If you’re looking for a traditional rye texture for your picnic, consider Frisian rye bread: according to Van Dijk's Roggebrood, it is made mainly from cracked rye. If ingredients, nutritional values or easy-to-share portions matter more to you, compare the specific products. If any guests have food allergies, check the latest packaging and carry any chilled fillings in a cool bag.
Would you like to serve rye bread as a distinctive part of your meal? Van Dijk's Roggebrood describes Frisian rye bread as a variety made mainly from cracked rye. That’s a clear difference to look out for if texture matters to you.
If organic origin, wheat or additives are deciding factors, the ingredients list is more helpful than the look of the packaging. Check these details for each product, and read the allergen information if anyone has allergies.
Pre-sliced portions are handy when several people will be helping themselves. If you’re taking fillings that need to stay chilled, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag.
First, decide what matters most for this picnic: the rye texture, the ingredients, the nutritional values or ease of serving. Then check the details of the variety you plan to take.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Regional style and texture | Check whether it is Frisian or Brabant rye bread: according to Van Dijk's Roggebrood, the Frisian variety is made mainly from cracked rye, while the Brabant variety is made from ground rye. | If the bread is taking centre stage alongside savoury fillings, I want to know what kind of rye texture I’m serving. Around 34% of consumers prioritise regional style. |
| Origin and ingredients | Read the ingredients list and check the organic origin, wheat and additives for each variety. Look at the salt information if iodine is relevant to your choice. | I only choose once the ingredients suit what I’m looking for for my guests, rather than judging by the front of the pack. These features matter most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Nutritional values and allergens | Compare the nutritional information, including fibre per 100 g, and check the allergen information separately. Rye contains gluten. | When planning the meal, I want to compare the nutritional values and know which ingredients are relevant to my guests. Roughly 25% of consumers give this top priority. |
| Portions and transport | Check whether the bread is pre-sliced and plan to use a cool bag for fillings that need to stay chilled, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. | If everyone is helping themselves to bread in the park, I want portions that are easy to share and a plan for keeping chilled fillings cool. This is the first consideration for around 8% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, organic bread is often baked with non-iodised salt. So neither the type of bread nor its organic origin tells you which salt was used in a particular product.
Check the salt information on the packaging or ask the baker if this matters to your choice.
Rye naturally contains gluten, as the Dutch Coeliac Society explains. An organic-origin or wholegrain rye label doesn’t change that.
If a guest needs to eat strictly gluten-free, look for an alternative to rye bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the allergen information.
Pre-sliced bread makes serving easier, but it doesn’t change the need to keep fillings that are normally stored in the fridge chilled.
Take these products in a cool bag, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, and only remove them from the fridge shortly before you leave.
A wholegrain rye bread with linseed, for anyone comparing organic origin and ingredients.
A brand to look at if you’re specifically after Frisian rye bread for your meal.
A Frisian rye bread to compare when you’re looking at the ingredients of different regional varieties side by side.
A pre-sliced rye bread variety for anyone comparing portions and nutritional information.
This pre-sliced rye bread variety is a good fit for a picnic where you want to share the bread into portions. Compare the nutritional information and check the packaging for any guests with allergies.
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The nine pre-sliced portions are easy to share between several people on a picnic.
The product information lists 9.6 g of fibre per 100 g. The bread contains rye and, according to the product information, may contain traces of sesame, milk and nuts. If you have allergies, check the latest label.
If texture is what guides your choice, look at the type of rye used: according to Van Dijk's Roggebrood, Frisian rye bread is made mainly from cracked rye, while Brabant rye bread is made mainly from ground rye. Also check the label of the specific variety for ingredients and allergens.
Don’t assume it does. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, organic bread is often baked with non-iodised salt. Check the salt information on the packaging or ask the baker if this is relevant to your choice.
No. Rye naturally contains gluten, as the Dutch Coeliac Society explains. Choose an alternative to rye bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free for that guest, and read the allergen information.
Pack fillings and any other products that are normally kept chilled in a cool bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends taking chilled products out of the fridge shortly before you leave; pre-sliced rye bread doesn’t change the need to keep fillings cool.
