Let the meal guide your choice of multigrain bread: bake-at-home bread is a good option if you want to serve it warm, while a smaller format is handy when you only need a few portions. If wholemeal is a priority, check the product description and ingredients; the name ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t mean a loaf is wholemeal.
If you’re serving soup, salad or dips, you can choose between bread that’s ready to serve and bread that needs baking. The preparation method and number of people eating will determine which format is practical.
For one or two people, half a loaf, a pack of individual pieces or a loaf that can be stored or frozen according to the packaging may be a better fit for your planned meals.
If you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread or need to consider ingredients and allergens, the description and nutritional information for the loaf you choose will tell you more than a dark crust or rustic-sounding name.
First decide how you want to serve the bread and how much you’ll need. Then compare the product descriptions and nutritional information for the formats that suit your meal.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Read the bread description and ingredients; compare the fibre listed per 100 g. | If I specifically want wholemeal bread, I don’t want to rely on the name ‘multigrain’ alone. For around 31% of consumers, choosing wholemeal is the priority. |
| Bread to serve with dinner | Choose a format that works for the meal and check whether it needs baking in an oven. | When serving a sit-down meal, I want to know whether I can serve the bread warm and whether I have time to prepare it. This is the main consideration for around 31% of consumers. |
| Size and storage | Check the number of pieces or the weight, the shelf life and any freezing instructions. | If I only need a few portions, I want to avoid having most of a whole loaf left over. That’s why around 38% of consumers prioritise size and storage options. |
Voedingscentrum describes multigrain bread as bread made with at least three types of grain. That doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.
Look for a wholemeal claim in the product description and check which types of flour are listed in the ingredients.
For dinner for one or two people, you may have portions left over that you won’t eat straight away.
Consider a smaller format or check whether you can freeze the bread according to the product instructions.
The way bread is made and whether it’s wholemeal are separate characteristics. For example, Lidl describes its rustic multigrain sourdough as white multigrain bread.
Choose the style of bread you want to serve, but check the wholemeal and fibre information on the label separately.
Ingredients and allergens vary from product to product. The use of baker’s salt is also relevant if you want to check the iodine information for a particular loaf.
Before buying, read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you’ve chosen.
Offers both sliced multigrain bread and a multigrain baguette to bake at home.
Offers, among other options, whole and half wholemeal multigrain loaves, as well as the longer-lasting Brood van Soma Haverkorn.
Its Korenlanders Donker meergranen rond heel is described specifically as a whole wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Offers fresh daily multigrain loaves, including Luxe vloerbrood meergranen and Boeren volkoren meergranen.
Lists Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half for anyone who doesn’t need a whole loaf.
Offers multigrain varieties in its bread range and displays a fibre meter on packaged loaves.
These options offer different formats for a student dinner: individual baguettes to bake at home, a round loaf for the table and four separate rolls. Compare how many portions you need and check the bread description if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal.
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The four individual baguettes are a good choice for a dinner where you don’t want to serve one whole loaf.
Check the baking instructions on the packaging before planning your meal; the stated preparation times vary. If wholemeal matters to you, check the bread description too.
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This 550 g round loaf is a good fit for a meal where you want to put a whole loaf on the table.
Allow time for thawing and baking when planning, and follow the instructions on the packaging. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the product description separately.
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The four individual multigrain rolls are a good option if you want to serve one roll per person.
If you want to know whether they’re wholemeal or how much fibre they contain, compare the bread description and nutritional information on the current packaging.
No, ‘multigrain’ and ‘wholemeal’ don’t mean the same thing. Voedingscentrum describes multigrain bread as bread made with at least three types of grain; check the description and ingredients of the specific loaf to see whether it’s wholemeal.
No, these descriptions don’t confirm that a loaf is wholemeal. Albert Heijn lists both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour in AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen, while Lidl describes its rustic multigrain sourdough as white multigrain bread.
Check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients of the loaf you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes baker’s salt as a way iodine compounds can be added to bread; don’t assume another loaf has the same ingredients.
Read the allergen information on the current label for the exact variety you’re buying. Ingredients such as the grains and seeds used vary from loaf to loaf, so information for a similar product isn’t a substitute.
Choose a size that suits the number of people eating, or plan ahead for any remaining portions. Albert Heijn and PLUS state that specific loaves can be frozen on the day of purchase; follow the instructions for the product you’ve chosen.
