Who are these options suitable for?

Office lunchers without an oven

If you can’t bake rolls at the office, an individually sold roll that you can top straight away is a better fit for your lunch plans than a part-baked option.

Planning ahead for several lunches

If you prepare rolls at home or keep a stock, check the number of rolls, the preparation instructions and the label for storage and defrosting advice.

Anyone keeping an eye on fibre

If you don’t want to choose a white roll every time, compare the ingredients and fibre content per 100 g. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’.

What should you consider?

First, decide whether you can bake the rolls before lunch. Then consider how many you’ll use, and which type of bread and storage instructions fit your plans.

What to consider What should you check? Who is it important for?
Lunch budget Check how many rolls are in a pack and how many you’ll actually use. Don’t compare individually sold and part-baked rolls as if they need the same preparation. If I take a roll in every day, I want to avoid leaving some of a pack unused; around 31% of consumers put their lunch budget first.
Fibre Check whether wholemeal flour is listed in the ingredients and compare the fibre content per 100 g; ‘multigrain’ isn’t the same as wholemeal. When I have the same lunch regularly, I want to know what type of bread I’m choosing, not just how many rolls are in the bag. Around 25% of consumers put fibre first.
Ready to eat Check whether the roll is ready to eat or needs baking first. For part-baked products, check what equipment you’ll need and how long they take to prepare. Without an oven or air fryer at the office, I need a roll I can top straight away; being ready to eat is the main priority for around 25% of consumers.
Keeping a stock Follow the storage and defrosting advice for the specific product. Check the ingredients list if baker’s salt or iodised salt is important to your choice. If I’m buying rolls for several working days, I want to be able to store them without my lunch plans depending on remembering to defrost them; around 19% of consumers prioritise planning ahead and keeping a stock.

What to watch out for when buying

  • Treating individually sold and part-baked rolls as the same option

    An individually sold roll that’s ready to eat and a part-baked roll require different things before lunch. A pack you can’t bake isn’t suitable for a lunch without an oven.

    Decide where and when you can bake the rolls before comparing the number in each pack.

  • Assuming ‘multigrain’ means ‘wholemeal’

    The name of a multigrain roll doesn’t tell you what proportion of the flour is wholemeal. Albert Heijn states that its wholemeal roll is made with 100% wholemeal flour; PLUS states that the multigrain option reviewed contains 56% wholemeal wheat flour.

    Read the ingredients list and compare the fibre content per 100 g if these qualities matter to your choice.

  • Assuming every roll contains baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt when baking bread isn’t compulsory. So the type of bread alone won’t tell you whether iodised salt has been added.

    Look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ on the label, and ask about the ingredients of an individually sold roll if you need to know.

  • Buying a stock without a storage plan

    Specific instructions may apply to frozen rolls. Jumbo states that its frozen rolls shouldn’t be refrozen after defrosting, and should be prepared and eaten within 24 hours.

    Plan how many rolls you’ll use for each lunch, and follow the pack’s storage and defrosting instructions.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn lists both an individually sold white roll and an individually sold wholemeal roll.

  • The product information for the wholemeal roll states that it contains 100% wholemeal flour and 7,1 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • For an individually sold roll, check the up-to-date ingredients and allergen information for the option you choose.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers, among other options, packs of white rolls and a frozen variety.

  • The frozen variety gives you the option of keeping rolls for future lunches.
  • For this variety, Jumbo advises that you don’t refreeze the rolls after defrosting, and that you prepare and eat them within 24 hours.

Lidl

Lidl describes its white bread roll as a white wheat roll that’s only available in store.

  • An individually sold roll from a shop can work well for a lunch you’re putting together on the day.
  • Check the ingredients and allergen information on the product in store.

ALDI

ALDI lists an individually sold roll that you can buy by the piece.

  • Buying rolls individually lets you match the number you buy to a single lunch.
  • Check the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific roll you choose.

PLUS

PLUS lists white and multigrain rolls that you bake at home.

  • The information for the multigrain variety reviewed states that it contains 56% wholemeal wheat flour and 7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Before taking them for an office lunch, bear in mind the preparation instructions for the pack you choose.

Dirk

Dirk lists a pack of 1 de Beste white bread rolls, containing four part-baked rolls.

  • A pack of four can work well for lunches you plan ahead.
  • The rolls need to be baked before you can take them as a ready-to-eat lunch.

Bread rolls on Joybuy

Related products will appear here soon.

Frequently asked questions

When should I choose individually sold rolls, and when should I choose a pack of part-baked rolls?

Choose an individually sold, ready-to-eat roll if you want lunch without any preparation. A pack of part-baked rolls is a good fit if you can bake them before lunch and will use all the rolls in the pack; don’t compare the two options without factoring in that preparation step.

Do I have to bake every roll before taking it with me?

No, the individually sold rolls from Albert Heijn and ALDI that we reviewed are intended to be eaten straight away. PLUS says its white part-baked rolls take 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C; always follow the instructions on the pack you choose.

How should I store rolls for several office lunches?

Follow the storage advice on the pack and plan when to defrost the rolls for each lunch. Jumbo states that its frozen rolls shouldn’t be refrozen after defrosting, and should be prepared and eaten within 24 hours.

Does every roll in the Netherlands contain iodised baker’s salt?

No, according to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt when baking isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list for the specific roll to see whether it mentions ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’.