For autumn half-term snacks with generous toppings, don’t choose your bread based solely on words such as ‘multigrain’ or ‘hearty’. Check whether you can buy it in the thick slices you want, or slice it yourself. If fibre matters to you, compare wholemeal options and the nutritional values per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that at least three types of grain have been used; it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal or thickly sliced.
Making toast, toastie-style snacks or sandwiches with several ingredients? Check whether the slice is sturdy enough for your toppings, and check the thickness of the bread you’re buying. A description such as ‘hearty’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are.
If you want to choose a wholemeal base for the holidays, look beyond the visible grains and seeds. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is particularly high in fibre. The nutrition table per 100 g can help you compare specific loaves.
If you’re buying bread for people who need to avoid certain ingredients, read the ingredients and allergen information for that specific loaf. Multigrain breads can contain different types of grain and seeds. Albert Heijn also warns that online product information can change.
First, decide what matters most for your snacks: the slice you want, a wholemeal base, the label, or when you can buy and prepare the bread.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Slice and sturdiness | Look at the slices or ask whether a whole loaf can be cut to your preferred thickness. Check whether the slice will work with your toppings. | For generously topped toast, I want a slice that’s comfortable to hold. Around 33% of consumers put slice and sturdiness first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check that it’s labelled wholemeal and compare the fibre content per 100 g on the nutrition table. | If I want wholemeal bread for snacks, I prioritise the ingredients and fibre over visible seeds. This is the first consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current label, including the listed allergens and any ‘may contain’ information. | When several people will be eating the bread, I want to check which ingredients they need to avoid. Around 20% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Shop and preparation | Check whether your chosen bread is available at your shop, whether it’s already sliced and whether it still needs preparing. | If I’ve planned a snack, I want to know whether the bread will be ready in time to add the toppings. Around 20% of consumers put this practical consideration first. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread is made using at least three types of grain. The name alone doesn’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal.
If wholemeal matters to you, check the product description and compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
Jumbo uses ‘Hearty Multigrain’ as a product name, while Dirk and Lidl describe the breads they’ve reviewed as hearty. These words don’t indicate how thick the slices are.
Look at the slices or the packaging, or ask how thick a whole loaf can be sliced.
The outside of a multigrain loaf doesn’t tell you which grains and other ingredients are inside. Information about possible traces also needs your attention.
Read the current label for the specific loaf rather than relying only on the product name or picture.
The Albert Heijn breads reviewed list iodised salt, but that tells you nothing about the ingredients in other loaves.
If the type of salt used affects your choice, check the ingredients list for the loaf you want to buy.
A good option if you want to check the ingredients and nutritional information for a specific multigrain bread online.
Worth considering if the product name ‘Hearty Multigrain’ sounds like the sort of bread you want for topped snacks.
Worth considering if you want to look at a whole multigrain loaf or a hearth-baked loaf.
Worth considering if you’re looking at a sliced wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Worth considering if you want to compare multigrain options featuring ingredients such as sourdough or buckwheat.
Worth considering if you want to look at a multigrain bread with grains and seeds in store.
This round multigrain bread is an option for snacks where you want to slice the loaf yourself. Allow time to defrost, bake and cool the bread before slicing, and check that this fits in with your planned snack time.
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If you want to slice the bread yourself for your snacks, remember to allow time to prepare it.
The round loaf weighs 550 g and needs to be defrosted and baked first. Leave it to cool for half an hour after baking before slicing.
Check whether you can cut it to your preferred thickness, and read the current label if allergens are important to your choice.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread is made using at least three different types of grain; that doesn’t mean the bread is entirely wholemeal. Look for a wholemeal label and read the ingredients if this will determine your choice.
Check the slices yourself, look at the packaging or ask whether a whole loaf can be cut thickly. Words such as ‘hearty’, ‘whole’ and ‘sliced’ don’t specify the slice thickness.
For AH OerDesem Dark Multigrain, whole and sliced, Albert Heijn recommends freezing it on the day of purchase and using it within one month. For another loaf, check the storage advice for that specific product.
Read the ingredients list for the bread you’re buying. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the AH breads reviewed, but the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you what type of salt another loaf contains.
