For a daily packed lunch, sliced multigrain bread explicitly labelled as wholemeal is a good choice if you’re looking to increase your fibre intake. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ on its own doesn’t mean that bread is wholemeal. Choose a half or whole loaf to suit the number of days you’ll be having lunch, and check the slice thickness for each product if it matters for your sandwich filling. If you have questions about ingredients or allergens, read the label. Check whether baker’s salt is listed if that’s relevant to your choice.
If you often pack sandwiches for lunch, an explicit wholemeal label is a more useful guide than the word ‘multigrain’ alone. You can also compare the fibre content in the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis, such as per 100 g.
If you only need bread for a few lunches, a half loaf may be a better fit for what you’ll use. Jumbo, ALDI and Dirk offer half-loaf options in their multigrain ranges, so work out how many slices you need first.
If allergens or the use of baker’s salt affect your choice, check the information for the specific loaf before buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for packaged bread is shown on the label. For unpackaged bread, ask about the ingredients and allergens.
Decide which features matter most for your lunch, then compare loaf sizes and slices.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal label and compare fibre per 100 g. | If I take bread to work every day, I want to know whether my multigrain bread is wholemeal too. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Loaf size and how much you need | Compare half and whole loaves with the number of lunches planned and the storage information. | For a small team, I don’t want to buy more bread than we’ll use on our lunch days. Around 29% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Slices | Check whether the bread is sliced, and ask about slice thickness if your filling needs a particular thickness. | If you want to make and pack lunch quickly, you’ll need slices that are practical to use. For around 21% of consumers, the slices are the main consideration. |
| Ingredients | Read the allergen information and check whether baker’s salt is listed, if relevant. | If I need to avoid a particular ingredient or am checking for baker’s salt, I want to be able to find out before buying. This check is the main priority for around 14% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means that different types of grain are used; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour. So visible seeds or a dark colour alone won’t tell you what the bread is made from.
Look for an explicit wholemeal label and compare the fibre content in the nutritional information if that matters to your choice.
For multigrain breads from Jumbo, ALDI and Dirk, among others, ‘half’ describes the size of the loaf. It doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are.
Look separately for ‘sliced’ and check the slices on the packaging or in store if their thickness matters for your lunch.
Ingredients can vary from one loaf to another, so the information for a different multigrain bread is no substitute for checking the bread you’re buying.
Read the label for packaged bread, and ask about allergen information before buying unpackaged bread.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt in bread-making isn’t compulsory. The name or appearance of a loaf won’t tell you whether it has been used.
Check the ingredients list for the loaf you’ve chosen if baker’s salt is relevant to your buying decision.
Albert Heijn’s bread range includes products such as AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden.
Jumbo offers several multigrain breads, including Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen and half-loaf options.
ALDI offers products such as Boeren volkoren meergranen half.
Dirk offers products such as Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half, as well as other multigrain options.
PLUS offers multigrain options, including Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit.
No. ‘Multigrain’ and ‘wholemeal’ describe different things. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but it can also be made with refined flour. Look for an explicit wholemeal label if that matters for your lunch.
No. Don’t rely on the search term ‘medium sliced’ or the word ‘half’ to tell you how thick the slices are. Check the packaging or ask in store if the thickness matters for your sandwich filling.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt in bread-making isn’t compulsory. Check the label for the specific loaf to see whether it’s listed as an ingredient.
Before buying, ask for the allergen information for the bread you want to take home. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information is shown on the label for packaged bread.
Choose a half or whole loaf based on the number of people and planned lunches. Follow the storage instructions for your chosen product. For more storage advice, you can consult the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide.
