For a work-from-home lunch, first decide whether you want wholemeal bread, something you can eat straight away or time to bake bread at home. Then check the fibre and salt per 100 g, allergens and whether baker’s salt is listed for each product: the word ‘sourdough’ tells you none of these things.
You want to know whether a sourdough loaf is actually wholemeal, and be able to compare fibre and salt per 100 g. Albert Heijn and PLUS product information shows you which details to look for when comparing a specific loaf.
You want to enjoy a rustic loaf or freshly baked bread at lunchtime, but you also need to decide whether a trip to the shop, delivery or baking it yourself will fit into your working day. Jumbo and PLUS offer different ways to buy bread.
You pay attention to gluten-containing grains, salt or whether baker’s salt is listed when choosing bread. According to the Voedingscentrum, sourdough alone does not mean bread is gluten-free, and using baker’s salt is not compulsory.
First, decide which type of bread and preparation method suit your lunch. Then compare the information on the packaging of the options you’ve shortlisted.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare fibre on the same basis, preferably per 100 g. Sourdough tells you nothing about the type of grain used. | If bread is often part of my work-from-home lunch, I want to be able to tell whether I’m choosing a wholemeal option. An estimated 42% of consumers prioritise wholemeal bread and fibre. |
| Flavour and freshness | Check whether the bread is ready to eat, freshly baked or still needs baking, and whether you need to slice it yourself. | For my lunch break, crust and freshly baked bread matter enough to me to make time for preparation. An estimated 25% of consumers prioritise flavour and freshness. |
| Convenience and availability | Check whether your chosen option can be delivered or is only available in a shop or bakery section. | With a short break, I want to have bread at home in time and not have to make a last-minute trip to the shop. For an estimated 17% of consumers, convenience is the main priority. |
| Label and ingredients | Read the allergen information and check the salt per 100 g, as well as whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | I want to know which ingredients and allergens the bread contains before I buy it, rather than relying on the word ‘sourdough’. An estimated 16% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
Bread can be made with sourdough without being wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholegrain products, including wholemeal bread, are a source of fibre. The method of preparation alone doesn’t tell you how much fibre a product contains.
If wholemeal matters to you, use the wholemeal label as your first filter. Then compare the fibre and salt per 100 g in the products you’ve chosen.
According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt when baking bread is not compulsory. So you can’t tell from the word ‘sourdough’ whether a loaf has been made with baker’s salt.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this information matters to your choice.
Sourdough does not mean that bread is gluten-free. The Voedingscentrum lists wheat, rye and barley as gluten-containing grains; the products mentioned from Albert Heijn and PLUS contain gluten-containing ingredients.
If you need to check for gluten or allergens, read the current packaging for the exact option you’re buying. Don’t rely solely on the name or appearance of the bread.
The fact that a shop sells sourdough doesn’t mean your chosen option can be delivered to your home. Jumbo says its sourdough breads described here are only available in store; PLUS offers home delivery for Korenlanders sourdough bread.
Before your lunch day, check how to buy the specific option and whether it’s ready to eat or still needs baking.
These retailers mainly differ in the information you can check in advance and how you get the bread for your lunch. Always check the specific option you’ve chosen.
A specific option for anyone who wants to compare a sliced wholemeal sourdough loaf in advance is AH OerDesem volkoren Allinson heel gesneden.
An in-store option for anyone looking for rustic sourdough bread with a focus on flavour and crust.
An option for checking Korenlanders sourdough bread and how a chosen loaf is prepared or delivered.
Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf as a specific in-store option.
An in-store option for rustic wholemeal bread, although sourdough isn’t confirmed for a specific loaf.
A supermarket range in which Dirk lists both wholemeal bread and sourdough bread.
These two breads from Lekhaven Bakkerij are suited to a work-from-home lunch when you can plan ahead for thawing and baking. They’re not a direct substitute for sliced bread you want to fill and eat straight away.
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A good choice if you want to bake wholemeal sourdough bread and can prepare lunch well in advance.
The product information lists wholemeal wheat flour and homemade wholemeal sourdough. Thaw the bread as directed, then bake it for 11–13 minutes at 220 °C in a fan oven and leave it to cool for 30 minutes. Only compare fibre and salt using a clear nutritional basis on the packaging; check the allergens there too, along with whether the salt is iodised.
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A good choice if you want to bake one round wholemeal sourdough loaf and aren’t expecting lunch to be ready to eat straight away.
The product information lists wholemeal wheat flour and homemade wholemeal sourdough. The bread needs to be thawed and baked; follow the baking instructions on the packaging. Check it for the basis used to compare fibre and salt, the allergens and whether iodised salt is listed.
No. Sourdough describes how the bread is made; it doesn’t mean the bread is wholemeal. Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the option you’ve chosen and compare the fibre per 100 g if that matters for your lunch.
Not necessarily: sourdough bread may contain wheat, rye or barley. The Voedingscentrum lists these as gluten-containing grains, so if you need to check for gluten, look for a gluten-free label and read the allergen information on the current packaging for the specific option.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt when baking bread isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list on the bread you’re buying to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve chosen, as they vary from product to product. For AH OerDesem volkoren Allinson heel gesneden, Albert Heijn says you can store the bread in a dry place or freeze it at home on the day you buy it, then thaw it before use. Don’t assume the same instructions apply to other bread.
