If you’re looking for multigrain bread with a wholemeal base for lunch, first choose a loaf that is explicitly labelled wholemeal: ‘multigrain’ on its own doesn’t tell you that. If you want to add generous or moist toppings, check separately that the slices are thick enough; words such as ‘hearty’ don’t confirm slice thickness. Before you choose, also compare the ingredients, nutritional information and allergen details for the specific loaf.
If you’re adding hummus, egg, avocado or other generous toppings, you’ll want to know how thick the slices actually are. Ask about the slice thickness or whether the loaf can be cut thickly; ‘hearty’ in a product name doesn’t tell you either way.
If you want a wholemeal base, check the product name and ingredients. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ on its own doesn’t mean that a loaf is wholemeal.
If you need to consider allergens or want to know which salt has been used, you’ll need information about the loaf you’ve chosen. Check the latest packaging or ask for product information if the bread is sold loose.
First decide whether a wholemeal base or thick slices matter most for your lunch. Then check the features of the specific loaf you’re planning to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Most important for |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal base and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name, check the ingredients and compare fibre per 100 g. | I want to be sure my lunch bread is wholemeal, rather than relying on the name ‘multigrain’. For around 36% of shoppers, a wholemeal base comes first. |
| Slice thickness | Check whether the thickness is stated or ask whether the loaf can be cut thickly. | With generous or moist toppings, I want a slice that suits what I’m putting on it. Around 29% of shoppers give slice thickness top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information; if you wish, check which salt has been used. | If I need to take an allergy into account or want to know which salt has been used, the product’s ingredients determine my choice. For around 21% of shoppers, this is the main consideration. |
| Size and choice of shop | Consider whether a whole or half loaf suits your needs and check the latest product information. | I want a loaf size that suits the number of lunches I make and the shop I buy from. Around 14% of shoppers put this practical choice first. |
A loaf can contain several types of grain without being entirely wholemeal. So the name alone doesn’t tell you whether it suits your preference for wholemeal bread.
Check the product name and ingredients. If you want to compare fibre content, use the nutritional information per 100 g.
A hearty loaf or hearth-baked loaf can still be thinly sliced. You’ll notice the difference when a slice needs to hold generous toppings.
Ask how thick the slices are or choose a loaf that can be cut thickly.
The name ‘multigrain bread’ doesn’t tell you which ingredients and allergens are in the product you’ve chosen.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen information, especially if you need to take an allergy or coeliac disease into account.
You can’t tell whether a loaf contains iodised salt from ‘multigrain’ or the thickness of its slices.
If you want to find out, look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list, or ask if the bread is sold loose.
The loaves mentioned here can help guide your choice. Check the wholemeal description and slice thickness for each product separately.
Albert Heijn describes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen gesneden as brown multigrain bread containing ingredients including wheat, rye, millet, sunflower seeds and sesame.
Jumbo’s multigrain range includes Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen and Stevig Meergranen.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker multigrain bread as a half loaf and a whole loaf, as well as a multigrain hearth-baked loaf.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen as a whole loaf and a half loaf.
PLUS lists options including Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit, Brood van Soma Haverkorn meergranen and a small brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
Lidl lists Halfje donker meergranenbrood, a 400 g half loaf containing wheat, barley and buckwheat.
No, ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. If you want wholemeal bread for lunch, look for an explicit wholemeal description and check the ingredients. The Voedingscentrum distinguishes between multigrain bread and bread made from the whole grain.
Check whether the slice thickness is stated for the specific loaf, or ask whether it can be cut thickly. ‘Hearty’ and ‘hearth-baked loaf’ don’t specify a set slice thickness.
Check the latest packaging or ask for allergen information about the specific product if the bread is sold loose. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergens must be listed on the label; the name of the bread alone won’t tell you which ingredients it contains.
For packaged bread, read the ingredients list; if the bread is sold loose, ask which salt has been used. Don’t rely on the name or type of bread alone if the presence of iodised baker’s salt is important to your choice.
