If you want a satisfying bite with your Sunday roast, choose bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ and with seeds listed in the ingredients. If you prefer a subtler texture, finer wholemeal bread may be a better fit. In either case, check the allergens and nutritional information on the packaging.
If you want bread with a noticeable bite alongside roast meat, gravy or savoury toppings, check which seeds are actually listed as ingredients. Albert Heijn lists sesame seeds in AH Extra lang lekker Zaans volkoren heel; Jumbo lists sunflower seeds and linseed in Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half.
Dark bread or multigrain bread isn’t automatically wholemeal. Check that it is labelled wholemeal and, if you like, compare the fibre content per 100 g in the nutritional information.
If anyone at the table has a food allergy, read the ingredients, allergens and any ‘may contain’ information for your chosen bread before buying. If you want to know whether baker’s salt has been used, check the label or ask about unpackaged bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, Dutch bakers are not required to use baker’s salt.
Start with the wholemeal claim and the ingredients list. Then decide what sort of bite you want with your meal and check any information that matters to your party.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Bite with your meal | Check which seeds are listed in the ingredients and choose the bread texture you prefer. | With roast meat and gravy, I want bread with a noticeable bite. Around 33% of consumers give this texture the highest priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check that the bread is labelled wholemeal and compare fibre on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If I want to serve wholemeal bread, I don’t want to rely on a dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone. For around 25% of consumers, confirmed wholemeal is the priority. |
| Allergens and type of salt | Read the allergen information and ‘may contain’ statement; if you have a question about iodine, check whether baker’s salt has been used. | If someone at the table has an allergy or I want to know which type of salt was used, I need to be able to check the bread’s label. This is the first concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Quantity and storage | Choose a half or whole loaf to suit your party, and freeze any bread you’ll use later in portions. | If I’m serving a small group, I don’t want to be left with a whole loaf we can’t finish in time. Around 17% of consumers prioritise quantity and storage. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ describes bread made with at least three types of grain; the word alone does not confirm that the bread is wholemeal.
To choose wholemeal bread, look for an explicit wholemeal claim on the label and check the ingredients too.
The outside doesn’t tell you which seeds are listed as ingredients. This matters if you’re looking for a particular texture or need to avoid an allergen.
Read the ingredients list for the specific bread. Albert Heijn lists 2,4% sesame seeds for AH Extra lang lekker Zaans volkoren heel; Jumbo lists sunflower seeds and linseed for Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, Dutch bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell which type of salt has been used from the type of bread alone.
Check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt, or ask the baker about unpackaged bread.
If bread is just a side dish, a whole loaf may be more than your party can eat.
Choose a half or whole loaf to suit the number of people eating. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread you’ll use later in portions as soon as you buy it.
AH Extra lang lekker Zaans volkoren heel is a wholemeal wheat loaf. Albert Heijn lists 2,4% sesame seeds.
Jumbo Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half is a half loaf of wholemeal multigrain bread, including sunflower seeds and linseed.
Lidl Fijn volkoren is an 800 g loaf which Lidl describes as available in store only.
ALDI describes Waddenbrood Heel as dark brown wholemeal bread with seeds and grains.
PLUS Boeren volkoren heel is a wholemeal loaf for anyone who doesn’t put seeds at the top of their selection criteria.
Dirk Vloerbrood volkoren heel is a wholemeal hearth-baked loaf for anyone who is mainly looking for a wholemeal claim.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means bread made with at least three types of grain; check separately whether the label says ‘wholemeal’.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. Check the label on your chosen bread or ask the baker which type of salt was used.
Check the allergen information for the specific bread, including any sesame and cereals containing gluten, and read the ‘may contain’ statement too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that allergens which must be declared on the label need to be clearly distinguishable from other ingredients.
If you won’t use the bread straight away, it’s best to freeze it in portions as soon as you buy it, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Take out only what you need for the meal and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
