Choose half a wholemeal loaf if you want a familiar bread base for a small group and can freeze any leftover slices. Choose Melba toast if you’d rather serve small, crisp bites with a variety of toppings. Just check how much you need to open at once, and read the ingredients, allergen and nutritional information for each product.
For one to three people, half a loaf may be a better fit than a whole loaf. Small multipacks of Melba toast can also be useful if you don’t want to open everything at once. For bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing any leftover slices and taking out only what you need each time.
If you mainly want bread to serve alongside the toppings, compare wholemeal bread with Melba toast using the nutritional information per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread wherever possible. If iodised salt matters to you, check the ingredients list for the bread you choose.
Melba toast is ideal for individual, crisp bites with a variety of toppings. Decide how many pieces you want to serve, then check the ingredients and allergens on the pack before serving the same toast to all your guests.
First decide whether you want to serve a bread base or small, crisp bites. Then compare the amount you’ll actually need and the product information that matters to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and leftovers | Check the number of bread portions or pieces of toast, whether there are individual packs, and the storage instructions. | When we’re having brunch with a small group, I don’t want to defrost more bread or open more toast than we’ll eat. Avoiding leftovers is a priority for around 37% of consumers. |
| Bread type and fibre | Check that it’s labelled wholemeal, the fibre content per 100 g and, if relevant, whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If you’re mainly looking for a wholemeal bread base, don’t rely on the appearance of a piece of toast to guide your choice. Bread type and nutritional value are the top priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Small topped bites | Look at the shape of the toast and match the quantity to your planned toppings and number of guests. | If I’m serving a variety of toppings, I want to be able to put out small, individual bites. Around 18% of consumers prioritise serving food this way. |
| Ingredients and salt | Read the latest allergen information and compare the salt content per 100 g, keeping your serving size in mind. | If a guest needs to watch what they eat, I want to know what’s in the product before serving it. For around 18% of consumers, ingredients, allergens or salt are their main considerations when buying. |
A crisp bite doesn’t automatically serve the same purpose as a wholemeal bread base. Jumbo lists 7.6 g of fibre per 100 g for Jumbo Fijn Volkoren Half; the product information for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel lists 3.9 g per 100 g.
Decide what role bread will play at your brunch. You can also serve a small amount of Melba toast with toppings alongside the bread.
The weight on the pack doesn’t tell you how much you’ll need to open at once. Albert Heijn lists AH Melba Toast Naturel as 12 packs of 6 pieces; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says you can freeze any leftover bread.
Plan portions based on the number of people, and only open or defrost what you expect to use.
‘Plain’ doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about allergens or salt. Albert Heijn’s product information lists 1.93 g of salt per 100 g for AH Melba Toast Naturel, along with cereals containing gluten and soya. Jumbo lists 1.3 g of salt per 100 g for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel, along with wheat, barley and soya.
Check the current packaging just before serving, especially if a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how iodine compounds may be added to bread and other bakery products through bakers’ salt. This doesn’t confirm that every individual product contains iodised salt.
Check the ingredients list for the bread or toast you choose. If it matters for your purchase, ask which salt has been used in unpackaged bread.
The own-brand range includes both Melba toast and half a wholemeal loaf, giving you a useful comparison for this brunch choice.
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren Half is a specific example of a half wholemeal loaf for anyone looking for a bread base.
Melba Toast Naturel is an option for small, crisp bites with toppings.
This product is suited to the Melba toast side of brunch: small, crisp bites with toppings. Compare the quantity and current packaging with what you need for your group.
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Melba toast for small topped bites at an Easter brunch.
Pack size: 240 g. Check the packaging to see how many pieces are included when planning your portions.
The allergen information for this product is inconsistent. Check the current packaging before serving, especially if any of your guests need to avoid allergens.
No, don’t assume this is the case for an individual product. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, iodine compounds may only be added to bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products via bakers’ salt. Check the ingredients list: the Jumbo and Albert Heijn half wholemeal loaves mentioned here list iodised salt, while the Melba toast products mentioned only list salt.
Freeze any leftover bread and take out what you need each time, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. When buying, match the number of portions to your guests and the rest of the brunch spread. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
Always check the latest allergen information for the specific product. Albert Heijn’s product information lists cereals containing gluten and soya for AH Melba Toast Naturel; Jumbo’s lists wheat, barley and soya for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel. Don’t rely on the words ‘Melba toast’ or ‘plain’ alone.
