Who are these choices relevant to?

Lunch-makers keeping an eye on fibre

You’re looking for a wholegrain rusk base and want to compare the fibre content of different packs per 100 g.

Lunch-makers who choose their toppings carefully

You consider your lunch as a whole, not just the rusk. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables, fruit, eggs and pulses among the topping options that may fit within the Dutch Wheel of Five.

Shoppers who need to check the ingredients

You look out for ingredients such as wheat, egg or sesame. The information varies between rusk varieties, so it’s important to check the current packaging when making your choice.

What should you look for when choosing?

Start with what matters most for your lunch: the rusk base, the toppings, the ingredients or availability.

What to consider What to check Who it matters to
Wholegrain and fibre Check the wholegrain information and compare the fibre per 100 g on the packs you’re considering. If you’re looking for a wholegrain rusk base for lunch, compare the ingredients rather than judging by colour or seeds. Wholegrains and fibre are a top priority for around 33% of consumers.
Rusk and toppings together Choose your toppings carefully too; for example, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables and low-salt hummus. If toppings are a regular part of my lunch, I look beyond the rusk itself. For around 33% of consumers, the composition of the whole lunch matters most.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients and allergen information, especially for varieties with several grains or seeds. If you need to avoid certain ingredients, you’ll need to know what’s in this particular variety. For around 17% of consumers, this check is the most important factor in their choice.
Availability and pack size When ordering, check the current delivery status and the number of pieces in the pack. If my usual rusk isn’t available, I want to be able to choose an alternative with a suitable composition. Availability is the deciding factor for around 17% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming wholegrain rusk determines the whole lunch

    A wholegrain base doesn’t tell you what the toppings add to your lunch.

    Choose your rusk and toppings as a combination. To find toppings that suit the kind of lunch you want, also consider the options the Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes in the Dutch Wheel of Five.

  • Choosing a seeded variety without reading the label

    Rusk containing several grains or seeds may have different ingredients and allergens from a regular wholegrain variety.

    Check the ingredients and allergen information every time you buy it, even if you’ve bought rusk from the same brand before.

  • Inferring the iodine content from the rule on bakers’ salt

    The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine compounds may be present in bakery products through the use of bakers’ salt. This doesn’t tell you the iodine content of an individual pack of rusk.

    Check the product-specific information or ask the manufacturer if the type of salt used matters to your choice.

  • Assuming a familiar variety is available

    The availability of a particular pack can change.

    Check the current delivery status when ordering, and if you choose an alternative, check its ingredients and pack size again.

Brands compared

Bolletje

Bolletje offers wholegrain rusk and a farmhouse variety with grains and seeds, so you can compare the two.

  • Albert Heijn lists 11 g of fibre per 100 g for Bolletje Wholegrain Rusk and 10 g per 100 g for Bolletje High-Fibre Farmhouse Wholegrain Rusk.
  • The farmhouse variety reviewed contains oats, barley and sesame, among other ingredients. Check the allergens on the pack.

Albert Heijn

AH Organic Wholegrain Multiseed Rusk is an own-brand option for anyone specifically looking for organic wholegrain rusk with seeds.

  • Albert Heijn lists this variety as organically certified, with 11 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • This variety also contains egg, sesame and gluten-containing grains. Organic certification doesn’t replace the need to check the ingredients and allergens.

Jumbo

Jumbo stocks regular wholegrain rusk alongside other varieties.

  • Jumbo lists 7.7 g of fibre per 100 g for the Jumbo Wholegrain Rusk reviewed.
  • This variety contains wheat, barley and egg, among other ingredients. Check the current packaging if these ingredients matter to your choice.

Rusk to suit different lunch preferences

These wholegrain varieties provide a rusk base for lunch: a regular pack of 13 pieces and a dark variety of 10 pieces. Compare the nutritional information and ingredients on the packaging before you choose.

Bolletje Wholegrain Rusk, 13 pieces

Bolletje Wholegrain Rusk, 13 pieces

A regular wholegrain rusk to consider as a lunch base when you want to choose your rusk and toppings separately.

The pack contains 13 pieces. Check the current label for nutritional values and allergens; for this variety, wheat, gluten and egg are worth noting, and it may contain sesame.

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Bolletje Dark Wholegrain Rusk, 10 pieces

Bolletje Dark Wholegrain Rusk, 10 pieces

A dark wholegrain variety to consider if you’re looking for rusk with grains and seeds.

The pack contains 10 pieces. When checking the ingredients, pay particular attention to wheat, oats, barley and sesame, and compare the nutritional values per 100 g on the label.

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Frequently asked questions

Is wholegrain rusk on its own enough for the lunch I want to put together?

No, the toppings matter too. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists vegetables, fruit, eggs and pulses among the topping options that may fit within the Dutch Wheel of Five. You should also compare the nutritional information for the rusk varieties themselves.

Which allergens should I check in wholegrain rusk?

Check the current label on the variety you’re buying. The products discussed here include wheat, egg, sesame, oats and barley, among other ingredients; the ingredients vary from product to product.

Does the Dutch rule on bakers’ salt mean every pack of rusk contains iodine?

No, that doesn’t follow from the rule. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, iodine compounds may be present in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products only if they have been added through bakers’ salt containing no more than 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. This doesn’t tell you which salt was used in a particular pack of rusk, so check the product-specific information if this matters to your choice.

Can I choose organic multiseed rusk if I avoid gluten or sesame?

Not on the basis of organic certification alone. Albert Heijn lists gluten-containing grains and sesame in AH Organic Wholegrain Multiseed Rusk. So check the current allergen information for the product you’re considering.