If you want to make a feature of the bread
A whole, rustic sourdough or hearth-baked loaf with visible seeds can be sliced at the buffet table. Decide in advance who will slice it and how much space you have.
Which option works best for you?
If you want to serve warm bread
Part-baked bread or baguettes let you plan a warm serving moment, provided the oven isn’t needed for other buffet dishes at the same time. Follow the instructions for the product you choose.
If you compare labels carefully
With multigrain bread, it’s worth checking the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information. If it matters to your choice, also check whether the packaging says baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used.
What should you look for?
First decide how you want to serve the bread: as a whole loaf on the table, warm from the oven or already sliced. Then compare the quantity and label for the exact product you’re considering.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and flavour | Look at the shape of the loaf, the grains and seeds listed, and whether the bread is whole or sliced. | I want to put a loaf on the table that I can slice during the buffet. Around 33% of consumers put presentation first. |
| Serving warm | Check the preparation instructions and whether there’ll be oven space just before serving. | I want to offer warm portions of bread without disrupting the oven schedule for the rest of the buffet. This serving moment matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Label and ingredients | Read the latest allergen information, nutritional values per 100 g, and details of any baker’s salt or iodised salt. | If guests need to consider certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the bread I choose. Around 25% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the weight and number of items with your guest numbers and the other dishes. | I want to put out enough bread without having lots of whole loaves left over. Getting the quantity right comes first for around 17% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming all multigrain bread contains baker’s salt
Baker’s salt contains iodine, but according to the Voedingscentrum, Dutch bakers aren’t required to use it. The breads reviewed don’t all list the same type of salt.
Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt. For unpackaged bread, ask the baker which salt has been used.
-
Confusing multigrain with gluten-free
The multigrain breads on product pages from retailers including Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list different gluten-containing grains; some varieties also contain sesame or soya.
If you need a gluten-free product, choose only one explicitly labelled as gluten-free, and check the latest allergen information too.
-
Choosing bake-at-home bread without planning for the oven
Part-baked bread needs a free slot in the oven. For the De Afbakker multigrain baguettes reviewed, ALDI gives a baking time of 8–10 minutes; instructions may differ for other products.
Plan the baking around the other dishes and follow the packaging for the bread you buy. Choose bread that’s ready to serve if the oven isn’t available.
If the oven is already in use, an extra baking round also takes up time just before serving.
-
Assuming a range page guarantees the product is in stock
A loaf shown on a product or search page may not be available at your chosen shop when you want it. Jumbo listed one own-brand variety reviewed as no longer available.
Check current availability when planning your shopping, and read the label on the pack you take home.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Worth considering if you want to compare sliced multigrain bread with an organic sourdough hearth loaf.
- According to Albert Heijn, AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen is sliced, baked on a stone oven floor and made with wheat sourdough.
- The organic hearth loaf reviewed lists rock salt rather than iodised salt. Check the label and current availability of the variety you choose.
Jumbo
A good starting point if you’re looking for a half loaf of multigrain bread with seeds.
- The product page for Waldkorn Meergranen Brood Half lists ingredients including wheat, soya, barley, oats, rye and sesame.
- A separate Jumbo own-brand loaf was listed on its product page as no longer available. Check the variety you actually plan to buy.
Lidl
Worth considering if you want a rustic multigrain sourdough loaf to serve whole.
- Lidl describes a white multigrain sourdough loaf with seeds as an in-store product.
- Check the ingredients and allergens on the latest in-store label before buying.
ALDI
Worth considering if you’re choosing between sliced bread and part-baked multigrain baguettes.
- ALDI lists a sliced boeren-volkoren-meergranenbrood and De Afbakker multigrain baguettes; it gives a baking time of 8–10 minutes for the baguettes.
- Check the packaging for allergens and preparation instructions for the product you choose.
PLUS
An option to explore if you’re interested in multigrain sourdough with buckwheat that needs baking before serving.
- PLUS Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit lists ingredients including wholemeal wheat, buckwheat, sourdough and baker’s salt.
- PLUS says ingredients and allergens may change, so check the latest label on the pack you choose.
Dirk
A place to compare different loaf sizes for your buffet table.
- Dirk’s search results include whole and half bakers’ multigrain loaves, hearth-baked bread and a rustic multigrain baguette.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and availability for the exact product at your chosen shop.
Multigrain bread for the buffet
These Joybuy products include a round loaf to slice yourself and baguettes you can serve in portions. Only plan to bake a product if its packaging says this is required.
Image unavailable
Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 4 x 135 g
Four baguettes to share out among your buffet guests. For a warm serving moment, allow time for defrosting and make sure you have oven space; follow the baking time on the packaging. Check the allergen information there too.
Image unavailable
Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Country Bread Round, 550 g
A 550 g round loaf to display whole and slice yourself. Allow time to defrost, bake and cool before slicing; check the packaging for the baking time and allergen information.
Image unavailable
g'woon Popular Multigrain Baguettes, 2 stuks, 300 g
Two multigrain baguettes, weighing 300 g in total, to serve in portions. Before buying, check the packaging to see whether they’re ready to serve or need preparing, and read the latest allergen information.
Frequently asked questions
Is multigrain bread always wholemeal?
No. The term multigrain doesn’t automatically mean that a loaf is made entirely with wholemeal flour. For example, the Albert Heijn and PLUS varieties reviewed list both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour; check the product description and ingredients list for the bread you choose.
Does Dutch bread always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory, even though it contains iodine. Check the ingredients list or ask which salt has been used if you’re buying unpackaged bread.
Where can I check allergens for a multigrain buffet?
Read the allergen information on each pack you choose. The breads reviewed from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS show that the grains and other ingredients vary from product to product; don’t assume a bread is suitable for a guest just because it’s described as multigrain.
Can I buy the bread ahead of Boxing Day?
You can, as long as the storage or freezing instructions for the variety you choose fit your plans. Albert Heijn says AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen can be frozen on the day of purchase, but advises that the organic hearth loaf reviewed isn’t suitable for home freezing. So follow the instructions on the packaging for the bread you actually buy.