When choosing multigrain bread for your working-from-home lunch, don’t rely on the name, dark colour or visible seeds alone. Check whether it’s labelled wholemeal and compare the fibre and salt per 100 g. If flavour and freshly baked bread at lunchtime matter most, seeded bread or bake-at-home bread could be a good fit, provided the ingredients, allergens and preparation required suit your needs.
If multigrain bread regularly features on your lunch menu, you may want to know whether it’s wholemeal and how much fibre and salt it contains per 100 g. The name ‘multigrain’ alone won’t tell you that.
Dark bread, seeds or a bake-at-home option can offer the flavour and bite you’re looking for. Check the ingredients too: appearance and preparation method don’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal.
If you have a relevant food allergy, the current information for the exact product you choose is what matters. Multigrain products can contain various gluten-containing cereals and ingredients such as sesame. Similar product names are no substitute for checking the allergen information.
First, decide what matters most for your working-from-home lunch: nutritional information you can check, flavour, minimal preparation or a particular label detail. Then compare values shown on the same basis, such as per 100 g.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label, check the ingredients and compare the fibre per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), multigrain bread contains at least three types of cereal; that doesn’t mean it’s wholemeal. | If I eat this bread regularly for lunch, I want to know which cereals it’s made from and be able to compare the nutritional information. Around 29% of consumers are said to prioritise wholemeal and fibre. |
| Flavour and texture | Consider whether you’d prefer seeds, dark bread or a bake-at-home option. Check separately whether the product you choose is wholemeal. | For a lunch where flavour and bite take centre stage, I’d rather choose a type of bread deliberately than rely on a familiar label on the packaging. Around 22% of consumers are said to prioritise flavour and texture. |
| Convenience and storage | Check whether the bread is ready to top or needs to be defrosted and baked first. Read the storage advice if you’re buying bread for several working days. | Between work commitments, I want to make lunch without any unexpected preparation. Around 14% of consumers are said to put this practical convenience first. |
| Salt | Compare the salt per 100 g alongside the fibre; a fibre-related label tells you nothing about the amount of salt. | When comparing breads by their nutritional information, I don’t want to focus on just one value, so I check the salt too. Around 14% of consumers are said to make this their main priority. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product, even if another bread has a similar name. | If I need to avoid a particular ingredient, I need to be able to check what’s in the bread and which warnings apply. Around 21% of consumers are said to prioritise checking the label. |
Bread can contain several types of cereal and seeds without being wholemeal. For example, Lidl describes a stone-baked multigrain baguette as a white multigrain baguette with seeds.
If wholemeal matters to you, look for the wholemeal label, then check the ingredients and fibre content.
Fibre and salt are separate values. A PLUS Korenlanders dark multigrain bread lists 6.8 g of fibre and 1.02 g of salt per 100 g. Those figures apply to that particular product, not to all multigrain bread.
When comparing two breads, check their fibre and salt values side by side on the same per-100 g basis.
Ingredients vary between products. The multigrain products reviewed include gluten-containing cereals and sesame, among other ingredients.
If you have a relevant allergy, check both the ingredients and allergen warnings on the current packaging of the bread you choose.
Lidl says its range of oven-fresh bread can vary by store. That means a particular bread won’t necessarily be available at every branch.
Check your store’s range before planning a lunch around a particular product. If you choose an alternative, check its label again.
Compare the information for the specific bread you’re considering, not just the shop name. Ingredients, nutritional values and product ranges can vary from one product to another.
Packaged multigrain and artisan breads with product information you can check in advance.
Listings for both wholemeal multigrain bread and a reduced-salt multigrain option give you a starting point for comparing labels.
A shop to visit for oven-fresh bread, including multigrain options.
Listings include wholemeal multigrain bread and multigrain baguettes with seeds.
Korenlanders products and bake-at-home bread offer different options for a quick lunch or one that takes a little preparation.
The online range shows various multigrain and wholemeal breads.
This selection includes rolls you can top for lunch and multigrain bread that needs to be defrosted and baked first. Decide which preparation routine suits you, and check the current nutritional and allergen information for the product you choose.
Image unavailable
A good choice if you’d like individual rolls to top for your working-from-home lunch. The pack contains four rolls. Check the current packaging to see whether the ingredients, wholemeal content and allergens suit your needs.
Image unavailable
For a lunch you’re happy to set aside time to bake. The pack contains four 135 g baguettes; the product information says to defrost and bake them. Check the preparation instructions on the packaging, as well as the ingredients and allergens.
Image unavailable
A round multigrain loaf for anyone who can prepare their lunch bread in advance. This product weighs 550 g and, according to the product information, needs to be defrosted, baked and cooled. Check the current preparation and allergen information before use.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), multigrain bread contains at least three different types of cereal. That doesn’t mean the cereals used are wholemeal. Look for the wholemeal label and check the ingredients if this matters to your choice.
Because the fibre value doesn’t tell you how much salt is in the same bread. A listing for PLUS Korenlanders dark multigrain bread gives 6.8 g of fibre and 1.02 g of salt per 100 g. When comparing other products, always use their own current nutritional information.
No, don’t assume it does without checking the label. Look in the ingredients list for the product you’ve chosen to see whether it contains iodised salt or baker’s salt. For example, an Albert Heijn product listing specifically mentioned iodised salt.
Read the current ingredients and allergen warnings for that exact bread. The multigrain products reviewed mention gluten-containing cereals and sesame, among other ingredients. Don’t rely on the appearance or the ingredients of a similar bread.
That depends on the product you choose and its storage advice. PLUS says its wholemeal multigrain rolls should be frozen on the day of purchase and used within one month. Follow the instructions on the packaging for any other bread.
