Start with your guests and how you plan to serve the bread. Choose wholemeal seeded bread if you want a wholemeal base for toppings, or consider light or white multiseed bread if you’re mainly looking for a particular shape and texture to go with dips and nibbles. ‘Multiseed’ doesn’t prove that a bread is wholemeal. If anyone has dietary restrictions, always check the label of the product you choose; only choose a clearly labelled gluten-free option if gluten-free bread is needed.
Consider the shape, crumb and seed texture: sliced bread, baguettes and rustic round loaves can all be served in different ways. Albert Heijn, PLUS and Lidl offer examples of these different bread shapes.
Look beyond the visible seeds. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; the term ‘multiseed’ doesn’t confirm this.
Check the label of the bread you’ll actually be serving. The multiseed breads reviewed from Albert Heijn and PLUS include ingredients such as wheat and sesame; ingredients vary by product.
First, find out which ingredients your guests need to avoid. Then choose a bread shape for the table and check separately whether the bread meets your wholemeal requirements.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Texture and serving style | Check the shape of the bread, whether it’s sliced, and which seeds are listed. | With dips and savoury toppings, I want bread that I can cut and share the way I prefer. An estimated 20% of consumers give texture and serving style top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the term ‘wholemeal’ and, if you wish, compare the fibre listed per 100 g. | I want bread that is clearly wholemeal, so I won’t be swayed by a seed-crusted loaf alone. An estimated 33% of consumers prioritise choosing wholemeal. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ information for the bread you’ve chosen. | If I’m buying for a guest with an allergy, I need to be able to check the information for that exact product. An estimated 27% of consumers put checking allergens first. |
| Size and storage | Compare the weight and shape of the bread with the number of guests; if buying ahead, follow the storage instructions on the packaging. | I want to put enough bread on the table without being left with an awkwardly large amount. Around 20% of consumers give size and storage top priority. |
Seeded bread can be white or brown. Albert Heijn describes Liefde & Passie Meerzaden as white multiseed bread; PLUS describes Licht Meerzaden as brown multigrain bread with seeds.
Look for the explicit term ‘wholemeal’ if that’s one of your buying criteria. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
A seed mix doesn’t tell you which allergens the bread contains. A gluten-free label doesn’t rule out other allergens, such as sesame or soya.
For every guest with a relevant dietary restriction, read the ingredients, allergens and any trace warnings on the packaging of the product you’ve chosen.
If you’re checking which type of salt is used, you can’t tell from the name ‘multiseed bread’. The NBC’s industry information discusses the use of iodised baker’s salt as a separate choice in bread-making.
Check the ingredients list of the specific bread for baker’s salt or iodised salt.
These examples can help you compare types of bread; always check ingredients and nutritional information for each individual product.
The bread range includes multiseed bread and clearly labelled gluten-free multiseed options.
Lidl offers both a brown sourdough multigrain loaf and a wheat and rye roll with seeds.
Bakkersgoud rustic light multiseed is a partially sliced loaf with a seed crust.
PLUS offers options including a whole Licht Meerzaden loaf and a sourdough multiseed baguette.
Bakker van der Akker Boeren Meerzaden heel is a brown wheat loaf with seeds.
This round multigrain loaf is an option if you want to slice and share seeded bread with dips or savoury toppings. Separately check that the ingredients and preparation suit your guests and plans.
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A round loaf to slice yourself for sharing at the table; the listed weight is 550 g.
Allow time to defrost and bake before serving. Check the baking time on the packaging, and read the current ingredients and allergen information there too. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, don’t rely on the name ‘Multigrain’ alone.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while seeded bread can also be white or brown. Look for the term ‘wholemeal’ on the bread you want to buy.
Check for any allergens relevant to your guests, including gluten-containing cereals and sesame if they need to avoid them. Soya may also be relevant in some products. Read the current ingredients and any ‘may contain’ information on each pack; the product name alone isn’t enough.
You can, provided the storage instructions for your chosen bread say it can be frozen. Check the packaging for when and how to freeze and defrost the bread, and allow for the baking time too if it’s a bake-at-home loaf.
A whole loaf is a good choice if you want to cut slices or chunks yourself; baguettes or rolls are more convenient if guests need to pick up smaller pieces straight away. Match the size to the number of guests and check whether the bread comes sliced or unsliced.
