If wholegrains and fibre are your priorities, choose organic multigrain bread that is explicitly labelled wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread can also be made with refined flour, making it white bread. For a fussy eater, organic white multigrain bread could be a stepping stone, but don’t treat it as equivalent to wholemeal. Check for the organic certification mark and read the label on the loaf you’re buying.
If someone needs time to get used to wholemeal bread, a white organic multigrain loaf could be a stepping stone. Still, consider the taste and the bread’s description separately: containing several grains doesn’t automatically make white bread wholemeal.
You’re looking for both an organic product and a wholemeal base. The Voedingscentrum makes clear that the term ‘multigrain’ alone isn’t enough to guarantee this. Check for the word ‘wholemeal’ and, if you’re comparing products, compare their fibre content per 100 g.
What matters to you is what’s in the specific loaf. Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If you want to know whether iodised baker’s salt has been used, don’t rely solely on the type of bread or its organic status.
When choosing organic white or wholemeal multigrain bread, first distinguish between the type of bread, the taste your household will accept and its organic status. Then check the exact label for the details that matter most to your choice.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’. Compare fibre content per 100 g only across the loaves you’re considering. | If I mainly want wholemeal bread, I won’t be swayed by the term ‘multigrain’ alone or by visible seeds. For around 40% of consumers, choosing wholemeal and fibre comes first. |
| Taste and acceptance | Check whether the bread is described as white, brown or wholemeal, and whether a smaller loaf is available. | If a fussy eater turns down wholemeal bread, I want to try a version that better suits their preferences. Acceptance is the deciding factor for around 30% of consumers. |
| Organic status | Check the European organic logo on the packaging and, when shopping online, make sure you’re looking at the exact product. | I want to be sure that the bread I pick up is organic, regardless of its colour or the types of grain it contains. This check is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Read the ingredients and allergen information; check the salt content and, if necessary, ask whether iodised baker’s salt has been used. | If certain ingredients or the type of salt used matter to my choice, I need to be able to check the specific loaf. For around 10% of consumers, checking the label comes before the other considerations. |
Bread can contain several grains, seeds or kernels and still be made with refined flour. The Voedingscentrum points out that multigrain bread can therefore also be white bread.
If you want wholemeal bread, look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ in the bread’s description, then read the ingredients.
According to Skal Biocontrole, the European organic logo helps you identify an organic product. It doesn’t tell you whether the bread is white or wholemeal, how much fibre it contains or which allergens are present.
Check the logo, the bread’s description and the label details separately.
Organic status doesn’t tell you which type of salt was used in a particular loaf. Brood.net describes the use of iodised baker’s salt as an agreement within the baking industry, rather than something you can tell from the name of a bread.
Check the packaging or ask the retailer about the exact loaf if the type of salt used matters to you.
Jumbo says that its organic white and wholemeal multigrain half loaves are no longer part of its online range. So a product description alone doesn’t show what you can order now or find in store.
Check the current range just before buying, then check the packaging of the version you choose.
These examples help you tell the difference between white, brown and wholemeal organic multigrain bread. Check the current product and its packaging before you choose.
Albert Heijn has described an organic multigrain sourdough hearth loaf as pre-baked white multigrain bread.
Jumbo has separate product pages for organic white and organic wholemeal multigrain bread, both sold as 400 g half loaves.
Lidl describes its 600 g Bio rustic multigrain sourdough loaf as organic brown bread with seeds and kernels.
PLUS has an online multigrain category and has also published information about organic bread.
No. ‘Organic’ and ‘wholemeal’ describe different qualities. According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain bread can be made with refined flour, making it white bread. If you’re looking for a wholemeal version, check the description and the ingredients.
For packaged bread, look for the European organic logo on the packaging. Skal Biocontrole describes this logo as a way to identify an organic product. Also read the bread’s description: the logo alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s white or wholemeal.
No, you can’t tell from the words ‘organic’ or ‘multigrain’. Brood.net describes agreements on the use of iodised baker’s salt within the baking industry, but what matters to your choice is the type of salt used in the specific loaf. Check the packaging or ask the retailer.
Read the allergen information for the exact loaf before buying or eating it. Albert Heijn lists gluten-containing cereals, sesame and soya among the ingredients in its organic white multigrain hearth loaf. Don’t assume the same ingredients are used in other breads. Check the packaging when your order arrives too, as product information can change.
