A half loaf of wholemeal bread with chocolate sprinkles added separately can work well for a quick breakfast if you eat the slices in time or freeze them in portions. Choose crispbread if you’d rather have a crisp base from the cupboard; it isn’t half a loaf. Whichever you choose, keep an eye on how many chocolate sprinkles you use and check the ingredients in your topping.
How much bread you use, the breakfast base you prefer and the ingredients in your chocolate sprinkles all help determine which option is right for you.
If there are only one or two of you and you don’t eat bread every day, a half loaf means you have fewer slices to store at once. Still, work out how much you’ll eat in time, and freeze the remaining slices in portions if needed.
If you want a quick breakfast with wholemeal bread as your base, look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the packaging. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; a brown colour alone doesn’t tell you that.
If the amount of topping, sugars, saturated fat or allergens matters to you, compare both the bread or crispbread and the chocolate sprinkles. Ingredients vary by product, so always check the current packaging if you have an allergy.
First decide whether you want to use fresh slices of bread or prefer a crisp crispbread base. Then compare the specific varieties and think about how many chocolate sprinkles you’ll add.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness and waste | Compare the number of slices with how much you eat, and consider whether you can freeze some straight away. | In a small household, I don’t want to open more bread than I can use. For around 36% of consumers, reducing bread waste is the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | For bread, look for ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g of the specific products. | If I consciously choose a wholemeal base, I don’t want to judge by the colour of the bread alone. Around 29% of consumers put choosing wholemeal first. |
| Quick breakfast | Choose between slices from a half loaf and crispbread you can top yourself; check whether the bread is sliced. | If I want to keep things simple in the morning, the base needs to fit straight into my routine. This is the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Topping and allergens | Read the ingredients and nutritional information for the chocolate sprinkles, watch your portion size and check the packaging of the base too if you have an allergy. | I want to know what’s in my topping and how much I’m using, especially if I need to avoid allergens. For around 14% of consumers, checking labels and portions comes first. |
A half loaf and crispbread don’t solve exactly the same problem. A smaller pack of bread only helps if the amount suits how much you eat. Crispbread offers a different texture, but it isn’t a substitute for a half loaf. Whichever base you choose, chocolate sprinkles are still a separate topping. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre doesn’t include chocolate sprinkles in the Wheel of Five and highlights their sugar and saturated fat content.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread can be a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. So the colour alone won’t tell you whether you’re buying wholemeal bread.
Look for the word ‘wholemeal’, then compare the fibre, salt and ingredients of the half loaf you’re considering.
A smaller pack doesn’t automatically stop the last slices from drying out or going uneaten. What matters is how much bread you actually use.
Choose a pack that suits your breakfast routine, and follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice: freeze the slices you want to eat later in portions as soon as you buy them.
A thin layer and a generous layer of topping aren’t the same portion. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 9.4 g of sugars in 15 g of chocolate sprinkles; the nutritional value of your choice depends on the product and how much you use.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and per portion on the packaging, and bear in mind how much you sprinkle over your bread or crispbread.
These retailers and chocolate sprinkle brands are worth considering for different parts of your breakfast choice. Always compare the specific type of bread or pack of topping, not just the brand name.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Vloerbrood volkoren half.
Jumbo offers whole and half loaves, including Jumbo Fijn Volkoren Half.
ALDI lists products including Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood half and Boeren volkoren meergranen half.
Lidl lists a 400 g Halfje extra volkorenbrood.
De Ruijter sells chocolate sprinkles in larger packs and individual portion packs.
Venz offers several varieties of chocolate sprinkles to add to bread or crispbread.
These dry, ready-to-top alternatives are for anyone who prefers something crisp for a quick breakfast. They’re crispbread, Cracotte and crispbreads, not half loaves; choose your chocolate sprinkles separately.
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For anyone who wants to add their own topping to a crisp base; this is 250 g of Cracotte, not a half loaf or crispbread.
If you have an allergy, check the current packaging: the allergen statement and ingredient information for this product are contradictory.
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Wholemeal rusks to top yourself for a quick breakfast; the pack contains 13 pieces. They’re not a half loaf.
If you have an allergy, check the current packaging, and check the best-before date when storing them.
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Dark wholemeal rusks make a crisp base for your choice of topping; the pack contains 10 pieces. They’re not a half loaf.
If you have an allergy, read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
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A wholemeal base to top if you’re after something crisp; the pack contains 125 g. Crispbread isn’t a rusk or half a loaf.
If you have an allergy, check the current packaging before adding a topping.
No, a half loaf only helps if the amount matches what you’ll eat. If you have slices left over, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, ready for later.
No, brown bread can be a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, so look for the word ‘wholemeal’ rather than judging by colour alone.
No, your choice of bread doesn’t change the chocolate sprinkles themselves. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre doesn’t include chocolate sprinkles in the Wheel of Five; check the portion size and nutritional information for both the base and the topping to assess your combination.
Check the packaging for both the bread or crispbread and the chocolate sprinkles. Ingredients and allergens vary by variety; according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, mandatory allergens must be listed on the label of pre-packed foods.
