If you’d like to serve warm bread with a special meal, an organic part-baked baguette or roll could be a good choice if you have the time and equipment to bake it at home. If you’re mainly looking for bread for everyday meals and want to prioritise wholemeal, choose a product explicitly labelled ‘wholemeal’ – ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t mean that it is. In either case, check the organic labelling, type of salt and allergens on the product you buy.
For everyday meals, don’t assume from the name ‘multigrain’ that a loaf is wholemeal. Look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label, and check the organic labelling too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between multigrain bread and wholemeal bread.
For dinner, brunch or drinks and nibbles, an organic part-baked baguette or roll could be a good choice if you want to serve warm bread and can prepare it at home. Check the cooking instructions, allergens and organic labelling for the variety you choose.
If the type of salt or certain ingredients matter to your choice, read the current ingredients and allergen information. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt has iodine added, but bakers aren’t required to use it, so don’t assume that every organic loaf is made with it.
First decide whether you want bread for everyday meals or to serve warm. Then check the organic labelling and the features that matter most to you on each product.
A good choice if: you’re looking for bread for everyday meals that is both labelled organic and explicitly described as wholemeal.
Trade-off: a whole loaf is less suited to a single meal where you want to serve warm part-baked bread.
A good choice if: you want to serve warm bread with a special meal and can bake it at home.
Trade-off: baking takes time and requires suitable equipment; ‘multigrain’ or ‘sourdough’ doesn’t automatically mean the bread is wholemeal.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and, if you wish, compare the fibre per 100 g. | For everyday meals, I want to know whether the bread is genuinely wholemeal, rather than judging it by its colour or seeds. Around 36% of consumers prioritise choosing wholemeal. |
| Organic labelling | For pre-packed organic bread, check the EU organic logo, the control code and the origin labelling. | An organic look to the packaging isn’t enough for me; I want to be able to check the labels on the product. This check is the most important factor for around 29% of consumers. |
| Preparation and serving | Check whether the bread is part-baked, how it should be prepared and whether the quantity is right for the meal. | I want to serve warm bread and need to know whether I have the time and equipment to bake it. This occasion for serving bread is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Availability and storage | Check current availability, the quantity of bread and the storage or freezing advice. | If I only need bread for this meal, I don’t want more left over than I can store. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain, but the name doesn’t mean that the bread is wholemeal.
If wholemeal is important to you, look for the explicit ‘wholemeal’ label instead of judging by the colour or visible seeds.
Organic bread isn’t automatically made with baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that bakers aren’t required to use it.
Check whether the ingredients list says ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’. For unwrapped bread, you can ask the baker.
A part-baked baguette or roll needs to be baked at home; storage and freezing advice can vary from product to product.
Check the instructions and storage advice before choosing, especially if you only want to serve some of the bread with your meal.
Multigrain products can contain various gluten-containing grains or sesame. An organic label doesn’t tell you which allergens are in an individual product.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact bread you’re buying, including any warnings about traces.
Albert Heijn describes both a whole brown multigrain loaf and a part-baked multigrain baguette in this range.
Jumbo describes, among other products in its organic range, a half loaf of wholemeal multigrain bread and a part-baked multigrain baguette.
The SlooOW Bio Organic rolls described by Jumbo are organic, part-baked white multigrain rolls made with sourdough.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that bread contains at least three types of grain; the label ‘wholemeal’ means that the bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check both separately if you’re looking for organic wholemeal multigrain bread.
Look on the label for the EU organic logo, the control body’s code number and the origin labelling. According to the European Commission, the organic logo can only be used on products certified as organic by an approved control body.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt has iodine added, but bakers don’t have to use it. So check the type of salt in the ingredients list, or ask about it if the bread is unwrapped.
Check the preparation instructions, allergens and storage advice on the packaging for the variety you’ve chosen. For its organic multigrain part-baked baguette, Albert Heijn gives a cooking time of 8–10 minutes at 220 °C in the oven or 5–6 minutes at 200 °C in a preheated air fryer; according to the product information, this variety isn’t suitable for freezing at home.
No. The name doesn’t tell you which individual grains, seeds or other allergens the bread contains. Read the current allergen information for the specific product, even if it’s organic.
