A half multigrain loaf is a practical choice for a small household if you only expect to eat bread a few times around the street festival. Don’t choose on the basis of the word ‘multigrain’ alone: check whether the bread is wholemeal, read the ingredients and allergen information, and freeze any slices you plan to eat later in portions as soon as you can.
If you only eat bread a few times around the street festival, a half loaf means less to get through at once. For slices you plan to eat later, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as possible.
The word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. Check the product name and ingredients list, and compare fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g.
If you have an allergy or need to avoid gluten, the up-to-date information for the bread you choose is what matters. Read the label on pre-packed bread, or ask for allergen information before buying unwrapped bread.
Work out how many slices you’ll need around the street festival. Then check the type of bread and the label, and see whether your chosen variety will be available when you need it.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and storage | Check that it’s a half loaf and read the storage advice. If needed, freeze any unused slices in portions as soon as possible. | If I only need a few slices around the festival, I want to avoid having the rest left over. For around 40% of consumers, reducing leftovers is their main concern. |
| Wholemeal and nutritional information | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name and ingredients list. Compare fibre and salt per 100 g. | Anyone specifically looking for wholemeal bread won’t want to rely on the word ‘multigrain’ alone. Around 30% of consumers prioritise choosing wholemeal. |
| Availability | Check the current product variety and whether you can collect it or have it delivered when you need the bread. | I want to be able to get the bread for my planned meals without relying on one specific variety. Availability is the biggest factor for around 20% of consumers. |
| Allergens and gluten | Read the latest allergen information; if the bread is unwrapped, ask the seller for details. | If I have an allergy or need to avoid gluten, I need to know which ingredients and allergens are in this bread. For around 10% of consumers, this information is their first priority when buying. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain. That alone doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal.
Look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ and check the ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g.
If you don’t eat much bread around the street festival, you could be left with some of a whole loaf.
Choose an amount that suits your meals, or freeze the bread in portions straight away, following the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice.
The word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you which allergens are in a particular loaf. If you have an allergy or need to avoid gluten, that distinction could be crucial.
Read the label on pre-packed bread. If the bread is unwrapped, ask for allergen information before buying.
The fact that a multigrain loaf is being sold doesn’t tell you which salt is listed in the ingredients for that variety. Albert Heijn listed iodised salt in AH Zaans meergranen half, but that information doesn’t apply to other loaves.
Check the ingredients list for the loaf you’re actually choosing.
Jumbo lists several half multigrain loaves, including Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half.
Albert Heijn has listed half multigrain loaves under its own brand, including AH Zaans meergranen half.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Bakkers meergranen half as a half loaf in its range.
PLUS has a multigrain category that includes Korenlanders sourdough loaves and a smaller brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread is made with at least three types of grain, but that doesn’t automatically make it wholemeal. Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and check the ingredients list.
Ideally, freeze any slices you won’t eat soon in portions on the day you buy the bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says wholemeal bread can be kept in the freezer for one to three months; also follow the storage advice for the product you choose.
Ask the seller for allergen information before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this information must be available for unwrapped products; for pre-packed products, it’s on the label.
No, don’t assume it is: check that the specific bread is clearly labelled as gluten-free. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, grains containing gluten, such as wheat, rye and barley, are common in bread; also read the allergen information for the variety you choose.
