Choose wholemeal sourdough bread that you can toast yourself if you want to make larger topped toasts. Packaged sourdough toast takes less preparation for small bites; plain toast and rice toast are other ready-to-serve options, but they are not necessarily sourdough products. Check the ingredients and allergen information for each product: the word ‘sourdough’ alone tells you nothing about whether it is wholemeal, contains iodised salt or is gluten-free.
Want to make larger bites with a spread or grilled ingredients? Sourdough bread you can slice lets you choose the size and toast the pieces just before adding the toppings. Small, packaged toasts offer less room for toppings.
Want to buy toasts in advance so you don’t have to slice or toast them when it’s time to serve? Ready-made toasts are ideal for small bites; keep them dry and add the toppings just before serving.
If you’re checking for wholemeal ingredients, allergens, salt or iodised salt, compare the exact products you’re considering. These characteristics aren’t guaranteed just because a product is labelled ‘sourdough’.
Choose this for: larger toasts when you want to decide the size yourself.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to slice and toast it just before serving.
Choose this for: small, ready-to-serve toasts with no need to toast them yourself.
Bear in mind: ingredients vary by product; the Jos Poell Zuurdesem Toast described by Albert Heijn contains wheat and rye.
Choose this for: small nibbles where sourdough isn’t essential.
Bear in mind: plain toast, Melba toast and rice toast are different products; check the label of the variety you choose.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Size for toppings | Choose bread you can slice for larger pieces, or ready-made toast for small bites; consider the type of topping too. | When I’m adding generous toppings, I want to choose the size of my toast so it suits what’s going on top; around 45% of consumers prioritise size. |
| Preparation and serving | Check the storage instructions and add toppings just before serving. | For a sharing platter, I want to be able to buy toasts in advance and serve them without having to toast them; around 33% of consumers prioritise preparation. |
| Label and nutritional information | Read the ingredients and allergen information; compare salt per 100 g if needed and check whether wholemeal ingredients or iodised salt are listed. | If I need to watch ingredients or allergens, I don’t want to rely on the word ‘sourdough’; label checks matter most to around 22% of consumers. |
Ingredients vary from one product to another. For AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren, Albert Heijn lists wholemeal wheat flour and iodised salt; you can’t assume another sourdough product has the same ingredients.
Read the ingredients and check whether it is labelled wholemeal. For iodised salt, look for an explicit mention on the packaging or ask the baker if you’re buying unwrapped bread.
Moist toppings can make toast soft. At a barbecue, perishable toppings also need to be kept out of the fridge for a safe length of time: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises throwing food away if it has been out of the fridge for more than two hours.
Keep the toast dry until just before serving, and take perishable toppings out of the fridge in small quantities.
Sourdough toast, rye crispbread and rice toast don’t have the same ingredients or allergen information. The product type or brand name is no substitute for checking the label.
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack you’re buying, even if you’ve bought another variety from the same brand before.
The word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you how much salt a toast product contains. You can only find that out from the nutritional information for the specific product.
Compare the stated salt per 100 g for the products you’re considering, and think about the portion you plan to serve too.
A bread option you can slice into larger toasts and toast yourself.
Packaged sourdough toast for small nibbles.
A crunchy alternative to serve alongside toast, but in a different product category.
Small toast products for a sharing platter, including a rice toast that has been reviewed.
Ready-made toasts in a range of varieties.
This Melba toast and rice toast are ready-made options for small bites on a sharing platter. If you’re specifically looking for sourdough toast or want to toast larger pieces of bread yourself, you’ll need a different type of product.
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A ready-made option for small topped bites on a sharing platter.
Pack size: 240 g. Check the current allergen information on the packaging before buying, especially if wheat, barley, soya or sesame are relevant to your choice.
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Rice toast for small nibbles when sourdough isn’t essential.
Pack size: 65 g. Check the current allergen information on the packaging, especially for sesame and soya.
No. The word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you which type of salt a specific product contains. The Dutch Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Food defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt used in bread and other baked goods. Check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt, or ask the baker if you’re buying unwrapped bread.
Store toast according to the instructions on the packaging and add toppings just before serving, especially if they’re moist. Take perishable toppings out of the fridge in small quantities; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises throwing food away if it has been out of the fridge for more than two hours.
Not without checking the label: ‘gluten-free’ doesn’t tell you anything about other allergens. Jumbo’s product information for Van der Meulen Rice Toast Original lists possible traces of sesame and soya. So make sure you read the allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying.
Choose a loaf that is explicitly labelled wholemeal if that’s an essential product feature for you and you want to toast larger pieces yourself. The word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t confirm that a product is wholemeal; also compare the size and ingredients of the products you’re considering.
