Who is this choice of bread for?

Anyone making generously topped snacks

For sandwiches or open sandwiches at a family dinner, you may want to decide how thick to cut the slices yourself. A whole loaf is only an option if it hasn’t already been sliced.

Anyone comparing wholemeal bread and fibre

The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. The product description, ingredients and fibre content per 100 g can help you compare different loaves on a like-for-like basis.

Anyone checking labels for the family

If gluten, other allergens or baker’s salt matter to someone at the table, the current packaging gives you more reliable information than the bread’s name or the visible grains and seeds.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide whether you want to cut the slices yourself or serve the bread without any slicing. Then compare the type of bread and its label against what matters to your guests.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Cutting thick slices yourself Check that the whole loaf is unsliced. If it’s pre-sliced, look at the actual slices; the name of the bread doesn’t tell you how thick they are. If I want generous toppings, I want to decide how thick to cut the bread, while pre-sliced bread means less preparation. Around 46% of consumers would choose that control as their top priority.
Wholemeal bread and fibre Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare fibre per 100 g. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means that at least three types of grain have been used; it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. When I buy multigrain bread for the family, I want to know whether its grain base suits my preference for wholemeal. For around 36% of consumers, this would be their first consideration.
Labels and dietary requirements Read the current ingredients and allergen information. If you need a gluten-free option, check for an explicit gluten-free label. To check for baker’s salt or iodised salt, look at the label. If someone at the table needs to avoid certain ingredients, or I’m checking for baker’s salt, I don’t want to rely on the bread’s name. Checking the label would be the top priority for around 18% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming multigrain means wholemeal

    According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means that at least three types of grain have been used. It doesn’t tell you whether the bread is made entirely with wholemeal grains.

    If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the product description and ingredients. To compare fibre, check the nutritional information per 100 g.

  • Assuming a rustic-sounding bread name means thick slices

    A round loaf, a hearth-baked loaf or sourdough bread may already be sliced. The name doesn’t tell you how thick the individual slices are.

    Check whether a whole loaf is genuinely unsliced, or look at the slices if it’s pre-sliced before choosing it for generous toppings.

  • Expecting every loaf to contain baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt when baking bread isn’t compulsory. So the bread category alone won’t tell you whether baker’s salt has been used.

    Check the label to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed among the ingredients.

  • Checking only the word ‘multigrain’ when it comes to allergens

    The grains and other ingredients used vary from loaf to loaf. Even bread explicitly labelled gluten-free may contain other allergens that are relevant to you.

    Check the current ingredients and allergen information every time you buy, and look for a gluten-free label if you need one.

Brands and shops to consider

These examples show the types of bread and label information you can compare. The name of a shop alone won’t tell you how thick the slices are.

Albert Heijn

AH Liefde & Passie multigrain bread is a 550 g sliced brown loaf.

  • Albert Heijn lists details such as ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for this product.
  • Check the slices yourself if you want a particular thickness, and read the current packaging before buying.

Jumbo

Jumbo has a multigrain range that includes whole loaves.

  • Jumbo provides nutritional and allergen information for its multigrain bread, so you can compare these product details.
  • Check the current product information for each loaf, and whether it’s sold whole, sliced or unsliced.

Lidl

Lidl describes a rustic white multigrain sourdough loaf with kernels and seeds as an in-store product.

  • The product description makes clear that this is a white multigrain loaf; ‘rustic’ doesn’t mean wholemeal.
  • Check the slices and label in store if thickness, ingredients or nutritional value matter to you.

ALDI

ALDI describes its luxury multigrain hearth-baked loaf as pre-sliced, with grains and seeds.

  • Pre-sliced bread saves you a job when preparing snacks.
  • The term ‘hearth-baked loaf’ doesn’t guarantee thick slices; check them if you need a particular thickness for your toppings.

PLUS

PLUS describes Korenlanders dark multigrain round loaf as a wholemeal multigrain bread.

  • The product description explicitly states that it’s wholemeal, making it easier to compare than relying on the word ‘multigrain’ alone.
  • ‘Whole’ doesn’t necessarily mean unsliced: check how it’s presented if you want to cut thick slices yourself.

Dirk

Dirk’s range includes half and whole multigrain loaves, as well as hearth-baked bread.

  • These types of loaf give you different portion sizes to consider for dinner.
  • For your chosen loaf, check whether it’s pre-sliced and what the label says.

Multigrain bread at Joybuy

These products include a round multigrain loaf and multigrain baguettes that you can slice yourself after baking. The round loaf is well suited to cutting slices for sandwiches, while baguettes offer a different shape for individual snacks. Check the slices for both types to see what works with your toppings.

Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Country Bread Round 550 g

Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Country Bread Round 550 g

This 550 g round multigrain loaf is a good option if you want to cut your own slices for dinner after baking. Check the packaging for baking instructions and ingredients, and make sure the bread meets your requirements for wholemeal content, allergens and baker’s salt. Check the slices before choosing toppings.

View at Joybuy
Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette 4 x 135 g

Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette 4 x 135 g

This pack contains four 135 g multigrain baguettes, offering a different shape from a round loaf for making large sandwiches. Follow the baking instructions on the packaging and check the slices once baked. If you have dietary requirements, read the current ingredients and allergen information too.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is multigrain bread always wholemeal?

No. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread is made with at least three different types of grain; that doesn’t confirm that it’s wholemeal. Check the product description and ingredients if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread.

How do I choose multigrain bread that I can cut into thick slices?

Choose a whole loaf and check that it’s unsliced. If you want pre-sliced bread, look at the actual slices rather than relying on terms such as ‘rustic’ or ‘hearth-baked’.

Does every loaf in the Netherlands contain iodised baker’s salt?

No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt. Check the label for the specific loaf to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used.

Is ordinary multigrain bread gluten-free too?

Don’t assume it is: ‘multigrain’ isn’t a gluten-free label. If you need gluten-free bread, choose only bread explicitly labelled as gluten-free, and check the other allergen information on the current packaging too.