If you’re looking for organic multigrain bread with a clear wholegrain base, check for the ‘wholegrain’ claim and the EU organic logo separately. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ tells you how many types of grain have been used, not whether all the grain is wholegrain. Also read the nutritional information, ingredients and allergen declaration. Don’t assume that organic bread is made with iodised baker’s salt.
If you want multigrain bread with a clear wholegrain base, look beyond the number of grain types. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as high in fibre; the nutritional information shows how much fibre a particular loaf contains per 100 g.
If certified organic production matters to you, look for the EU organic logo on the packaging. The Dutch Government describes ‘organic’ as a protected term. The logo alone tells you nothing about whether the bread has a wholegrain base.
For organic bread, checking the type of salt used is a separate label check: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the label tells you whether the bread was made with baker’s salt. If you need to avoid certain ingredients, also read the allergen declaration for the bread you choose.
Organic production and a wholegrain base are two separate considerations. Decide which of them is essential for you first, then compare the labels of the breads that meet your requirements.
Best if: you want both an explicit wholegrain claim and certified organic production.
What to consider: both claims need to apply to the same bread; also check separately which type of salt has been used.
Best if: organic production is your priority and an explicit wholegrain claim isn’t essential.
What to consider: ‘organic’, ‘brown’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t automatically tell you what grains the bread is made from.
Best if: a clear wholegrain base is your priority and organic certification isn’t essential.
What to consider: the ‘wholegrain’ claim doesn’t confirm organic production; check this separately if it matters to you too.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain and fibre | Look for the ‘wholegrain’ claim and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | I don’t want to rely on the name ‘multigrain’ if the grain base is my main criterion. Around 46% of consumers prioritise this wholegrain and fibre choice. |
| Organic production | Look for the EU organic logo and check the wholegrain claim separately. | I want to be able to identify the organic credentials, even if I still need to choose between types of bread afterwards. For around 27% of consumers, checking for organic production comes first. |
| Salt type and allergens | Check the ingredients for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’, and read the allergen declaration for this bread. | If I regularly buy organic bread or need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s actually in this loaf. For around 27% of consumers, this label check is their first concern. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three different types of grain. The name doesn’t tell you whether the bread has a 100% wholegrain base.
Look for an explicit wholegrain claim, then compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information for the breads you’re considering.
Organic bread can be made without iodised baker’s salt. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, you can check the label to see whether baker’s salt has been used.
Read the ingredients for the specific loaf instead of trying to infer the type of salt from its organic status.
These words don’t describe the same thing. For example, Albert Heijn lists both wheat flour and wholemeal flour in AH Biologisch OerDesem bio meergranen; being organic doesn’t automatically make that bread 100% wholegrain.
Check the EU organic logo to confirm organic production, and read the product name and ingredients separately to check the grain base.
A bread description may differ from the packaging you find when you buy it. This is particularly important if you’re relying on the ingredients, nutritional values or allergen information.
Check the packaging of the bread you actually buy, even if you’ve compared options online beforehand.
These examples show the product information you may come across at different supermarket chains. A brand name alone doesn’t confirm that a particular loaf is both organic and wholegrain.
Albert Heijn describes AH Biologisch OerDesem bio meergranen as organic brown multigrain bread.
Jumbo has published product information for Jumbo Volkoren Meergranen Brood.
Lidl describes a 600 g organic rustic multigrain sourdough loaf with seeds as an in-store product.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranenbrood, as well as a separate wholemeal loaf.
PLUS lists multigrain breads, including Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit, and explains how to identify organic products in store.
Dirk lists multigrain and wholemeal options, and also describes its organic range.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means bread made with at least three different types of grain; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread has a 100% wholegrain base. Look for an explicit wholegrain claim if that’s your main criterion.
Look for the green EU organic logo on the packaging. The Dutch Government describes ‘organic’ as a protected term; also check separately whether the bread is labelled as wholegrain.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, you can check the label to see whether bread is made with baker’s salt. So if the type of salt matters when you’re choosing organic bread, read the ingredients for the loaf you’ve picked.
Check the allergen declaration for every loaf if you need to avoid certain ingredients. Multigrain bread can contain different grains and other allergens; Jumbo lists barley, rye, soya, spelt and wheat among the allergens in its Volkoren Meergranen Brood.
Follow the storage advice on the packaging of the bread you buy. Albert Heijn says that AH Biologisch OerDesem bio meergranen can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month; this advice doesn’t automatically apply to other breads.
