Choose a ready-to-serve, rustic multigrain loaf if you want the bread to take centre stage on your Christmas table. If you’d like to bake it just before dinner, choose bake-at-home baguettes or a stick loaf, and make sure you have enough oven space. Whichever you choose, check the ingredients and allergens: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain does not automatically mean wholemeal, and not every loaf is made with baker’s salt.
If you’d like to serve bread alongside soup, cheese or dishes to share, look for a rustic loaf or hearth-baked bread that you can slice or share at the table. Before serving, check that the ingredients are suitable for your guests.
If you want to serve warm bread, pre-baked multigrain baguettes or stick loaves are an option, provided there’s room in the oven or air fryer at the right time. Follow the cooking instructions for the product you choose.
If a guest is looking for wholemeal bread or needs to avoid certain allergens, the product name alone isn’t enough. Check the ingredients and allergens for the bread you choose. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says baker’s salt isn’t compulsory, so check the label separately or ask the seller.
First decide whether the bread needs to be ready to serve or whether you’ll bake it just before dinner. Then compare the ingredients and any information that matters to your guests.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and size | Check the shape and weight of the bread, and whether it’s sliced, ready to serve or pre-baked. | If you want to put a whole loaf on display or make it easy to share, the shape will affect how you serve it. Around 38% of consumers prioritise presentation and size. |
| Baking and timing | Check the baking time and temperature on the packaging, and make sure the oven or air fryer will be free at the right time. | If other dishes are using the oven, you’ll need to fit the baking time around your dinner plans. For around 37% of consumers, being able to bake bread just before eating is the top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check whether it’s labelled wholemeal, as well as the ingredients, allergens and any mention of iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If I need to cater for a guest who avoids certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in this particular loaf. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three different types of grain. That doesn’t mean all the flour used is wholemeal; even a dark or rustic loaf can contain refined flour.
If wholemeal is important to you, look for an explicit wholemeal label and read the ingredients list.
A pre-baked baguette or stick loaf needs space in the oven or air fryer, which you may also need for other dishes.
Read the cooking instructions before buying, and choose ready-to-serve bread if baking it doesn’t fit your plans.
Multigrain bread may contain gluten-containing cereals, sesame or other relevant allergens. The name won’t tell you which ingredients or possible cross-contamination warnings apply to the particular product you’re buying.
Check the current packaging. For unpackaged bread, ask about allergen information before buying, as advised by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
Baker’s salt is iodised salt used in bakery products, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use it.
If this ingredient matters to you, look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list, and ask about it when buying unpackaged bread.
Compare the shape, preparation method and packaging of each loaf. The brand name alone won’t tell you which ingredients apply to the product you choose.
The Liefde & Passie range includes a rustic multigrain option for anyone who wants to serve bread as a centrepiece.
At Jumbo, you can compare different multigrain bread listings, including wholemeal multigrain and Waldkorn options.
PLUS lists pre-baked wholemeal multigrain baguettes and a multigrain sourdough stick loaf.
ALDI lists both Boeren volkoren meergranenbrood and a multigrain stick loaf.
Lidl lists a bio rustic multigrain sourdough loaf, among other options, and provides ingredients information for its oven-fresh range.
Dirk’s search results show a range of bread shapes, including multigrain bread, a wholemeal Multikorn option and a multigrain stick loaf.
These products include baguette shapes and a round loaf for sharing at the Christmas table. Check whether thawing or baking fits into your preparations, and always check the current packaging if you’re catering for guests with dietary requirements.
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The four baguettes are a good option if you want to share smaller pieces of bread around the table.
Allow time for thawing and baking. Check the current packaging for cooking instructions and allergen information if it matters to your guests.
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Two multigrain baguettes are ideal for a dinner where you want to share the bread in pieces.
Check the packaging to see whether they need to be baked before serving. Also read the ingredients and allergen information if it’s relevant to your guests.
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The round shape is a good option if you want to put a whole loaf on the table and slice it to share.
This loaf needs to be thawed and baked. Check the baking time on the current packaging before planning dinner, and read the allergen information if it matters to any of your guests.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three different types of grain, but it can also contain refined flour. If you want to buy wholemeal bread, check that the specific product is explicitly labelled wholemeal and read its ingredients list.
No. Baker’s salt is iodised salt used in bakery products, but according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, its use isn’t compulsory. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unpackaged bread, ask the seller which salt has been used.
Check the allergen information for the exact loaf you plan to serve. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergens must be listed on the labels of pre-packed products. For unpackaged bread, ask for the information before buying, and look out for any relevant ‘may contain’ warnings.
Plan the baking around serving time, after checking when the oven will be free. PLUS gives baking instructions of 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C or 5–6 minutes in an air fryer at 200 °C for its wholemeal multigrain baguettes. For any other bread, always follow the instructions on its own packaging.
