A firm slice is a good starting point for a generous layer of sweet spread, but before you buy, check whether the bread can be sliced thickly or cut to your preferred thickness. If you also want wholemeal bread, look specifically for the word ‘wholemeal’: ‘multigrain’ alone tells you nothing about the flour used. Also check the ingredients and allergen information for the bread you choose.
If you enjoy jam, peanut butter, nut butter, apple syrup or fruit, you’ll want to know whether the slice suits your topping. Dirk describes its multigrain hearth bread as firm, but that doesn’t tell you how thickly it is sliced. So be sure to ask about the slicing separately.
If a wholemeal flour base matters to you, visible seeds or the name ‘multigrain’ aren’t enough. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the bread and check the ingredients list too.
For bread containing a mix of grains and seeds, check the label for the specific product you’re buying. Review the current ingredients and allergen information, even if you already know a similar loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information for prepacked products must appear on the label.
If you want a thick slice, first check how the bread is sold and sliced. Then consider separately whether its wholemeal status, ingredients and loaf size suit your breakfast: none of these is guaranteed by the name ‘multigrain’.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Firmness and slicing | Ask whether the bread is pre-sliced, whether it can be sliced thickly and whether you find the crumb firm enough for your topping. | If I’m adding a generous layer of soft or sweet topping, I want a slice that suits the way I eat my bread. For around 33% of consumers, firmness or being able to choose the slice thickness comes first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and, if you wish, compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If you’re mainly looking for a wholemeal flour base, the name ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough. Around 33% of consumers say that choosing wholemeal bread or comparing fibre is their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information. For unpackaged bread, ask for the allergen information before buying. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the contents matter more than the shape of the slice. For around 17% of consumers, checking this is their first requirement when buying bread. |
| Loaf size and availability | Check whether the whole or half loaf you want is available, and how it is sold: whole, pre-sliced or unsliced. | For breakfast every day, I want a loaf size that suits how much I use and a product I can actually buy. Around 17% of consumers put this practical choice first. |
A mix of grains, seeds or a dark colour doesn’t confirm that the bread is made entirely with wholemeal flour. The Voedingscentrum describes wholemeal bread as bread made from 100% wholemeal flour.
If you prefer wholemeal bread, look specifically for the word ‘wholemeal’. Then compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the loaves you’re considering.
‘Whole’ may refer to the size of the loaf, while ‘firm’ describes the style of bread. Hearth bread can also be pre-sliced; none of these terms tells you how thick the slices are.
Check how the bread is sold. If you want to choose the thickness yourself, ask whether an unsliced loaf is available or whether the bread can be sliced to order.
Multigrain bread can contain different grains and seeds depending on the recipe. For example, sesame appears in some of the product descriptions reviewed, but that tells you nothing about the contents of another loaf.
Always read the allergen information for the specific product. For unpackaged bread, ask for this information before buying.
A loaf listed in a product catalogue may not be available the next time you shop. For example, Jumbo says its Volkoren Donker Meergranen Brood is no longer in its online range.
Check whether the variety you want is available at your local shop or for online ordering, and check the current packaging for the loaf size and slicing options.
These examples show the product information you can compare across different bread ranges. A bread’s shape or ingredients, as described, doesn’t confirm that it is available thickly sliced.
AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen is a sliced brown loaf that Albert Heijn describes as containing, among other ingredients, wheat, rye and millet.
Jumbo Volkoren Donker Meergranen Brood is an example of a loaf with ‘wholemeal’ explicitly stated in the product name.
Lidl describes its multigrain bread as firm and says it contains, among other ingredients, wheat, barley and buckwheat.
ALDI has product descriptions for Boeren volkoren meergranen and Luxe vloerbrood meergranen; the hearth bread is described as pre-sliced.
PLUS Korenlanders Donker meergranen rond heel is described as wholemeal multigrain bread.
Dirk describes its multigrain hearth bread as firm and packed with grains and seeds.
These two products come in different forms: a round multigrain loaf and rustic multigrain baguettes. For a sweet topping, consider which shape you’d like to slice, and check how each is sold; their product names don’t specify a thick slice.
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If you want to slice a round multigrain loaf for a sweet topping, check whether the way it is sold lets you choose your preferred thickness.
The loaf weighs 550 g. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling, and follow the current packaging for the baking time.
If it matters to you, look for the word ‘wholemeal’. If you’re checking the ingredients or allergens, read the current label.
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If you want to slice multigrain baguettes for a sweet breakfast, first make sure the baguette size suits the topping you have in mind.
The pack contains four 135 g baguettes. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling, and check the current packaging for the baking time.
Check the slice thickness you want, whether the bread is labelled wholemeal and the ingredients and allergen information separately.
No. The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t confirm that the bread is made entirely with wholemeal flour. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. So look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and check the ingredients list for the bread you want to buy.
Check how it is sliced or ask how thick the slices are; terms such as ‘firm’, ‘hearth bread’ and ‘whole’ aren’t enough. If you want to choose the thickness yourself, ask whether the bread is available unsliced or can be sliced to order.
Check the allergen information for the specific loaf, including the grains it contains and any seeds such as sesame. Also look for other listed ingredients or possible traces that may be relevant to you. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products must appear on the label; for unpackaged bread, ask for this information before buying.
