g pack.
ALDI describes this brand’s Krokante Tarwe Toast as rectangular, oven-baked toast slices for topped snacks.
Bolletje sells crackers and rusks, among other products: other options to consider if you’re not specifically looking for Melba toast.
These are pre-packed 100 g products of Melba toast, ready to top. If you also want to eat sandwiches or decide for yourself how large to make your toast, compare half a loaf instead of treating these toast slices as a bread substitute.
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An option if you’re looking for Melba toast that’s ready to top for a small get-together.
The pack contains 100 g. Choose an amount that suits your group, and check the pack label if you have allergies.
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An option if you want round toast slices as a base for small topped nibbles.
The pack contains 100 g. Check the label for allergens, and bear in mind that the toast slices are hard and crunchy when serving them to young children.
No, it depends on how much you eat and what you do with any leftovers. Half a loaf limits how much you buy at once; keep it sealed outside the fridge and freeze portions if you won’t use them soon.
Follow the instructions on the pack you buy. For its Melba toast naturel, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a sealed tin after opening.
Read the allergens and any potential traces listed on the specific product’s label. For Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel, Jumbo lists wheat, barley and soya; don’t assume every variety has the same ingredients.
Not all the toast products mentioned can be ordered online: Lidl says its Party Toast is available in store only. For another product, check the current ordering options with the retailer.
