If you want to choose how thick your slices are to go with split pea soup, pick a whole, unsliced multigrain loaf and cut it yourself. Pre-sliced bread is quicker to serve, but labels such as ‘hearty’ and ‘sliced’ don’t tell you how thick the slices are. Also check separately whether the bread is wholemeal and what ingredients and allergens it contains.
With a whole, unsliced loaf, you can choose how thick to cut your slices to go with split pea soup. A loaf that’s already sliced doesn’t give you that freedom, and the word ‘hearty’ in a product name doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are.
Pre-sliced multigrain bread is ready to serve. If slice thickness matters, check the slices in store, even if the bread is described as ‘hearty’.
If you’re looking for wholemeal bread specifically, or need to check ingredients and allergens, look beyond the name ‘multigrain’. Check the product description, ingredients list and allergen information for the bread you buy.
First decide whether you want to cut the slices yourself or serve the bread straight away. Then compare the quantity and the label: these are separate considerations from slice thickness.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the slice thickness yourself | Choose a whole, unsliced loaf if you want to cut it yourself; ask the bakery counter what slicing options are available. | I want generous slices with my split pea soup, without being restricted to a pre-cut thickness. For around 36% of consumers, choosing their own slice thickness would be the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ in the product description and, if needed, compare the stated fibre per 100 g. | I want to be sure my multigrain bread is wholemeal too; its dark colour or visible seeds don’t prove that. Around 29% of consumers would put wholemeal information first. |
| Convenience and quantity | Compare whole, half and pre-sliced loaves; check the storage instructions if you have any bread left over. | For a small soup meal, I don’t want to prepare or store more bread than I need. The right quantity or the convenience of serving it straight away would matter most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Read the allergen information and check the salt per 100 g, including whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | I want to know what’s in the bread before I buy it, especially if an ingredient or allergen matters to me. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label would be their main concern. |
Multigrain and wholemeal don’t mean the same thing. Bread made with several types of grain doesn’t have to be made from wholemeal flour.
Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and read the ingredients list if this matters to your choice.
These words don’t tell you how thick each slice is. The term ‘hearth loaf’ doesn’t guarantee a set slice thickness either.
Choose an unsliced loaf if you want to decide the thickness yourself, or ask about the slicing options before you buy.
Ingredients vary from one loaf to another. For example, Albert Heijn lists 0.85 g of salt per 100 g for AH OerDesem donker meergranen, while PLUS lists 1.02 g per 100 g for Korenlanders donker meergranen. These figures don’t apply to other breads.
Check the current ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values on the packaging. For unpackaged bread, ask about allergen information before you buy.
Cutting thick slices yourself can be handy, but a whole loaf may be more than you need for one soup meal.
Consider a half loaf if that suits you better, or divide a whole loaf into portions to freeze according to the storage instructions.
These examples show the types of loaf and label information you can compare; a product name alone doesn’t guarantee thick slices.
AH OerDesem donker meergranen is a sliced wholemeal multigrain sourdough loaf.
Jumbo’s bread range includes Stevig Meergranen and a wholemeal multigrain variety.
The half loaf of donker meergranenbrood is an option if a whole loaf would be too much for your meal.
ALDI offers a half boeren volkoren meergranenbrood for anyone looking for a smaller quantity.
Korenlanders donker meergranen rond heel is labelled as wholemeal multigrain bread.
Bakker van der Akker’s whole multigrain hearth loaf is worth considering if you want to cut your own slices.
These breads are options if you want to cut your own slices after preparing them to serve with split pea soup. The two round loaves and the baguettes differ in shape and pack size; none of the product names promises a particular slice thickness.
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An option if you want to cut your own slices for more than one soup meal. Allow time to defrost, bake and cool before slicing; check the packaging for allergens and whether the bread is wholemeal.
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A round loaf for anyone who wants to choose the slice thickness after preparing it. Let it cool after defrosting and baking before you slice it; check the current label for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
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A baguette-style option if you want to cut your own bread to serve with soup but would prefer a different shape from a round loaf. Allow time to defrost and bake; check the ingredients and allergens before buying, and decide for yourself whether the shape works for the slices you want.
Choose a whole, unsliced loaf and cut it to your preferred thickness. If you’d like the bread sliced for you, ask the bakery counter about the available options first; ‘hearty’ on the packaging doesn’t indicate a particular thickness.
No, ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. Look for the wholemeal label on the specific loaf and read the ingredients list if the types of grain matter to your choice.
Don’t assume it does; check the ingredients of the bread you buy. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH OerDesem donker meergranen, while PLUS lists baker’s salt in Korenlanders donker meergranen, but these product details don’t apply to every loaf.
For pre-packed bread, check the label. For unpackaged bread, ask for allergen information before you buy; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must also be available for unpackaged bread.
Divide the bread into portions if you want to freeze it, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. The Voedingscentrum’s storage guide recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months.
