Sliced multigrain bread is handy for a quick breakfast on the go when you don’t want to cut your own slices. Choose a clearly labelled wholemeal option if wholegrains and fibre are your priorities. Individual rolls are ideal if you want to take a portion with you, but check whether they’re ready to eat without baking. Sourdough or a hearth-baked loaf may suit you better if bread style and flavour matter more than preparation time. The name ‘multigrain’ or a premium look doesn’t, by itself, mean a loaf is wholemeal.
You want bread you can take with you without having to slice it in the morning, and you’re also looking for a clear wholemeal label. Compare the fibre per 100 g and choose a format that fits your morning routine. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘wholemeal’.
Sourdough, a hearth-baked loaf or bread with seeds appeals to you, even if you have a little more time to prepare breakfast. Check the product description: a premium bread range won’t tell you by itself whether the bread is wholemeal.
If you need to avoid certain allergens or want to know what type of salt has been used, the current packaging is your best guide. Check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf rather than relying on its name.
First, think about how much preparation time you have in the morning. Then compare the wholemeal labelling, nutritional information and ingredients of breads in a format that works for you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for a clear wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g. | If I want wholemeal bread, I want to be able to recognise that on the packaging, rather than infer it from the word ‘multigrain’. This is the main priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Ready to take with you | Check whether the bread is sliced or the rolls are ready to eat without baking. | When I’m short on time in the morning, I don’t want to have to slice or bake my bread. Around 29% of consumers say being able to take it with them straight away is their top priority. |
| Bread style and flavour | Compare the type of bread, its size and the listed ingredients, such as seeds. | When I have time to prepare breakfast, I’d rather choose based on bread style and flavour than convenience alone. This is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current allergen statement and check the ingredients if the type of salt used is relevant to your choice. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I need to know what’s in the bread before taking it with me. This check is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means that different types of grain have been used; it doesn’t guarantee that the bread is wholemeal. So a loaf with an appealing name or seeds may not be what you’re looking for.
Check for a clear wholemeal label, the ingredients list and the fibre per 100 g.
Sourdough or a hearth-baked loaf may suit your taste, but a whole loaf needs slicing and a bake-at-home product needs to be prepared before you leave.
Choose sliced bread or rolls if you don’t want to spend time slicing in the morning. If you’re buying rolls, check whether they need baking.
A large loaf may also be less practical if you can’t finish it in time.
Multigrain products may contain different gluten-containing grains and other allergens. The name alone doesn’t give you the full picture.
Read the current allergen statement. If you need gluten-free bread, choose a product that is clearly labelled as gluten-free.
The type of salt used can vary from one loaf to another. Brood.net Professionals explains that the use of iodine-containing baker’s salt in Dutch bakeries is based on an agreement, not something you can assume applies to every loaf.
Check the ingredients list if information about iodised salt is important to your choice.
The range includes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen and multigrain hearth-baked bread: options to compare if you’re looking at different bread ranges or formats.
Jumbo offers multigrain rolls in a portion-sized format if you’d rather not slice a whole loaf.
The range includes Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit and Brood van Soma Haverkorn multigrain bread, letting you compare a sourdough style with a clearly labelled wholemeal product.
Lidl offers, among other products, a 600 g organic rustic multigrain sourdough loaf for anyone looking for this style of bread.
The Haverkorn version at PLUS is a specific option to compare if you’re looking for clearly labelled wholemeal multigrain bread.
These rolls are a portion-sized option for breakfast on the go. Before buying, check whether they’re ready to eat without baking; their size alone doesn’t confirm this.
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Individual rolls are a good choice if you want to take portions with you, as long as they’re ready to eat without preparation.
Check whether they need baking and whether the packaging says they’re wholemeal. If you have allergies, read the current allergen information too.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, ‘multigrain’ means that different types of grain have been used, but it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. If that matters to you, look for a clear wholemeal label on the packaging.
Sliced bread saves you the effort of cutting it, while individual rolls are easy to choose as a portion, provided they’re ready to eat. Check whether rolls need baking; a whole loaf still needs slicing.
Don’t assume it does. The salt used varies by product, so check the ingredients list if you want to know whether a particular loaf contains iodised salt.
You can’t tell from the name. Multigrain bread may contain gluten-containing grains. If you need gluten-free bread, check that the product is clearly labelled gluten-free and read its current allergen information.
