For your first grocery shop, choose a sliced multigrain loaf in a half or whole size that suits how much you use. If wholemeal matters to you, look specifically for that label and compare the fibre per 100 g. Also check the allergens and slice thickness, as ‘multigrain’ and ‘sliced’ alone don’t guarantee medium-thick slices.
You’re buying bread for breakfast or lunch and want to know whether multigrain bread is wholemeal too. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ and ‘wholemeal’ are different labels, so check the bread’s name and nutritional information.
For your first grocery shop, you want bread that you don’t have to slice yourself. Check that the product you choose is labelled ‘sliced’, and pick a half or whole loaf depending on how much your household gets through.
If allergens or the type of salt used matter to your choice, check the details for the specific loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed in the ingredients; the bread’s name alone won’t tell you this.
First check whether the bread is sliced and whether a half or whole loaf suits how much you use. Then compare the wholemeal labelling and nutritional information, and read the ingredients if allergens or salt are important to your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the specific ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre per 100 g across similar breads. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ alone doesn’t mean that bread is wholemeal. | If I buy bread every day, I want to know whether it’s wholemeal and how much fibre it contains. For around 43% of shoppers, this is the top priority. |
| Sliced, and half or whole | Check whether the bread you’ve chosen is sold as ‘sliced’, and assess the slice thickness yourself if you want medium-thick slices. Choose a half or whole loaf depending on how much you use. | For my first grocery shop, I want bread that’s ready to use, without buying more than I can get through. Convenience for everyday slicing and a suitable size matter most to around 29% of shoppers. |
| Allergens and salt | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the specific bread. Check the ingredients too if you want to know whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | When ingredients are a deciding factor for me, I want to be able to check the allergens and type of salt before buying. For around 28% of shoppers, checking the label is the highest priority. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three types of grain. That doesn’t tell you whether the bread is made entirely from wholemeal flour.
If wholemeal is your priority, look specifically for the ‘wholemeal’ label. Treat ‘multigrain’ as extra information about the types of grain.
The salt information can vary from product to product. A bread category doesn’t tell you which type of salt is listed in the ingredients for the loaf you’ve chosen.
Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt, for example. If the type of salt matters to you, ask for the product information when buying unwrapped bread.
Multigrain bread may contain gluten-containing grains and other allergens. The name won’t necessarily list all the ingredients you need to check.
Read the allergen information for the specific product. Don’t assume it’s gluten-free unless it’s explicitly labelled as such.
A whole loaf may be more than your household can get through in time. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as a product that is often wasted.
So compare half and whole loaves, and follow the storage instructions for the bread you’ve chosen if you want to freeze some of it.
These product examples show the labels you may come across. Always check the details of the bread you’re actually choosing when you buy it.
Albert Heijn describes AH Liefde & Passie Meergranen as a 550 g sliced brown multigrain loaf.
Jumbo lists various multigrain breads, including Boeren Donker Volkoren Meergranen Half.
PLUS lists products including Korenlanders Desem Meergranen Boekweit and Brood van Soma Haverkorn meergranenbrood.
Dirk lists multigrain bread in both half and whole sizes, as well as multigrain rolls.
ALDI lists half and whole sizes of Boeren volkoren meergranen.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, multigrain bread contains at least three different types of grain, while the ‘wholemeal’ label on bread means it’s made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check for that label if wholemeal is one of your buying criteria.
Don’t assume so. Check the ingredients list for the loaf you’ve chosen for baker’s salt or iodised salt; you can’t tell the type of salt from the word ‘multigrain’.
Not automatically. Multigrain bread may contain gluten-containing grains. If you’re looking for a gluten-free product, check for an explicit gluten-free label and the allergen information for the specific loaf.
Choose a size that your household can get through in time. If you want to keep some for later, follow the freezing and storage instructions for the bread you’ve chosen rather than assuming all loaves come with the same guidance.
