A half multigrain loaf is a good fit for a small Mother’s Day breakfast when the amount matches what you plan to eat. If you want bread for several days, you can also freeze a whole loaf in portions; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking only what you need out of the freezer each time. Also check whether you want wholemeal bread, and read the label on the loaf you buy for its ingredients and allergens.
For breakfast with a few people, you can choose a half loaf to suit the number of people eating. If you do expect to have slices left over, you can freeze them in portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking out only what you need each time.
The term multigrain doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. If that distinction matters to you, check the product name, ingredients list and fibre per 100 g.
If you’re buying bread for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, check the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging. Ingredients vary from product to product.
Start with the number of people eating and how much bread you’ll use after breakfast. Then compare the ingredients and decide when and how you can buy the bread.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and leftovers | Compare the weight or number of portions with the number of people eating. Consider whether you can freeze any leftover slices. | When there are only a few of us at breakfast, I don’t want to buy more bread than we’ll use. Around 36% of consumers put choosing the right amount first. |
| Wholemeal base and fibre | Look for the term wholemeal and compare the ingredients list and fibre per 100 g. | For our breakfast, I’m specifically looking for wholemeal bread, not just a loaf made with several types of grain. For around 29% of consumers, the ingredients are the main priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current packaging to see which ingredients the bread contains and whether there are any ‘may contain’ warnings. If you wish, also check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I need to know what’s in the bread. Ingredients and allergens are the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
| Type of bread and where to buy it | Check whether the bread you want is available in store or by order, and whether it’s right for your breakfast. | For the breakfast I’m planning, I want to be able to collect or order the bread I’ve chosen when I need it. For around 21% of consumers, this practical choice is the deciding factor. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain means that a loaf contains at least three different types of grain. On its own, this doesn’t mean the grains are wholemeal.
If you want wholemeal bread, look for the explicit wholemeal label and check the ingredients list. Compare fibre values on a like-for-like basis: per 100 g.
A half loaf isn’t a fixed amount: Albert Heijn lists AH Vloerbrood meergranen half as 11 portions of 35 g, while Lidl describes its Halfje donker meergranenbrood as weighing 400 g.
Choose a weight or number of portions to suit your breakfast. Freeze any slices you won’t use soon in portions.
Even a half loaf can leave you with more than you expected.
The crust won’t tell you which grains and other ingredients are in the bread, or which possible traces are listed on the label.
Check the ingredients and both the ‘contains’ and ‘may contain’ information on the packaging of the loaf you choose.
Albert Heijn lists the floor-baked loaf mentioned here as available in store only; Lidl says the same for its half loaf. So if you’re planning breakfast for a particular day, don’t assume every loaf is available to order without checking first.
Before buying, check which in-store or ordering options are available for the product you want, and read the current label when it arrives.
Compare specific loaves by size, ingredients and how to buy them. Not every multigrain or multiseed loaf in a range is the same product.
AH Vloerbrood meergranen half is a specific half-size loaf to consider for a small breakfast.
Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is worth considering if you’re specifically looking for a half wholemeal multigrain loaf.
Halfje donker meergranenbrood is an in-store option if you’re looking for a 400 g half loaf.
Boeren volkoren meergranen Half is a sliced half loaf to look out for when you visit the store.
PLUS has smaller multigrain options to explore, but check carefully which loaf you’re selecting.
Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half is a half multigrain loaf to look out for at Dirk.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain refers to at least three different types of grain; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour. Look for the wholemeal label and read the ingredients list if that distinction matters to you.
Not always: it depends on how much bread you use and what you do with any slices left over. A half loaf may suit a small breakfast, but you can also freeze a whole loaf in portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking out only what you need each time; bread can dry out if it’s kept in the freezer for a long time.
Check the ingredients list on the loaf you buy for baker’s salt or iodised salt. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in AH Vloerbrood meergranen half; don’t assume another loaf has the same ingredients based on that product information.
Read the allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the current packaging. The types of grain, seeds and other ingredients vary from loaf to loaf; the product name or visible crust isn’t enough to tell you what’s in it.
