For your working-from-home lunch, choose multigrain bread explicitly labelled as wholemeal if that is your priority. If you would prefer bread made with a mix of wholemeal flour and white flour, check the ingredients of the specific loaf you choose: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ does not automatically mean ‘wholemeal’. Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the latest allergen information if it matters to your choice.
You want to know whether your lunch bread is actually labelled as wholemeal. So you read the product description and compare the fibre content per 100 g, rather than relying on the word ‘multigrain’ alone.
You want multigrain bread that suits your taste and would like to know whether it contains white flour as well as wholemeal flour. The ingredients list will show you what the mix contains; the colour of the bread won’t.
Before buying, you need clear information about the ingredients and allergens in the exact loaf you’re choosing. Product information from Jumbo and PLUS shows why you should also check for the possible presence of other allergens.
First decide whether your choice depends on an explicit wholemeal label, a preference for a particular bread mix or a check of the product-specific label. Then consider the other qualities of the bread you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for an explicit wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If I want to choose lunch bread that is clearly wholemeal, the product label matters more than its dark colour. For around 50% of consumers, choosing wholemeal is the top priority. |
| Bread mix and lunch portions | Check whether the ingredients include both wholemeal flour and white flour; choose a loaf size and quantity that suit your lunches. | If you’d rather eat a mixed loaf than a distinctly wholemeal one at home, you’ll want to know what’s actually in the bread. This preference is the deciding factor for around 33% of consumers. |
| Label and allergens | Check the latest ingredients and allergen information; compare salt per 100 g if it matters to your choice. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or compare salt content, I need information about the exact product. Checking the label is the top priority for around 17% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains several types of grain, but that does not automatically mean it is made with wholemeal flour. So the name can be misleading if wholemeal is your main priority.
Look for an explicit wholemeal label and read the ingredients list. Compare fibre on the same per-100 g basis.
A dark multigrain loaf may contain both wholemeal wheat flour and white wheat flour, as the ingredients in AH Boeren donker meergranen heel clearly show. The colour won’t tell you how much wholemeal flour it contains.
Use the product label and ingredients list to assess this; choose by colour only if appearance matters to you.
Multigrain breads from Jumbo and PLUS list different gluten-containing grains. Other allergens, or the possibility of cross-contamination, can also vary by product.
Check the latest information on the packaging of the exact variety every time you buy it, even if you’ve bought the bread before.
A whole loaf may not suit someone who only has lunch at home on a few days of the week. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread among the foods that are often wasted.
Consider buying half a loaf, or divide a whole loaf into portions and follow the product’s freezing instructions.
The examples below show which product details may help you choose between the supermarket breads mentioned. The features of one loaf don’t necessarily apply to other breads from the same brand.
AH Boeren donker meergranen heel is an example of a dark loaf made with both wholemeal wheat flour and white wheat flour.
Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is explicitly labelled as wholemeal multigrain bread.
Lidl describes a multigrain bread containing, among other things, wheat, barley and buckwheat.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen as a half loaf.
PLUS labels Korenlanders Donker meergranen rond heel as wholemeal multigrain bread.
Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half is a half loaf that Dirk presents as a lunch option.
These multigrain rolls are a good fit if you’d prefer individual rolls to slices of bread for lunch. Check the latest packaging for wholemeal claims, nutritional values and allergens if these details affect your choice.
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An option if you’re looking for individual multigrain rolls for your working-from-home lunch; the pack contains four.
Check the latest packaging for a wholemeal claim and compare fibre and salt per 100 g if these details matter to your choice. If you have allergies or other dietary requirements, also read the product-specific ingredients information.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that different types of grain have been used, but it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. Look for an explicit wholemeal claim and read the ingredients list if that distinction matters to your choice.
Compare the stated amount of salt per 100 g in the breads you’re considering. Jumbo lists 0,98 g of salt per 100 g for Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half; check the latest nutritional information for every other variety.
No, the name doesn’t tell you what type of salt was used in the bread. For AH Boeren donker meergranen heel, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the ingredients; check the latest ingredients list for the loaf you choose.
Check the full allergen statement for the exact variety, including any statements about possible cross-contamination. The product information from Jumbo and PLUS lists different gluten-containing grains and shows that other allergens can also vary by product; the name ‘multigrain’ is no substitute for checking the allergen statement.
A half loaf may better suit the number of lunches you’re planning; you can divide a whole loaf into portions and freeze them according to the product instructions. Albert Heijn and PLUS provide freezing information for the breads mentioned here.
