When choosing sourdough bread for chocolate sprinkles, focus on what matters to you on the label: look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ if the grain base is your priority, and choose a loaf size to suit how often you eat bread. Sourdough bread is an alternative to crispbread, not a type of crispbread. If you only have a couple of slices now and then, freeze the bread in portions; if you have coeliac disease, you’ll also need a clear gluten-free label and to avoid crumbs from regular bread.
You want to pair chocolate sprinkles with bread that is explicitly labelled wholemeal, rather than relying on a dark colour or an artisan-style name. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
You have one or two slices per snack and want to stop the rest of the loaf drying out or going off. Freezing it in portions makes it easier to take out only what you need.
You can’t rely on the words ‘sourdough’ or ‘spelt’. If you have coeliac disease, look for a clear gluten-free label and avoid contact with crumbs from regular bread. If you have a wheat allergy, check the wheat information separately too.
First, decide which feature matters most for your late-night snack. Then check the bread label and the chocolate sprinkles label separately.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal grain base | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare fibre per 100 g; ‘sourdough’ and a dark colour don’t tell you anything about the grain base on their own. | If I eat chocolate sprinkles on bread, I want to be able to tell whether the bread is genuinely wholemeal. For around 50% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Storing portions | Choose a loaf size and slicing style to suit how you use it, and check the storage advice on the packaging. | If you only have a slice now and then, you don’t want the rest of the loaf to go off unused. Around 38% of consumers prioritise the convenience of portioning. |
| Gluten and allergens | If you have coeliac disease, check for a gluten-free label; if you have a wheat allergy, also read the ingredients and allergen information for wheat. | If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, an appealing bread name shouldn’t take the place of checking the labels. For around 12% of consumers, this restriction is their main concern. |
A dark colour, spelt or an artisan-style name doesn’t confirm that a loaf is wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Look for that label on the packaging and, if you like, compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
The Voedingscentrum recommends storing opened wholemeal sourdough bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days. That’s worth bearing in mind if you only eat bread occasionally.
Freeze the bread in portions while it’s still fresh, and take out only the slices you want to use.
That way, fewer slices are left uneaten.
Making bread with sourdough doesn’t make bread made from gluten-containing grains gluten-free. The Voedingscentrum points out that, if you have coeliac disease, even a stray bread crumb can cause symptoms.
Check the bread for a gluten-free label and, if you have coeliac disease, keep your knife, work surface and toaster free from crumbs from regular bread.
The name ‘sourdough bread’ doesn’t tell you which salt is used in a particular product. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt among the ingredients of its AH Liefde & Passie spelt wholemeal bread.
If the type of salt used matters to you, read the ingredients list on the bread you’re actually choosing.
These product ranges show why the exact wording on bread matters; a brand name alone doesn’t tell you about the grain base or allergens.
In this range, Albert Heijn offers products including spelt wholemeal bread made with spelt sourdough.
Jumbo has published product information for both regular wholemeal sourdough bread and gluten-free sourdough bread from Yam.
A Jumbo product listing describes Yam Desem Brood as gluten-free sourdough bread.
A Jumbo product listing describes Garbo Donker Volkoren Desembrood as free from gluten, wheat and milk.
No. Sourdough refers to how the bread rises, while ‘wholemeal’ describes the grain base. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check both features separately if you’re looking for wholemeal sourdough bread.
Freeze the bread in slices or small portions while it’s still fresh. The Voedingscentrum recommends keeping opened wholemeal sourdough bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months; also follow the instructions on the packaging of your loaf.
Don’t assume it is: spelt contains gluten, and regular sourdough bread may also contain gluten-containing grains. If you have coeliac disease, check for a clear gluten-free label and avoid contact with crumbs from regular bread.
Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf; the word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in its AH Liefde & Passie Spelt volkoren gesneden, but that doesn’t tell you anything about other breads.
