For a satisfying snack, first choose a bread texture your fussy eater will accept, then check whether the slices are thick enough to hold the filling. Descriptions such as ‘hearty’ or ‘rustic’ don’t tell you how thick the bread is sliced. Multigrain bread isn’t automatically wholemeal either, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains. Check the ingredients and nutritional information if wholemeal flour, fibre, salt, allergens or iodised baker’s salt matter to your choice.
With generous toppings or toast, it matters whether a slice feels sturdy enough and whether the person eating it enjoys the crust, seeds and grains. Albert Heijn describes a multigrain bread with seeds, while Lidl calls its multigrain bread hearty. Neither description gives a comparable slice thickness.
If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, you can’t rely on the word ‘multigrain’. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means that at least three types of grain are used; it doesn’t automatically mean the whole grain is used. So check the product name and ingredients.
If you need to take allergens into account, check the information for your chosen loaf before buying. If iodised baker’s salt matters to your choice, check whether it’s listed in the ingredients or ask the baker. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baker’s salt isn’t compulsory in every loaf.
Start with a texture your fussy eater will accept. Then check the slice itself and compare only the label details that matter most to your purchase.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Texture and slice thickness | Look at a slice or ask the bakery counter how thick the bread is cut. Check the crust, seeds and grains too. | If a fussy eater leaves a chunky bite, I want to know which textures they’ll accept before choosing bread for a generously topped sandwich. Around 33% of consumers would put texture and sturdiness first. |
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product information and compare fibre per 100 g across similar loaves. | If a loaf is going to be a regular on the table, I want to know for sure that I’m choosing a wholemeal option rather than relying on the word ‘multigrain’. For around 27% of consumers, this would be their first consideration. |
| Allergens and baker’s salt | Check the allergen information for your chosen loaf and, if relevant, see whether iodised baker’s salt is listed. | If certain ingredients need to be avoided, I want to know what’s in this particular loaf before buying; baker’s salt could also influence my choice. An estimated 20% of consumers would prioritise these checks. |
| Loaf size and availability | Check whether the bread is sold whole, as a half loaf or sliced, and whether the shop you choose can provide the slice thickness you want. | If only a few sandwiches made with this bread are eaten at home, I want to be able to choose a suitable size. For around 20% of consumers, this practical consideration would matter most. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain tells you how many types of grain are used. The bread may also be made with white flour, even if you’re looking for a wholemeal option.
Check that ‘wholemeal’ is stated and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information.
‘Hearty’ and ‘rustic’ describe a loaf, but don’t tell you how thick it’s sliced. A loaf that sounds appealing in terms of texture may therefore be cut differently from the way you’d like it for a snack.
Look at a slice or ask before buying whether the bread can be cut to your preferred thickness.
Visible seeds and grains can be a stumbling block for someone who prefers an even texture. With bread containing a mix of grains and seeds, you’ll also need to check the allergens for the option you choose.
Check the ingredients and allergen information. If you’re unsure about the texture, choose a smaller loaf first, if that’s an option.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So the type of bread or the shop’s description won’t tell you whether iodised baker’s salt was used in this particular loaf.
If this is a condition of your purchase, check the ingredients or ask the baker.
Albert Heijn describes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden as a multigrain bread containing ingredients including sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and sprouted rye grains.
Jumbo offers several types of bread in its multigrain range, including Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen.
Lidl describes one multigrain bread as hearty, with ingredients including wheat, barley and buckwheat. It also describes an organic rustic multigrain sourdough bread with seeds.
Aldi includes multigrain bread in its daily-fresh range and describes Boeren volkoren meergranen as sliced wholemeal bread.
Plus offers multigrain options in its Korenlanders range, including Desem Meergranen Boekweit.
Dirk offers options including Bakkers meergranen, Bakkers Multikorn volkoren and vloerbrood meergranen from Bakker van der Akker.
These two multigrain options are intended to be sliced at home after defrosting, baking and cooling. That gives you a different choice from pre-sliced bread: check whether the loaf shape and texture suit the snack you want to make.
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This round multigrain loaf is a good choice if you’d rather decide how thick to slice it yourself after baking than buy pre-sliced bread.
The loaf weighs 550 g. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before slicing.
Check whether you can cut it to your preferred thickness. Also check the current ingredients and allergen information, especially if seeds or sesame are a concern for the person eating it.
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These multigrain baguettes are ideal if you want to cut your snack into pieces yourself; their shape is different from that of a regular sliced sandwich loaf.
The pack contains four 135 g baguettes. Defrosting, baking and cooling come before slicing.
Check that the shape and crust will suit the person eating them, and check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you choose.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but it may also be made with white flour. Look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ on the option you choose, and check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
Check the slice itself or ask at the bakery counter what slice thickness is available. A description such as ‘rustic’ or ‘hearty’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are. If you’re slicing the loaf yourself, its shape should also suit the snack you have planned.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. If its presence affects your choice, check the ingredients or ask the baker.
For pre-packed bread, check the label; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information must be shown there. For unpackaged bread, ask for information about that specific option before buying, and check which grains are used and whether it contains sesame.
