Don’t choose sourdough bread based on its name alone. If you’re moving into student accommodation, your bread consumption, preferred type of flour and options for storing or baking the bread are what determine which loaf is right for you. If you want wholemeal bread for everyday sandwiches, look specifically for ‘wholemeal’. If you eat bread irregularly, choose a suitable size or freeze it in portions instead. Whatever loaf you choose, check the ingredients, allergens, whether baker’s salt has been used and the storage instructions.
If you live alone or don’t eat bread every day, it’s worth thinking in advance about how much you’ll get through. A smaller loaf may be a good fit. For a larger loaf, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing it in portions as soon as you buy it.
If you specifically want wholemeal bread, first check whether ‘wholemeal’ appears in the product name, then compare the sourdough options. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread isn’t automatically wholemeal.
If you have an allergy or want to know whether baker’s salt has been used, you’ll need information about the specific loaf. Read the label, and if the bread is unwrapped, ask about allergens before buying. If it’s relevant to you, ask about the salt too.
If you’re moving into student accommodation and buying sourdough bread for yourself, start by thinking about how much bread you eat and how you can store it. Then compare the product name and ingredients. Taste and how you buy or prepare the bread can help you make your final choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Size and storage | Check the size of the loaf, the freezing instructions and how much space you have in your freezer. | If I live alone, I don’t want a whole loaf going stale when I only eat bread now and then. Avoiding waste is the top priority for around 33% of these consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name. Compare the nutritional information for specific loaves on the same basis, such as per 100 g. | If I often have bread for lunch, I want to know exactly what flour it contains rather than relying on terms like ‘rustic’ or ‘sourdough’. Around 25% of these consumers prioritise choosing wholemeal. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen and ingredient information, including whether baker’s salt has been used. Ask about it if the bread is unwrapped. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or want to know whether my bread is made with baker’s salt, I need to be able to check the recipe for that specific loaf. This information is the top priority for around 25% of these consumers. |
| Taste and convenience | Check whether the bread is fresh or ready to bake, and whether you can buy it through your usual shopping channel. | I like choosing bread that suits my taste and routine, but I don’t want to get home with bread that needs baking and no suitable oven to bake it in. Taste and convenience come first for around 17% of these consumers. |
Sourdough describes how the bread is made, not the type of flour used. So a brown or multigrain sourdough loaf may not meet your requirements for wholemeal bread.
Look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name or on the packaging. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made with wholemeal flour.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. You can’t tell whether it has been used from an artisanal appearance or the word ‘sourdough’.
Check the ingredients list for ‘baker’s salt’, or ask the seller which salt has been used if the bread is unwrapped.
If you live alone and don’t eat much bread, you may have some left over before you get through the whole loaf.
Choose a size that suits how much you eat, or freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
Recipes vary from product to product. ‘Sourdough’ and ‘wholemeal’ don’t tell you which allergens a specific loaf contains.
Read the current packaging, and ask for allergen information before buying if the bread is unwrapped.
Albert Heijn’s range includes a Dutch wholemeal sourdough loaf.
Jumbo describes a range of rustic sourdough loaves baked in store.
Lidl’s range includes a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
ALDI’s bakery range includes bread that’s ready to eat and bread to bake at home.
PLUS’s range includes a small sourdough loaf and a baguette made with sourdough that you bake at home.
Dirk includes sourdough in its bread range and also sells a separate sourdough bread mix.
No. Sourdough describes how the bread is made, while ‘wholemeal’ refers to the type of flour used. If you want wholemeal bread, check the name of the specific loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that brown bread isn’t automatically wholemeal.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. Check the label or, if the bread is unwrapped, ask which salt has been used if this matters to your choice.
Freeze bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you’re not going to eat it quickly, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. That way, you can take out just what you need. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging for the specific loaf.
Ask for allergen information about the specific loaf before buying it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that consumers must be given allergen information for unwrapped products in a way other than on a label.
It depends on the bread and the shop. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves, baked in store, aren’t available to order online. PLUS does offer online ordering for a specific small sourdough loaf. Check the product you want before planning your shopping.
