Campers without an oven
If you want to make breakfast or sandwiches straight away, a whole, sliced loaf saves you an extra step. Bake-at-home bread, on the other hand, requires equipment that needs to be available at your campsite.
Which bread is right for you?
Campers planning portions
If you’re travelling for several days and have a freezer at home, you can freeze bread in portions before you leave. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread straight away in portions as a way to store it.
Label-conscious bread buyers
If you want to compare wholemeal flour, fibre, salt type or allergens, check the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific loaf. The product name alone won’t tell you exactly what’s in it.
What should you look for when choosing?
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Portions and storage | Check the size, whether the loaf is sliced and the storage instructions on the packaging. Freeze it in portions before you leave if you have space at home. | If I’m camping for several days with limited storage space, I want to take only what I need each day. Portion planning comes first for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Check which wholemeal flour is listed in the ingredients and compare fibre values on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | When choosing bread, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘multigrain’ alone; I want to be able to compare the nutritional information. This comparison matters most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Preparation | Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs to be baked, and whether you can use the oven or air fryer required. | Without an oven, I don’t want to depend on baking my bread, even at breakfast. For around 21% of consumers, convenience without a kitchen is the deciding factor. |
| Ingredients and salt | Check the current allergen information and look for baker’s salt or iodised salt if the type of salt matters to you. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or want to know what type of salt is used, I want to be sure before taking the bread with me. Checking the label comes first for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming ‘multigrain’ means fully wholemeal
The name doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. Albert Heijn lists 44% wholemeal wheat flour for AH OerDesem dark multigrain bread; PLUS lists 21% for Korenlanders Sourdough Multigrain Buckwheat bread.
Compare the ingredients of the bread you want to buy, and only compare fibre values if they’re given for the same quantity.
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Thinking sourdough is gluten-free
Sourdough bread made with wheat or other gluten-containing grains isn’t automatically gluten-free just because it’s made with sourdough starter.
If you need a gluten-free product, check for an explicit gluten-free label and read the allergen information on the packaging.
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Taking bake-at-home bread without an oven
Part-baked bread isn’t the same as sliced bread that’s ready to eat. According to PLUS, its multigrain sourdough demi-baguettes still need to be baked in an oven or air fryer.
Before you leave, check which equipment you’ll actually be able to use and follow the baking instructions on the packaging of the product you choose.
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Assuming all bread contains iodised salt
The terms ‘organic’, ‘artisan’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t tell you what type of salt has been used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that not all bakers use baker’s salt.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this matters to you.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists a whole, sliced 800 g loaf of AH OerDesem dark multigrain bread: a practical option if you want bread to take camping without needing an oven.
- According to Albert Heijn, this bread contains 44% wholemeal wheat flour and 6.6 g of fibre per 100 g. It contains iodised salt and can be frozen at home.
- The bread contains gluten-containing grains. Check the current packaging, as ingredients and nutritional information can change.
Jumbo
Jumbo includes ‘Jumbo's brown multigrain sourdough’ in its fresh-from-the-shop sourdough range, for anyone who wants to buy bread shortly before setting off.
- Jumbo says its sourdough range is left to mature for more than 24 hours using fresh sourdough starter.
- According to Jumbo, these loaves are baked in store and aren’t available to order online. Check the size, ingredients and allergens in store.
PLUS Korenlanders
Within this PLUS range, you can weigh up a multigrain sourdough loaf with buckwheat against multigrain sourdough demi-baguettes that still need baking.
- PLUS lists 21% wholemeal wheat flour for the buckwheat loaf and 34% for the demi-baguettes, based on the ingredients information for each product.
- The demi-baguettes need an oven or air fryer. Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions for both products.
Lidl
Lidl lists a 600 g organic brown multigrain sourdough loaf with seeds, for anyone considering a smaller loaf.
- The listed weight makes it easy to compare the size of this loaf with a larger whole loaf.
- Lidl says this product is only available in store. Check the current ingredients, allergens and nutritional information there.
Sourdough baguettes for camping with an oven
These Lekhaven Bakkerij multigrain baguettes are suited to camping trips where you have access to a working oven: according to the product description, you need to defrost and bake them before eating. Choose a pack size to suit the portions you want to take with you, and check the storage and baking instructions on the packaging.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 2 × 4 × 135 g
A pack size for anyone who wants to take several individual baguettes and can use an oven at the campsite.
Remember that they need to be defrosted and baked. Before you leave, check that you can transport and store the product in line with the instructions on the packaging.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 4 × 135 g
A smaller pack size for anyone who wants to take four individual baguettes and can use an oven at the campsite.
Defrost and bake them according to the current packaging. Check the baking time and instructions for transport and storage there too.
Frequently asked questions
Is multigrain sourdough bread automatically wholemeal?
No. ‘Multigrain’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. Check the ingredients for the specific loaf: Albert Heijn lists 44% wholemeal wheat flour for AH OerDesem dark multigrain bread, while PLUS lists 21% for Korenlanders Sourdough Multigrain Buckwheat bread.
How can I tell if bread contains iodised salt?
Look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ in the ingredients list. Don’t rely on the terms ‘sourdough’ or ‘organic’ alone; they don’t tell you for certain what type of salt has been used.
How should I plan bread for a camping trip lasting several days?
Choose an amount that suits your trip and follow the storage advice for the bread you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened bread keeps for two to four days in a kitchen cupboard. It also recommends freezing bread in portions straight after buying it if you have the option.
Can I take bake-at-home bread without an oven?
If you can’t bake bread at the campsite, it’s better to choose bread that’s ready to eat. According to PLUS, its multigrain sourdough demi-baguettes need an oven at 220 °C for 8–10 minutes or an air fryer at 200 °C for 5–6 minutes. Always follow the instructions for the product you take with you.
What do I need to know about taking perishable sandwich fillings camping?
Perishable fillings need to be kept properly chilled and shouldn’t be stored for long. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping perishable foods in a cool box for no more than one day at the campsite. If you have limited access to cooling, choose fillings you can store according to the instructions.