For your first food shop, start by choosing bread clearly labelled as wholemeal. Then decide which seeds or kernels you’d like for added texture. When comparing specific loaves, check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per 100 g. If you’re shopping for a small household, factor in the loaf size and storage advice too.
You’re looking for bread for breakfast or lunch and want to check that it really is wholemeal. According to Albert Heijn, wholemeal bread is made from flour milled from whole grains; visible seeds are no substitute for this.
You want a loaf with a satisfying bite, and you’d like to see the seeds listed in the ingredients too. To compare nutritional values, use the same basis for each loaf, such as per 100 g.
Before buying, read the current ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of label information if you have a food allergy; a bread’s name doesn’t tell you which allergens it contains.
Start by checking that it’s labelled wholemeal, then choose the seed texture you prefer. Finally, check that the packaging meets your requirements for allergens, nutritional value and storage.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal base | Look for an explicit wholemeal label and check the ingredients, especially if the packaging mainly says multigrain or highlights seeds. | If I’m looking for bread for breakfast and lunch, I want to be sure the base is wholemeal, whatever seeds are visible. For around 45% of consumers, a wholemeal base would be the main priority. |
| Seeds and texture | Check which seeds or kernels are listed in the ingredients; compare the fibre and salt content of specific products per 100 g. | If I’m mainly after more bite, I want a wholemeal loaf that actually contains the seeds or kernels I’m looking for. This texture would be the main priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Labelling and storage | Read the current allergen information and salt content per 100 g; also check the storage advice and loaf size. | If allergens, salt or having only a small amount of bread in the house are deciding factors for me, I want to be able to check the packaging before choosing. For around 19% of consumers, these checks would be the top priority. |
A loaf can have visible seeds without necessarily being made from wholemeal flour. Multigrain isn’t the same as wholemeal either.
Check the wholemeal label and ingredients first, then decide which seeds you’d like.
Seeded wholemeal bread may contain several gluten-containing cereals or other allergens. Ingredients vary from one product to another.
If you have an allergy, read the current packaging, including any statement about substances the product may contain.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives average values of 2.8 g of fibre and 0.3 g of salt per 35 g slice of seeded wholemeal bread. These figures don’t apply to every loaf on the shelf.
Use the nutritional information for the products you’re considering and compare like with like, preferably per 100 g.
If you don’t eat much bread, a whole loaf may be more than you’ll use in the short term.
Consider a smaller pack, or check whether you can freeze portions according to the storage advice for your chosen loaf.
Albert Heijn provides information about wholemeal bread and explains what the wholemeal label means.
Jumbo features products such as Schotel Meergranen Volkoren, a wholemeal bread with kernels and seeds.
Lidl lists a seeded wholemeal roll in its fresh-from-the-oven range.
ALDI describes wholemeal breads and a farmhouse wholemeal multigrain loaf with grains and seeds.
PLUS offers various types of wholemeal bread, including fine wholemeal, wholemeal tiger bread and multigrain varieties.
Dirk features wholemeal bread and seeded bread in its bread range.
This selection of wholemeal bread is for anyone looking for a wholemeal base for breakfast or lunch as part of their first food shop. If you specifically want bread with seeds or kernels, check the ingredients for the relevant variety before buying.
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An option if you’re looking for wholemeal bread for breakfast or lunch and seeds aren’t a must.
Pack size: 2 × 550 g. Allow time to defrost and bake before serving; check the current packaging for seeds, allergens and nutritional values.
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An option if you want to buy a single round wholemeal loaf for breakfast or lunch.
Pack size: 550 g. Allow time to defrost and bake before serving; check the current packaging for seeds, allergens and nutritional values.
No. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check that it’s explicitly labelled wholemeal: seeds and several types of grain are different features. According to Albert Heijn, wholemeal bread is made from flour milled from whole grains.
Yes. If you have a food allergy, read the current packaging of the loaf you’re buying. Albert Heijn says that ingredients and allergen information can change, and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of label information for people with allergies.
No, the wholemeal label doesn’t tell you which type of salt has been used in a particular loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that iodine compounds may be present in bread only through baker’s salt. If the type of salt used matters to your choice, check the product information for the loaf you’re considering.
Follow the storage and freezing advice for the loaf you’ve chosen, and consider freezing portions. For its Schotel Meergranen Volkoren, Jumbo recommends freezing it on the day of purchase and using it within one month; don’t assume this advice applies to other breads.
