Choose fresh sourdough bread if you want a soft slice for lunch and sourdough is a must. Sourdough crispbread is a good fit if you want a crunchy base to take with you; plain rusks are another option if you’re mainly looking for a round, crisp texture. Check each product individually for sourdough and wholegrain, and check the allergens and salt per 100 g for crispbread.
Want a soft slice as a base for your toppings, with sourdough as a product requirement? Look for fresh sourdough bread. If you also want wholegrain, check for that separately: according to the Voedingscentrum, the name ‘sourdough’ alone doesn’t tell you whether a product is wholegrain.
If you want a dry, crunchy base to top later, you could try sourdough crispbread. It isn’t a soft roll or a round rusk. Check the allergen information and compare the salt per 100 g for the variant you choose.
If a round, light and crisp rusk is just what you fancy for lunch, choose from the rusk category. Don’t assume it contains sourdough based on its shape: check the ingredients for the exact variant.
First decide whether you want a soft bread lunch or a crunchy base, and whether sourdough is essential. Then compare the wholegrain information, nutritional values and allergens of products that fit your choice.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough and type of bread | Check whether the product is labelled with starter or sourdough and, if you want it, look separately for a wholegrain claim. | I want a soft lunch, such as a roll, but it must be made with sourdough. An estimated 40% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Crunchiness and taking it with you | Check the product type and, for crispbread, read the ingredients, allergen information and salt content. | When I take lunch with me, I’m mainly looking for a dry, crunchy base that I can top later. Around 30% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Look for an explicit wholegrain claim and compare fibre and salt on the same basis, per 100 g. | If you want to prioritise wholegrain and fibre, the sourdough name alone isn’t enough. An estimated 30% of consumers consider this their most important buying criterion. |
Sourdough bread can be white, brown or wholegrain. The method of preparation doesn’t tell you which flour was used in the product.
Check the sourdough and wholegrain information separately on the packaging. The Voedingscentrum also recommends checking the type of bread when buying sourdough.
A round, crisp rusk makes for a different lunch experience from a soft slice of sourdough bread. The ingredients list for Bolletje Echte Beschuit includes yeast but not sourdough; that doesn’t mean the same is true of every rusk variant.
First choose the shape and texture you want. If sourdough is essential, look for it on the label of the product you’re buying.
Albert Heijn lists 19 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g for Wasa Zuurdesem Rogge. For the Leksands variant reviewed, the figures are 21 g of fibre and also 1.2 g of salt per 100 g. Both products contain cereals with gluten.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g, check the allergen information on the specific pack, and also bear your portion size and toppings in mind.
Jumbo describes its fresh sourdough loaves as in-store products that can’t be ordered online. Lidl also states that its rustic spelt sourdough bread is only available in store.
Check what’s available at the shop where you plan to buy your bread before counting on a particular variant.
Rusks, fresh sourdough bread and sourdough crispbread are different options. The brands and shops below can help you compare them; always check the exact variant before making your choice.
Has separate categories for rusks and sourdough bread, including a wholegrain OerDesem variant.
Stocks Wasa Zuurdesem Rogge and also offers its own range of fresh sourdough bread.
Its Zuurdesem Rogge crispbread is made with wholegrain rye and rye sourdough.
Offers a triangular sourdough crispbread with rye as its main ingredient.
An option to explore if you’re specifically looking for round, crisp rusks.
Lists a 600 g rustic white spelt sourdough loaf as an in-store product.
This product is a good fit for a lunch where you want verifiable sourdough and a crunchy rye base. It won’t give you the soft texture of fresh sourdough bread or the round shape of a rusk.
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A crunchy lunch base for anyone looking for rye sourdough who isn’t expecting soft bread.
Crispbread made with wholegrain rye and rye sourdough. This variant contains 19 g of fibre and 1.2 g of salt per 100 g; the pack contains 235 g. The product contains rye, barley and cereals containing gluten. Check the allergen information on the packaging, including for the possible presence of other allergens.
No. Sourdough doesn’t automatically tell you what type of flour was used. If you want wholegrain, look for an explicit wholegrain claim on the product; the Voedingscentrum treats the type of bread as a separate consideration.
You can’t tell from the product category. Bolletje lists yeast but no sourdough in the ingredients for Echte Beschuit. If sourdough is essential for you, always check the label on any other rusk variant.
Store it according to the instructions on the packaging and seal it well after opening. Wasa recommends keeping Zuurdesem Rogge in a cool, dry place; Leksands says to store the variant reviewed in a dark, dry place.
Both the Wasa Zuurdesem Rogge and Leksands variants reviewed contain cereals with gluten. Wasa lists rye and barley; Leksands lists rye, wheat and barley. Always check the allergen information on the exact pack before buying.
