Who is this choice relevant to?

Host planning a shared bread table

You want to slice and share a whole loaf at lunch, with drinks or as part of a meal around the arrival parade. A fresh sourdough or hearth-baked loaf could be a good option if you can get it shortly before serving.

Planner who wants to bake just before eating

You want to decide when to serve warm, smaller rolls, and have the time and space in your oven or air fryer to prepare them. Check the cooking instructions for the part-baked product you choose.

Shopper who wants to check the ingredients

You want to know before buying whether a loaf is wholemeal, which allergens it contains and, if relevant, whether baker’s salt has been used. A loaf’s appearance won’t tell you this.

What should you look for when buying?

First decide whether you want to serve bread straight from the shop or bake it at home just before the meal. Then check the ingredients of each loaf and how much you actually need.

Fresh bread from the shop

Choose this if: you want to share a whole loaf at the table and can pick it up shortly before the meal.

Bear in mind: the range may vary between shops. Jumbo also says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store.

Part-baked bread

Choose this if: you want to time the baking to fit when you’ll serve it or put smaller rolls on the table.

Bear in mind: you’ll need time and enough space in your oven or air fryer. Follow the instructions for the specific product.

What to consider What to check when buying Who should consider this?
Flavour and presentation Choose a loaf you can share the way you want, and check when fresh bread is available in store. For a shared meal, I want a loaf I can put on the table for everyone to see and slice easily. Around 36% of consumers would put flavour and presentation first.
Wholemeal and baker’s salt Look for the wholemeal label if that’s what you want. Check the ingredients or, for unwrapped bread, ask whether baker’s salt has been used if this is relevant to you. As well as a festive appearance, I want to know whether my bread is wholemeal and what kind of salt was used. Around 22% of consumers would check this nutritional information first.
Allergens Read the label on packaged bread. For unwrapped bread, ask about allergen information before buying. If I need to take a food allergy into account, I want to know the details before the bread reaches the table. For around 21% of consumers, checking for allergens would be their first concern.
Serving time and quantity Ask when fresh bread is available in store. For part-baked bread, check the cooking instructions and plan what you want to serve or freeze. On a busy day, I want to serve the bread on time without ending up with more than I need. Around 21% of consumers would prioritise planning and quantity.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming dark, sourdough or organic means wholemeal

    These labels don’t all tell you the same thing about a loaf’s ingredients. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also says that baker’s salt isn’t compulsory, so don’t rely on the name or colour to tell you which salt has been used.

    Check the wholemeal label separately from the ingredient information about baker’s salt.

  • Asking about allergens only after you’ve bought it

    Ingredients such as nuts or milk products may matter for a particular loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must also be available for unwrapped products.

    Read the label on packaged bread, or ask the bakery department about allergens and any cross-contamination information before buying.

  • Assuming you can order fresh bread online

    Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store. Lidl says its fresh bread range may vary between branches.

    Ask your chosen shop about availability and whether you can reserve a loaf, especially if you want to pick it up on the day of the arrival parade.

    If the bread you want isn’t available, you may need to make an extra trip to the shops.

  • Buying more bread than you can use

    If you’re not sure how many guests are coming, you may end up with bread left over. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you want to use it later.

    Choose an amount to suit your group, and freeze any portions you don’t need straight away.

Bread ranges to look out for at each retailer

These retailers offer different options for fresh bread or part-baked bread. Check the product you’ve chosen and its availability at your local shop.

Albert Heijn

OerDesem and Liefde & Passie are bread ranges to consider if you’re looking for a whole loaf for the festive table.

  • Albert Heijn says OerDesem has a proving process of around 56 hours. This is a feature of the range, not a guarantee of the quality of every loaf.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and specific variety for each product.

Jumbo

Jumbo describes a range of rustic sourdough loaves for anyone who wants to pick up fresh bread in store.

  • According to Jumbo, the loaves in this range are left to mature for more than 24 hours.
  • Jumbo says these sourdough loaves are only available in store.

Lidl

The freshly baked range offers an in-store option for bread baked on the premises.

  • Lidl includes a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf, among other products. Check the product name of the variety you’re buying.
  • According to Lidl, its fresh range may vary between branches.

ALDI

ALDI offers Bakkersgoud Rustiek and products you can bake at home.

  • The Bakkersgoud Rustiek range includes rustic white and extra wholemeal loaves, among others.
  • Check which varieties are available at your local shop and read the information for the specific loaf.

PLUS

Korenlanders sourdough and part-baked bread are options to compare at PLUS, depending on when you plan to serve them.

  • PLUS says its Korenlanders sourdough is freshly baked every day.
  • Check the ingredients for each variety and whether collection or delivery is available at your address.

Dirk

Dirk’s bread range includes sourdough, multigrain and bread to bake at home.

  • You can compare different types of bread by their shape and preparation method.
  • The name of a type of bread alone won’t tell you whether a particular loaf meets your ingredient or presentation preferences.

Bread options on Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does bread in the Netherlands always contain iodine?

No, bread isn’t always made with iodised baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Read the ingredients or, for unwrapped bread, ask which salt has been used if this matters to your purchase.

How can I check allergens in unwrapped bread?

Ask for allergen information about the specific loaf before buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, information for unwrapped products must be available in a way other than on a packaging label. If needed, ask about cross-contamination too.

Does dark, multigrain or sourdough bread automatically mean it’s wholemeal?

No, these characteristics alone don’t mean a loaf is wholemeal. If that’s what you’re looking for, check the product information for an explicit wholemeal label.

What should I do with bread left over after the arrival parade?

Freeze any bread you don’t need straight away in portions as soon as possible. This follows the storage advice from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and makes it easier to defrost only the amount you need later.