Only choose multigrain bread if you have a food allergy after checking the current allergen information for the exact loaf against the foods you need to avoid. The name ‘multigrain’ and a dark colour don’t tell you anything about this. A gluten-free option still needs to be checked for other relevant allergens. If the bread is suitable, you can then weigh up wholemeal against a potentially milder white-and-wholemeal blend for a fussy eater.
If you need to avoid wheat, sesame, soya, nuts or milk, for example, check the allergen information for the exact loaf. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, sellers must also provide information about allergens present in unpackaged bread before purchase.
A gluten-free label helps you narrow down your options, but it says nothing about other allergens. For example, the gluten-free Consenza multigrain bread described by Albert Heijn lists sesame and possible traces of egg, lupin, nuts and soya. Check the current packaging.
If you’re looking for a milder flavour or texture, you can compare a white-and-wholemeal blend with wholemeal bread once you’ve checked the allergens. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; the term ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t guarantee this.
When choosing multigrain bread, check the allergens for the exact product first. Only then compare the wholemeal labelling, nutritional information and flavour.
| What to check | What to look for when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Specific allergen | Compare the current ingredients and highlighted allergens with the foods you need to avoid. Ask for details of the exact product if the bread is unpackaged. | If I need to avoid a particular allergen, I want to know whether this specific bread contains it before flavour or bread type comes into the picture; roughly 50% of consumers put avoiding allergens first. |
| Current information and cross-contamination | Check the packaging and any ‘may contain’ warning when you buy the bread. If it’s unpackaged, ask for further information if needed. | If a recipe may change or a warning about possible presence is relevant, I want to be able to rely on the information for the product I’m buying. For around 30% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
| Wholemeal or a milder blend | Check whether the bread is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and, if you wish, compare the fibre per 100 g in products that meet your allergen requirements. | Once I’ve chosen a suitable option based on allergens, I want to find a bread a fussy eater will enjoy without losing sight of its ingredients; around 20% of consumers put this consideration first. |
The name doesn’t mean that the bread is free from gluten or other allergens. Jumbo’s product information for a standard multigrain loaf lists wheat, barley, soya and sesame, among other ingredients.
Check the allergens for the exact loaf. If you need to avoid gluten, look specifically for a gluten-free label.
Albert Heijn and PLUS state that product information can change. This means a page you viewed earlier may not match the packaging of the product you buy.
Check the current packaging. If the bread is unpackaged, ask for its allergen information before you buy it.
A gluten-free label doesn’t rule out sesame, for example. The gluten-free Consenza multigrain bread on Albert Heijn’s product page lists sesame as an allergen.
Use ‘gluten-free’ to filter out gluten, then check for all the other allergens you need to avoid.
Wholemeal describes the flour used, not the absence of gluten, soya, sesame or other allergens. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Finish checking the allergens before weighing up the wholemeal label and your preference for a milder blend.
Lists both standard and gluten-free multigrain bread online.
Publishes ingredient and allergen information for the multigrain breads reviewed.
Stocks standard multigrain bread and separately lists the gluten-free Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn.
Publishes an ingredients and allergen overview for its fresh-from-the-oven bread range.
Lists products including a sliced multigrain farmhouse loaf with grains and seeds.
Lists products including a multigrain bake-off baguette in its online range.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t mean gluten-free. Jumbo’s product information for a standard multigrain loaf lists rye, wheat, barley and gluten, among other ingredients. If you need gluten-free bread, check the current label as well as any other allergens you need to avoid.
Before you buy, ask which allergens are present in the exact loaf. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, sellers must also be able to provide this information for unpackaged foods. Don’t rely on the name of the type of bread alone.
This warning refers to the possible unintended presence of nuts and is relevant if you need to avoid them. Consider the warning for the exact loaf in light of the advice you’ve been given about what to avoid. The ingredients list alone won’t answer this question.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while a white-and-wholemeal blend also contains white flour. Compare the ingredients only after checking that both breads meet your allergen requirements.
You can’t tell from the name ‘multigrain bread’. Check the ingredients for the exact loaf or ask the seller which salt has been used if this matters to your choice.
