Choose a half multigrain loaf that suits your needs on a busy morning: sliced bread if you want to add your toppings straight away, a clearly labelled wholemeal base if that matters to you, or a smaller quantity if you don’t get through bread quickly. Multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal, so check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for the exact variety. If your breakfast routine varies, you can freeze some in portions as soon as you buy it.
If you live alone or with one other person and don’t have bread every morning, a half loaf means you have less to store at once. For days when you won’t be eating bread, Voedingscentrum recommends freezing it in portions as soon as you buy it.
You can add your toppings to a sliced half loaf without having to cut it first. Check the details for each variety: Albert Heijn describes its Boeren meergranen maanzaad half as pre-sliced, but that doesn’t automatically apply to every half loaf.
If you want to know more than just which grains are in the bread, check the product name, ingredients and fibre per 100 g. According to Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means the bread contains at least three types of grain; the term alone doesn’t mean it’s wholemeal.
Start by thinking about how much bread you’re likely to use. Then check whether the exact variety is sliced and whether its ingredients and nutritional information suit what matters to you.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and storage | Check the weight and use-by information, and consider whether you can freeze some in portions straight away. | If I only have bread for breakfast now and then, I don’t want to store more than I can get through. Having the right amount in stock is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name and compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g; the colour of the bread alone isn’t enough. | I want to know what my bread is made from, not just that it contains several grains. This comes first for around 31% of consumers. |
| Convenience in the morning | Check whether your chosen variety is sliced and ready to eat, rather than a loaf that still needs baking. | When I’m short on time at breakfast, I want to be able to add toppings to a slice straight away. This convenience is the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Allergen information | Read the current label for the exact variety; if the bread is unpackaged, ask in store. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in the bread before I choose it. This check comes first for around 15% of consumers. |
According to Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain. That doesn’t tell you whether the bread has a wholemeal base.
Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name, then check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
Even a half loaf can be left uneaten if you have something else for breakfast on some mornings.
Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, then taking out what you need each day.
The appearance of a loaf doesn’t tell you which allergens the exact variety contains. Jumbo and PLUS list different grains and other allergens for their own loaves.
For packaged bread, read the current label. If the bread is unpackaged, ask for its allergen information before buying.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a sliced half multigrain loaf that’s ready to eat without baking.
A useful point of comparison if you want to check the ingredients in a half wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a 400 g half dark multigrain loaf.
An option to consider if you’re looking for a half wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Worth considering if you’d like to look at a half multiseed loaf as well as multigrain bread; these are different product descriptions.
A useful point of comparison for a loaf sold as multigrain bread.
No. According to Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means the bread contains at least three types of grain; it doesn’t mean the bread is completely wholemeal. If you’re looking for a wholemeal base, check the product name and ingredients of the loaf you want to buy.
Yes, if you think you won’t get through all of it. Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it and only taking out what you need each time. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
For packaged bread, read the current label for the exact variety; different multigrain loaves can contain different ingredients. If you’re buying unpackaged bread, ask for the allergen information in store before you choose.
