For an afternoon coffee with older guests, sliced multigrain sourdough is a practical choice if you want to serve small portions without baking. A rustic loaf or bake-at-home option is better when a crusty finish and warm presentation matter, and your guests are comfortable eating that texture. Multigrain does not automatically mean wholemeal: check the wholemeal flour in the ingredients list and compare the nutritional information for the bread you choose.
Sliced bread can be served in small pieces with afternoon coffee, without needing to bake it first. If someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, don’t rely on the type of loaf alone; follow their individual advice on suitable textures.
If wholemeal flour matters to you, don’t rely on the word multigrain alone. Compare the ingredients and the fibre content per 100 g of the specific bread.
A par-baked multigrain sourdough product is an option if you’d like to serve a warm crust with coffee. Bear in mind the equipment and preparation time required.
First, decide which texture and preparation method will suit your guests and the coffee occasion. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the breads that meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for wholemeal flour in the ingredients list and compare fibre per 100 g. | If wholemeal is my priority, I don’t want the word multigrain to make that choice for me. Around 36% of consumers say this is their top priority. |
| Texture and crust | Consider whether the bread you choose, including its crust, seeds and kernels, is suitable for the person eating it; follow individual advice on texture if needed. | If someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, I first need to know which texture is suitable. For around 29% of consumers, how easy the bread is to eat matters most. |
| Ready to serve | Check whether the bread is ready to serve or needs to be baked first. | If there’s no time or equipment to bake bread just before coffee, I want to be able to serve portions straight away. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Warm presentation | Consider the shape of the loaf, its seeds and kernels and, for a bake-at-home product, the preparation instructions. | If your guests enjoy a firm crust, I want to be able to serve the bread warm. Around 14% of consumers value this presentation above the other considerations. |
Voedingscentrum defines multigrain bread as bread made with at least three types of grain; this alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal. Also compare the salt per 100 g and, if you have a specific question about iodised salt, check the ingredients of the product you choose.
According to Voedingscentrum, multigrain means at least three types of grain; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour. A dark colour or visible seeds won’t tell you that either.
If wholemeal and fibre are important to your choice, read the ingredients list and compare the fibre per 100 g.
The word sourdough doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt a loaf contains. Jumbo lists 5,8 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g for its Desem Baguette Meergranen; PLUS lists 5,6 g of fibre and 1,2 g of salt per 100 g for its Desem demi-baguettes meergranen.
Compare the nutritional information for the exact products on the same 100 g basis.
RIVM reports that not all bread is made with iodised salt. The type of bread alone therefore won’t tell you which salt is used in a particular product.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or bakers’ salt if this matters to your choice.
A firm crust and kernels won’t suit every guest. Voedingscentrum notes that people with an illness, a disability, a reduced appetite or swallowing difficulties may need additional dietary advice.
If someone is known to have difficulty chewing or swallowing, ask about their individual advice on texture before choosing the type of loaf and crust.
The OerDesem range includes multigrain varieties in sandwich-loaf form, including Donker Meergranen.
Jumbo sells a range of products including a 250 g par-baked Desem Baguette Meergranen.
PLUS sells Korenlanders multigrain sourdough products in several shapes, including a buckwheat loaf and demi-baguettes.
Lidl describes its Bio rustiek meergranen desembrood as a 600 g organic brown loaf with seeds and kernels.
No. According to Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but that doesn’t mean all the grains used are wholemeal. Check the ingredients list for wholemeal flour and compare the fibre per 100 g.
No, check the product you choose. RIVM reports that not all bread is made with iodised salt. Jumbo lists iodised salt in its Desem Baguette Meergranen; PLUS lists bakers’ salt in Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit.
No, these values vary from product to product. Jumbo lists 5,8 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g for its Desem Baguette Meergranen; PLUS lists 5,6 g of fibre and 1,2 g of salt per 100 g for its Desem demi-baguettes meergranen. Use the nutritional information on the exact packaging to make your comparison.
If someone has difficulty chewing or swallowing, let their individual advice on texture guide your choice. Voedingscentrum notes that people with disabilities or swallowing difficulties may need additional dietary advice, so don’t choose a crust, kernels or loaf shape based only on its appearance or product name.
