If you make sandwiches in advance
Sliced bread saves you having to cut it up in the park. If you also want wholemeal bread, check the product description: Albert Heijn describes its sliced AH OerDesem dark multigrain loaf as wholemeal.
Which bread shape is best for you?
If you’re sharing bread with others
A multigrain sourdough baguette or stick loaf is easy to share on the spot. If it’s par-baked, check whether you’ll need to finish baking it before you leave.
If you read labels carefully
If ingredients, fibre, salt or allergens influence your choice, look beyond the words ‘multigrain’ and ‘sourdough’. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, and check the current allergen information if you have any allergies.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you’ll prepare sandwiches in advance or share the bread in the park. Then check the quantity, product description and label.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. ‘Multigrain’ on its own doesn’t mean a loaf is wholemeal. | If I want to take wholemeal bread, I don’t want to have to infer that from the word ‘multigrain’. This wholemeal and fibre choice is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Shape and quantity | Check the weight, whether the bread is sliced and whether a par-baked loaf needs to be baked at home. | Sandwiches made in advance call for a different shape of bread from a loaf I want to share in the park. The right shape and quantity matter most to around 29% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information. If the bread is sold loose, ask what allergen information is available. | If I need to avoid an allergen, I can’t base my choice on the words ‘sourdough’ or ‘multigrain’. Checking ingredients and allergens is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Transporting fillings | Check which fillings need to stay chilled and take a cool bag for them. Keep the bread separate from moist fillings. | If I’m taking chilled fillings, I want to be able to keep them cool during the journey. Safe transport is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming multigrain means wholemeal
A loaf can contain several types of grain without being made entirely from wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against automatically treating multigrain as wholemeal.
If wholemeal is essential for you, check the product description and ingredients list.
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Choosing based only on the word ‘sourdough’
Sourdough describes how the bread is made, but it doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt it contains, or which allergens it includes.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information for the loaf you’re buying.
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Taking chilled fillings without a cool bag
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread can be taken along without refrigeration, but fillings that need to be kept chilled require a different approach.
Take chilled fillings out of the fridge shortly before you leave, carry them in a cool bag and, ideally, fill the sandwiches just before serving.
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Buying a whole loaf without checking the quantity
An 800 g sliced loaf may be more than you want to take for one or two people. A smaller loaf could be a better fit for your planned picnic.
Compare the weight and decide in advance what you’ll do with any leftover bread.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
For anyone who wants to make sandwiches at home using a large, sliced loaf.
- Albert Heijn describes AH OerDesem dark multigrain as a whole, sliced 800 g wholemeal multigrain sourdough loaf, and lists 6,6 g of fibre per 100 g.
- Check whether that quantity suits your group, and read the current packaging for ingredients and allergens.
Jumbo
For anyone who wants a compact multigrain sourdough baguette to bake at home and share.
- Jumbo lists a 250 g par-baked baguette, with 5,8 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g.
- Allow time to bake the baguette, and check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
PLUS
For anyone choosing between smaller and larger multigrain sourdough loaves.
- PLUS lists, among other options, a 300 g par-baked Kleintje brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
- Another PLUS multigrain sourdough product lists both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour. So check the product description and ingredients for each loaf.
Lidl
For anyone looking for an organic brown multigrain sourdough loaf with seeds.
- Lidl describes its organic rustic multigrain sourdough bread as a 600 g loaf.
- Before choosing, read the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information on the packaging, especially if these are important to you.
Dirk
For anyone considering a multigrain hearth loaf or a bake-at-home baguette for a picnic.
- Dirk describes its multigrain hearth loaf as containing grains and seeds, and also lists a rustic multigrain bake-at-home baguette.
- If sourdough or wholemeal is essential for you, check that the specific loaf is labelled accordingly.
Joybuy products for a picnic to share
These baguettes are made for sharing on a picnic. Check each product to see whether it meets your requirements for sourdough or wholemeal bread, and whether it needs to be prepared at home.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 4 × 135 g
Four baguettes to share on a picnic.
Allow time to defrost and bake them before you leave. Check the baking time on the packaging, and look at the product description if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread.
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g'woon Popular Multigrain Baguettes, 2 stuks, 300 g
Two multigrain baguettes to share.
If sourdough is essential for you, check the current product description and ingredients. Also read the packaging if you want to compare nutritional values per 100 g.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Multigrain Rustic Baguette, 4 × 135 g × 2
A double pack of baguettes to share with a larger group; choose the quantity to suit the number of people.
Allow time to defrost and bake them before you leave. Check the baking time on the packaging, and look at the product description if you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread.
Frequently asked questions
Is multigrain bread automatically wholemeal?
No. ‘Multigrain’ refers to the types of grain used; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises checking the product description and ingredients if you want to choose wholemeal bread.
What does sourdough tell you about the nutritional value of bread?
Sourdough alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt a loaf contains. Check the nutritional information per 100 g, and separately check whether the bread is labelled as wholemeal.
Can I rely on the name of a multigrain sourdough loaf if I need to avoid allergens?
No. Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens must be declared on labels. If the bread is sold loose, ask what allergen information is available.
Do fillings that need to stay chilled have to go in a cool bag?
Take fillings that need to be kept chilled in a cool bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bread itself is suitable for a picnic without refrigeration, but advises taking chilled products out of the fridge shortly before you leave.