For a holiday lunch, choose bread explicitly labelled ‘wholemeal’ if a fully wholemeal base is your priority: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. If your child prefers familiar bread, multigrain bread made with both white and wholemeal flour could be a stepping stone. In that case, compare the ingredients, fibre, salt and allergens on the packaging; ‘multigrain’ alone does not mean the bread is wholemeal.
If your child is fussy about bread, multigrain bread made with both white and wholemeal flour could be a stepping stone. Do check the ingredients: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘wholemeal’ means something different from simply ‘multigrain’.
You don’t want to choose lunch bread based on its colour or visible seeds. Check whether it is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre listed per 100 g for the breads you’re considering.
You need to know which grains and other allergens are in the bread you choose. Even for a gluten-free option, check the current ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ statements on the packaging.
For your holiday lunch, first decide what matters most: a fully wholemeal base, whether a fussy eater will enjoy it, checking for allergens, or how the bread needs to be prepared.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare fibre and salt per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If a fully wholemeal base is my priority, I want to be able to identify it on the packaging rather than judge by the colour of the bread. For around 31% of consumers, wholemeal bread and its fibre content are the first things they consider. |
| Whether a fussy eater will enjoy it | Check whether the bread contains white flour as well as wholemeal flour, and consider the seeds and crust; if possible, try a smaller pack first. | If my child turns down strongly flavoured bread, I’d rather look for an option that’s similar to what they already eat. For around 31% of consumers, whether they’ll enjoy it comes first. |
| Allergens and gluten | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ statements; check separately whether a product is labelled gluten-free if necessary. | If I need to choose bread carefully because of allergens or gluten, that check comes before texture or fibre. For around 23% of consumers, this is their main concern when buying. |
| Storage and preparation | Check how the bread should be stored and, for part-baked bread, what equipment you’ll need and how long it takes to prepare. | If I want to plan lunch flexibly on a day off, it matters whether the bread is ready to eat or needs to go in the oven. For around 15% of consumers, planning comes first. |
Multigrain bread can also contain white flour. For example, Albert Heijn lists AH Vloerbrood meergranen as containing 31% wholemeal wheat flour and 30% wheat flour.
If you want fully wholemeal bread, look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label on the bread you buy.
The ingredients vary from one loaf to another. Albert Heijn lists 5.2 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Vloerbrood meergranen; Jumbo lists 7.8 g per 100 g for Jumbo Volkoren Meergranen Brood. These figures apply to two specific products, not all multigrain breads.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the breads you’re choosing between.
Regular multigrain bread can contain several grains that contain gluten. Gluten-free multigrain products may contain other allergens too.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging every time you buy, including any ‘may contain’ statements.
Part-baked bread needs to be cooked, while a loaf bought in store may be ready to eat. Lidl lists the multigrain bread reviewed as an in-store product.
Before you shop, check the storage and preparation instructions, and make sure the bread you choose is available at your store.
AH Vloerbrood meergranen is an example of bread made with both wholemeal flour and white flour.
Jumbo Volkoren Meergranen Brood is a specific example to check for its wholemeal labelling and nutritional information.
Lidl lists a multigrain bread containing, among other things, wheat, barley and buckwheat.
ALDI’s daily fresh range includes Boeren volkoren meergranen.
PLUS stocks both multigrain bread and part-baked wholemeal multigrain baguettes.
Dirk stocks multigrain bread and a separate Multikorn wholemeal option.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t guarantee this. Multigrain bread can also contain white flour, so check the product name and ingredients.
A dark colour isn’t a reliable guide to fibre content. Compare the fibre listed per 100 g for the breads you’re considering, and check separately whether the bread is labelled wholemeal.
Yes. A gluten-free label doesn’t rule out other allergens: for the Schär Mehrkorn option reviewed, PLUS lists soya and the possible presence of lupin, mustard and sesame. Always check the current packaging for the product you choose.
For PLUS Baguettes volkoren meergranen, PLUS recommends 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C. Preparation times vary by product, so follow the instructions on the packaging you buy.
