Want to decide how thick to cut the slices for a generously filled school sandwich? Choose a whole or unsliced multigrain loaf. Pre-sliced bread saves you the effort, but the slices aren’t necessarily thick. Albert Heijn offers both options. For everyday lunches, also check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g, and if allergies are a concern, check the latest label and your school’s guidelines.
Want to decide how thick the slice should be when the filling won’t fit easily on a thin slice of bread. A whole or unsliced loaf gives you that option; at home, check that the slice holds together while you spread it and pack it to take with you.
Look beyond the name ‘multigrain’. The Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal and brown bread for children’s lunches. The ingredients list and fibre per 100 g can help you compare specific products.
Need to know what the ingredients and allergens are before packing lunch. If a gluten-free diet is required, regular multigrain bread is not a suitable choice unless you have checked the label.
First decide whether you want to cut the bread yourself or pack sandwiches straight away in the morning. Then compare the product information for wholemeal content, fibre and allergens. The name ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t tell you everything.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Slice thickness and filling | Choose a whole or unsliced loaf if you want to cut thick slices yourself. Check that the slice holds together with the filling you plan to use. | When there’s plenty of filling, I want to be able to spread it on a sandwich and pack it without the slice breaking. For around 42% of consumers, this practical sturdiness matters most. |
| Wholemeal content and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal claim and compare fibre values on the same basis, such as per 100 g. | For an everyday school lunch, I want to know what’s in the bread rather than judge it by its name or colour. Wholemeal content and fibre are top priorities for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and school guidelines | Read the latest label and ask the school what guidelines apply to food brought in and allergens. | If allergens are a concern, I want to know before packing whether the bread meets the necessary requirements. For around 25% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
A product name or the way the bread is cut doesn’t tell you how thick each slice is. Albert Heijn offers sliced and unsliced multigrain bread; ALDI describes its luxury multigrain farmhouse loaf as pre-sliced.
If slice thickness is important, choose a whole or unsliced loaf so you can cut it yourself. With pre-sliced bread, check the slices with the filling you plan to use.
‘Multigrain’ doesn’t tell you which allergens a particular loaf contains. For its Stevig Meergranen bread, Jumbo lists wheat, barley, sesame and soya, among other allergens.
Check the current packaging when you buy it, even if you’ve bought the bread before. If allergens affect what you pack for lunch, also ask about the school’s guidelines.
The bread category alone doesn’t tell you whether a particular product is made with baker’s salt.
If baker’s salt is relevant to your choice, check the ingredients or ask the retailer about the specific bread.
The range includes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen in both sliced and unsliced versions, as well as different types of AH Vloerbrood meergranen.
Jumbo stocks Stevig Meergranen, among other products, and has a range of multigrain bread.
Lidl includes multigrain bread in its freshly baked range and provides ingredient and allergen information for its fresh bread.
ALDI describes its Luxe vloerbrood meergranen heel as pre-sliced.
The range includes PLUS Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit and Soma Haverkorn multigrain bread, among other products.
Dirk offers Vloerbrood meergranen heel, as well as a separate Schär multigrain option labelled gluten-free.
You can slice these products yourself once they’re ready: a round multigrain loaf and multigrain baguettes. For a school lunch, allow time for them to defrost, bake and cool before packing. Cutting them yourself doesn’t guarantee a set slice thickness.
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A round loaf for anyone who wants to cut their own slices for filled sandwiches once it’s baked.
Bread weight: 550 g. The loaf needs to defrost, bake and cool before you slice it. Before packing lunch, check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging, especially if wheat or sesame is a concern.
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Four baguettes to slice yourself once they’re ready; check whether this shape works with your filling and lunchbox.
Pack size: 4 x 135 g. The baguettes need to defrost, bake and cool first. Check the packaging for ingredients and allergens if wheat or sesame is a concern.
No. The name alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre the bread contains. Check whether the product information explicitly says it’s wholemeal, and compare the stated fibre values on the same basis, such as per 100 g. The Dutch Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal and brown bread for children because of their fibre content.
Check the latest label if gluten or other allergens are a concern for your child. The Dutch Nutrition Centre lists gluten-containing cereals among the allergens that must be declared; for its Stevig Meergranen bread, Jumbo lists wheat, barley, sesame and soya, among other allergens. If necessary, also make sure the food you bring in complies with the school’s guidelines.
Don’t assume it does based on the name of the bread. If you want to know whether a particular loaf is made with baker’s salt, check the ingredients or ask the retailer.
Only slice bread that needs baking once you’ve followed the preparation instructions and it has cooled sufficiently. Then check that the slice works with your chosen filling and fits in the lunchbox; follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
