Choose a half multigrain loaf if that amount better suits how much your household is likely to eat during the holiday; you may have fewer slices left over. The term ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal: compare the ingredients, fibre per 100 g and allergens, and check the label to see whether baker’s salt has been used.
If you’re only buying bread for a few breakfasts or snack breaks, a half loaf may be a better fit for what you’ll eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as a food that’s often wasted; how much you need depends on your own plans.
If you’re making toast or sandwiches, you may want to know what ‘multigrain’ means. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the term means the bread contains at least three types of grain. The nutritional information for the specific loaf tells you how much fibre it contains per 100 g.
If you have an allergy or need gluten-free bread, the allergen information for the exact product matters more than its name. To find out whether baker’s salt has been used, check the ingredients list too. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, its use isn’t compulsory.
Before the autumn half-term, work out how much bread you expect to use, then compare the labels of the half loaves available to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Check that it’s labelled ‘half’ and look at the weight or number of portions. | For a few breakfasts or snack breaks, I don’t want to buy more bread than we’ll eat. Around 33% of consumers put finding a suitable quantity first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether ‘wholemeal’ or ‘brown’ appears in the product name, and compare fibre per 100 g. | If the ingredients matter more to me than just the multigrain flavour, I want to know what flour has been used. For around 25% of consumers, wholemeal and fibre come first. |
| Allergens and baker’s salt | Read the current ingredients and allergen information; look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ to check for baker’s salt. | I need to be able to judge whether the bread meets my ingredient requirements without relying on its name. Around 25% of consumers give these label checks the highest priority. |
| Availability | Check whether the specific half loaf is in your shop or available through your preferred ordering or collection option. | If I’m doing all my holiday shopping at once, I want to know how I can pick up or order this bread. Availability is the main consideration for around 17% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means the bread contains at least three types of grain; it doesn’t refer to a particular proportion of wholemeal flour. Half multigrain loaves can therefore vary in their ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
Check the product name and ingredients list, and compare the nutritional information per 100 g if wholemeal or fibre is a deciding factor for you.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the term ‘multigrain’ doesn’t confirm whether a loaf contains this ingredient.
For packaged bread, look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list. For unpackaged bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
A multigrain name doesn’t tell you which grains, seeds or other ingredients are in that particular loaf. Even a product labelled gluten-free may contain other allergens.
Before buying, check the current ingredients and allergen information for the variety you’ve chosen.
Worth considering if you want to check the ingredients of a specific half multigrain loaf.
Worth considering if you want to compare half loaves in the multigrain range.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a half loaf of dark multigrain bread in store.
Worth considering if you want to assess a half multiseed loaf; ‘multiseed’ isn’t the same product description as ‘multigrain’.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a fresh half multigrain loaf in store.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means the bread contains at least three types of grain; on its own, it says nothing about the proportion of wholemeal flour. Check the product name, ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the loaf you’re considering.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt in baking isn’t compulsory. For packaged bread, look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list; for unpackaged bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
Follow the storage instructions for the specific loaf. If you don’t expect to eat it in time, you can divide it into portions and freeze any leftovers promptly; check the packaging for guidance too.
Don’t assume regular multigrain bread is gluten-free. Check that the exact product is explicitly labelled gluten-free and read the rest of the allergen information too; a gluten-free multigrain variety may, for example, contain soya.
