If you live alone and don’t eat much bread, half a loaf can be a good way to keep a smaller amount at home. A whole loaf is also an option if you freeze it in portions straight away and have enough freezer space. If you’re specifically comparing wholemeal bread or fibre, check the description and nutritional information for the exact product: multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal.
If you don’t eat bread every day, you can choose half a loaf or freeze a whole loaf in portions for different meals. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it.
If you don’t want to buy more bread than you’ll use on each shopping trip, check both the pack size and the weight. Two half-loaves don’t necessarily contain the same amount of bread.
The name multigrain doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. Check the description on the packaging and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information for the products you’re considering.
Work out how much bread you’ll actually use, then check the pack size and the ingredients and nutritional information for the loaf you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping bread without waste | Choose half a loaf if you don’t use much, or check whether you can freeze a whole loaf in portions straight away. | If I don’t eat bread every day, I only want to defrost what I need. Avoiding waste is a top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Amount per purchase | Compare half a loaf with half a loaf, or a whole loaf with a whole loaf; check the pack weight too. | For a few meals, I want to buy an amount that suits how much I use. A small pack size is the main consideration for around 25% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal description and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information for the exact loaf. | If I’m deliberately looking for wholemeal bread, I don’t want to assume it from the name multigrain alone. This check matters most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Shop and label information | Check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging; check the ingredients list for baker’s salt too. | I want to be able to check what’s in my bread before I use it. Product information is the deciding factor for around 19% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three different types of grain. That alone doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal.
Check for the wholemeal description and, if you’re comparing fibre, read the nutritional information per 100 g for the specific loaf.
A whole loaf may be too much for one person if you only eat bread occasionally.
Choose an amount that suits how much you eat, or freeze a whole loaf in portions straight away, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Bread left out for too long can go stale or mouldy before you’ve had a chance to eat it.
The word ‘half’ doesn’t tell you whether different loaves have the same weight or ingredients.
Check the pack weight and type of bread before comparing two products.
The product name alone won’t tell you all the allergens in multigrain bread. Jumbo lists, among other things, cereals containing gluten, sesame and soya in its Stevig Meergranenbrood.
If you have an allergy or intolerance, always read the label on the current packaging of the product you’re buying.
A brand name doesn’t tell you what size or ingredients you’re getting, so compare individual loaves each time.
Albert Heijn’s online bread range includes multigrain and maize bread in a variety of formats.
Jumbo lists multigrain bread online, including half and whole loaves.
ALDI sells Farmer’s wholemeal multigrain bread as half and whole loaves.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Bakkers multigrain bread in half and whole loaves.
The PLUS online range includes a variety of multigrain products, including sourdough bread.
Lidl includes multigrain bread in its bread range.
These baguettes, loaves and rolls come in different pack sizes for individual meals. The round loaf needs to be portioned yourself; if you want to store or bake any of these products, check the instructions on the packaging too.
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Individual baguettes can be a good choice if you want to eat bread at different times. The product name states 4 × 135 g × 2, while the description mentions four baguettes; check the number and total weight on the packaging.
Read the instructions on the packaging if you want to store and bake the baguettes.
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Four individual baguettes are handy if you want to eat bread at different times. The product name states that the pack contains four 135 g baguettes.
These baguettes need to be prepared before serving; follow the baking instructions on the current packaging.
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This 550 g round loaf could suit you if you want to divide it into portions for several meals. Bear in mind you’ll need to portion it yourself, and check the defrosting and baking instructions.
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If you live alone, two 550 g loaves call for a plan for portioning and freezer space. Check the baking instructions too before defrosting and baking a loaf.
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Four individual multigrain rolls are a handy option if you want to take one for each meal. If you have a sesame allergy, check the allergen information on the current packaging.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means bread made with at least three different types of grain; it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. Check for the wholemeal description and read the ingredients for the loaf you want to buy.
Choose an amount you’ll use, or freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it. That way, you can take out what you need for each meal, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
No. Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf. For example, Jumbo lists baker’s salt in its Stevig Meergranenbrood, but you can’t assume the same applies to other loaves.
You can’t rely on a public online list for current food products in Lidl stores: Lidl says no such list is available. Check the bread and packaging in store, or contact Lidl with a specific question about the product.
