If you want to serve the multigrain bread as a centrepiece on the table, choose a whole, rustic loaf that you can slice at the table. If you’d rather serve it warm just before the meal, a bake-at-home baguette or long loaf is a better fit, provided you have room in the oven. For each loaf, also check whether it’s wholemeal, which allergens it contains and what type of salt has been used. The term ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t answer these questions.
First, decide how you want to serve the bread. A whole loaf, a bake-at-home option and a loaf chosen for a guest with specific dietary requirements each call for different preparation.
You can put a whole, round loaf on a board and slice it yourself to serve with soup, cheese or a shared meal. Albert Heijn describes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen as a rustic sourdough bread with seeds and grains. If you choose a loaf like this, be sure to check the allergens before sharing it.
Part-baked baguettes or long loaves are a good choice if you can fit the baking time in between preparing the other dishes. PLUS and ALDI provide baking instructions for the multigrain options mentioned here; check the packaging of the loaf you buy for its specific time and temperature.
If a guest needs to avoid an allergen or you’re specifically looking for a wholemeal option, the current label matters more than a rustic appearance. Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for the specific loaf, even if the packaging says ‘multigrain’.
Choose how you want to serve the bread first, then decide whether baking it at home fits your dinner plans. Finally, check the wholemeal information and allergens on the loaf you intend to serve.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation at the table | Check the shape of the loaf, whether it’s whole or sliced, and the ingredients if you’re looking for seeds or sourdough. | When I put bread on the table with soup or cheese, I want guests to be able to help themselves easily without having to portion it out in advance. For around 36% of consumers, presentation is the main priority. |
| Serving it warm | Check the baking instructions and make sure the oven will be free when you want to serve the bread. | I want to serve warm bread, but I also need the oven for other dishes around dinner time. For around 29% of consumers, getting the baking time right is the main consideration. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information for the loaves you’re considering. | If I want to serve wholemeal bread, I can’t rely on its colour or the name ‘multigrain’ alone. For around 21% of consumers, checking the ingredients is the top priority. |
| Guests’ allergens | Read the current allergen information and, if necessary, discuss how to serve a separate loaf without cross-contact. | If a guest needs to avoid gluten or another allergen, I first want to know which bread is suitable for them. Around 14% of consumers put this check ahead of other considerations when choosing bread. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread is made with at least three types of grain. That alone doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. To compare nutritional values, use the figures per 100 g for each individual product; the figures for one loaf don’t automatically apply to another.
The Voedingscentrum defines multigrain bread by the number of types of grain used. The name doesn’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal or how much fibre it contains.
To make your choice, check the wholemeal label, ingredients and nutritional information for the specific loaf.
According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So you can’t tell whether it has been used in multigrain bread just from the name.
Check the label to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used. If the bread is unwrapped, ask the baker.
Part-baked bread needs oven space and time just before serving. You may also need the oven for other dishes during dinner.
Check the baking instructions against your cooking schedule. If baking doesn’t fit, choose bread you can serve without that step.
Gluten-free multigrain bread may contain other allergens. According to the product information, the Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn sold by PLUS contains soya and may also contain sesame, mustard and lupin.
Ask which allergens are relevant to your guest, read the current label and keep the bread and cutting equipment separate if necessary.
Use these product ranges to compare types of bread and serving occasions. When making your final choice, always check the current range and the label for the individual loaf.
According to its product page, AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen is a sliced sourdough loaf baked on a stone oven floor, made with ingredients including wheat, rye and millet.
Jumbo offers a range of multigrain breads, including wholemeal options and Waldkorn, so you can compare different types of bread within its range.
PLUS offers Korenlanders sourdough breads and a multigrain sourdough baguette that you can bake at home.
ALDI describes part-baked multigrain baguettes and also lists luxury multigrain oven-floor bread in its fresh daily range.
Dirk’s range includes options such as multigrain oven-floor bread, bake-at-home baguettes and Waldkorn.
Lidl describes an in-store bakery range that includes multigrain bread and bake-at-home loaves.
This selection includes round loaves for sharing, baguettes and individual rolls. Choose a style that suits your serving plans and check the packaging for preparation instructions, ingredients and allergens before buying.
Image unavailable
These round loaves are a good option if you want to share bread at the table and slice it yourself. The product name lists two 550 g loaves; plan the defrosting and baking around your dinner, and check the current ingredients and allergens.
Image unavailable
This round loaf is well suited to a table where guests can slice their own bread; the product name lists a weight of 550 g. Check the baking time on the current packaging before planning when to serve it, and read the ingredients and allergens for your guests.
Image unavailable
Baguettes are a good choice if you want to bake the bread just before dinner. Check how many baguettes are included in the pack: the quantity in the title and the product description don’t clearly match. Also check the defrosting and baking instructions and the allergens listed on the packaging.
Image unavailable
These four individual rolls are a good option if you want to serve individual portions rather than slice a whole loaf. Check the current label carefully if sesame is relevant to a guest: the available product information doesn’t list sesame consistently.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread is made with at least three different types of grain; this doesn’t confirm that the bread is wholemeal. Check the wholemeal label and ingredients of the loaf you choose.
No, you can’t assume that. The Voedingscentrum says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Read the label or ask the baker which salt has been used if the bread is unwrapped.
Plan the baking so the oven is free just before you want to serve the bread. For the specific PLUS multigrain sourdough baguette, the product page recommends 8–10 minutes in the oven at 220°C, or 4 minutes at 200°C in a preheated air fryer. For other bread, follow its own packaging instructions.
Choose bread explicitly labelled gluten-free for that guest, rather than regular bread just because it says ‘multigrain’. Check for any other relevant allergens too, and avoid cross-contact when slicing and serving.
You can, as long as the product instructions allow it. Albert Heijn says that AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and used within one month; follow the storage advice for other breads.
