Choose a fresh sourdough or hearth loaf if you want to serve a whole loaf and can buy it shortly before the meal. Part-baked bread is a better fit if you want to choose when it’s ready to serve by baking it in the oven. Whichever option you choose, check the wholemeal label, ingredients and allergens separately: a loaf’s name or rustic appearance doesn’t tell you what’s in it.
A whole sourdough or hearth loaf can be sliced and served alongside soup, savoury toppings or snacks. Don’t just consider the shape: check whether your chosen loaf is available from your shop and whether you can order it in advance.
Part-baked bread lets you time the oven baking to suit when you plan to serve it. Check the pack instructions, and make sure you have enough oven space for the rest of the meal.
If gluten, other allergens or the use of iodised baker’s salt matter to you, base your choice on the specific loaf. Check the current label on packaged bread, and ask for information before buying unpackaged bread.
First, check for any requirements relating to ingredients and allergens. Then decide whether you want to pick up bread from a shop or bake it yourself just before Sinterklaas Eve.
A good fit if: you want to slice a whole loaf at the table and can plan a trip to the shop.
Bear in mind: availability varies by shop. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store.
A good fit if: you want to bake the bread in the oven just before serving.
Bear in mind: you’ll need oven space and time to prepare it. Follow the instructions for the bread you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and presentation | Choose the shape of loaf you’d like, and decide whether to serve it whole or sliced. Check availability at your shop. | If the bread will be on display alongside soup or snacks, I want a shape that suits the occasion. For roughly 40% of consumers, a festive presentation is the top priority. |
| When to serve it | For part-baked bread, check the cooking instructions and oven space required. For fresh bread from a shop, check when you can collect it. | I want to serve the bread just before the meal, without its oven time clashing with the rest of the cooking. Around 30% of consumers prioritise getting the timing right. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the current label on packaged bread, or ask about allergens before buying unpackaged bread. If you need gluten-free bread, check for an explicit gluten-free label. | If someone can only eat bread with certain ingredients, I need to be able to make that choice before serving it. For around 20% of consumers, checking this is the first priority. |
| Wholemeal and iodine | Check the wholemeal label and look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients. | I want to know whether the bread is genuinely wholemeal and what kind of salt it contains, rather than relying on its name. For around 10% of consumers, this is the most important consideration. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. The way a loaf is made or how it looks won’t tell you what kind of salt it contains.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt. For unpackaged bread, ask the staff.
Spelt contains gluten, and the word sourdough doesn’t mean that bread is gluten-free either. If you need gluten-free bread, check the information for the specific product.
Look for an explicit gluten-free label, and take care to avoid contact with regular bread when slicing and serving.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store. If you’re planning to order everything online, you might not be able to get the loaf you had in mind.
Check how to order and what your shop stocks before planning the rest of your meal around a particular loaf.
A product page you looked at earlier may not match the current packaging. For unpackaged bread, you’ll need information before buying so you can make an informed choice.
Read the label on the packaged bread you’ve chosen, or ask the bakery counter for allergen information.
These brands offer a range of sourdough, hearth and part-baked breads to consider. Always check the specific product and what’s available at your shop.
Worth a look if you’re considering options such as AH Liefde & Passie OerDesem or a hearth loaf.
Choose between rustic sourdough bread from the shop and part-baked sourdough baguettes.
A useful option if you want to compare freshly oven-baked bread from the shop.
Worth considering for freshly baked hearth and farmhouse loaves in the Bakkersgoud range.
A good option if you want to browse bread online or are looking for a part-baked sourdough baguette.
A useful place to compare hearth loaves, multigrain bread and part-baked baguettes.
These loaves are well suited to a table where you can slice a whole loaf or share smaller baguettes. If you’re baking them in the oven, allow time to follow the pack instructions. The products below aren’t a gluten-free selection.
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A good choice if you’d like to slice a round wholemeal loaf at the table.
Allow time to defrost and bake it according to the packaging: the baking times listed in the product information vary. This loaf contains wheat and gluten. Check the label if the type of salt used matters to you too.
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These four baguettes are a good option if you want to serve smaller loaves with a meal to share.
Allow time to defrost and bake them, and check the packaging for the correct baking time. If you have allergies, note that they contain wheat and sesame. Multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal.
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A round loaf to slice at the table if you can fit the oven baking in before serving.
Check the packaging for defrosting and baking times, as the times listed vary. This loaf contains wheat and sesame. Also check the wholemeal label and the type of salt used if these matter to your choice.
Fresh sourdough or a hearth loaf is a good choice if you want to serve a whole loaf and can buy it shortly before the meal. Part-baked bread lets you choose when to bake it in the oven. Follow the product instructions for part-baked bread, and check availability at your shop for fresh bread.
No. These names don’t mean that the bread is wholemeal. Check the wholemeal label and ingredients information for the specific loaf.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list. For unpackaged bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for unpackaged food must be available to consumers before purchase. Ask at the bakery counter before choosing a loaf.
No, spelt contains gluten. If you need gluten-free bread, don’t choose based on the grain name alone: check the product’s explicit gluten-free label and avoid contact with regular bread when serving it.
