If you’re making generously topped sandwiches for Easter brunch, choose multigrain bread that you can have sliced to your preferred thickness or slice yourself. A label such as ‘sliced’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are. If wholegrain ingredients, allergens or baker’s salt matter to your choice, check the current label too.
If you want to top your bread with egg, cheese, fish, spreads or vegetables, the thickness of each slice may matter. Ask whether the loaf is available unsliced and can be cut thickly; a ‘sliced’ label on a product page doesn’t guarantee this.
The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholegrain or fibre a particular loaf contains. Check the ingredients list and compare the fibre per 100 g if this matters to your choice.
If you have an allergy or a question about iodine, the ingredients of the exact loaf matter. Read the current label or ask for product information if the bread is unpackaged. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt.
First decide whether you want to serve thick slices or individual snacks. Then check whether the bread can be sliced as you want, its ingredients and how it needs to be prepared.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Slice thickness | Ask whether the loaf is available unsliced and whether you can have it cut thickly; otherwise, check the slices in store. | I want to pile plenty of filling onto each slice and choose the thickness myself. For around 31% of consumers, control over the slice comes first. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Read the ingredients list and compare the fibre per 100 g of the loaves you’re considering. | When doing my Easter shopping, I focus on the bread’s wholegrain ingredients and nutritional value; this is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Allergens and baker’s salt | Check the current ingredients and allergen information. If you have a question about iodine, look for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the label. | I need to know what’s in the bread before I serve it. Around 23% of consumers put checking the label first. |
| Preparation and portions | Check whether rolls or baguettes need to be baked in the oven and how many pieces are in the pack. | For individual Easter snacks, I mainly want to know how many portions I can make and whether they need oven time; this matters most to around 15% of consumers. |
A sliced loaf won’t necessarily be cut to the thickness you want for generously topped sandwiches. The product listing may tell you that the loaf is sliced without saying anything about the thickness of the individual slices.
Ask how thick the slices are, or choose a loaf you can slice yourself if thick slices are essential.
The name multigrain alone doesn’t confirm how much wholegrain or fibre a loaf contains.
Check the product description, ingredients list and nutritional information for the variety you want to buy.
Recipes vary between multigrain loaves. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also says that using baker’s salt in bread isn’t compulsory.
Read the current label. For unpackaged bread, ask for the ingredients and allergen information, and check which salt has been used if necessary.
Albert Heijn lists both AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden and AH OerDesem donker meergranen heel gesneden.
Jumbo’s multigrain range includes different styles of bread. It also lists part-baked multigrain rolls in packs of four.
Lidl lists multigrain bread and a 600 g organic rustic multigrain sourdough loaf.
ALDI lists sliced Boeren volkoren meergranenbrood and multigrain baguettes to bake at home.
PLUS lists products including Korenlanders Donker meergranen rond heel and a multigrain sourdough baguette.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker multigrain loaves in whole and half sizes, as well as a whole multigrain hearth loaf.
These products suit two ways of making Easter snacks: a round multigrain loaf that you slice yourself, or multigrain baguettes for smaller pieces. The product names don’t specify slice thickness.
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A round loaf for anyone who wants to slice it themselves once it’s ready. The pack lists 550 g x 2; choose your preferred slice thickness and check the preparation instructions and ingredients on the packaging.
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A baguette option for individual snacks rather than thick sandwiches. The product name lists 4 x 135 g x 2; allow time to bake it in the oven and follow the instructions on the packaging.
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A multigrain baguette for smaller filled pieces, not thick sandwiches. This variety lists 4 x 135 g; check the baking instructions and allergen information on the packaging before serving.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt isn’t compulsory when baking bread. Check the label or ask the baker which salt was used in the bread.
Check the allergen information for the specific loaf, as ingredients vary between recipes. Look out for the grains and seeds used, as well as any mention of soya or milk. Don’t assume the same list applies to all multigrain bread.
It depends on the bread and its storage instructions. For the Liefde & Passie and OerDesem loaves included in its research, Albert Heijn recommends freezing on the day of purchase and using within one month. Follow the current instructions on the packaging for your bread.
