Choose a wholemeal sourdough loaf if ingredients, fibre and the type of salt used are your priorities. If you’re mainly looking for a crusty loaf to serve with your herring platter, opt for a rustic loaf baked in store. Want to bake rolls just before serving, or specifically looking for organic bread? Check the grain type, allergens and preparation instructions for each product. The word ‘sourdough’ alone tells you nothing about whether a product is gluten-free or made with iodised salt.
Stichting Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen puts Hollandse Nieuwe at the heart of Vlaggetjesdag. If you’re serving bread alongside it, you can choose between slices for toppings, bread baked in store and rolls to finish baking at home.
For these shoppers, the wholemeal status, fibre per 100 g and whether the label lists baker’s salt or iodised salt all matter. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread does not have to be baked with baker’s salt.
If you need to avoid gluten, wheat or other allergens, check the specific bread and its current packaging. ‘Sourdough’ alone does not mean that a product is gluten-free.
First decide how you want to serve the bread with Hollandse Nieuwe, then check the product information that matters most to your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving with herring | Choose between slices, bread baked in store and bake-at-home rolls, depending on the portions you want and when you plan to serve them. | If I’m serving bread alongside Hollandse Nieuwe, I want a format that works for topped slices or a sharing platter. This serving occasion is the priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal content, fibre and salt | Check whether it’s labelled wholemeal, compare fibre per 100 g where possible, and see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | When choosing based on nutritional information, I want to know which grain and salt have been used. Around 30% of consumers give these checks the highest priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current allergen information; if required, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the information for the specific bread matters more than the word ‘sourdough’. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Availability and baking at home | Check whether the bread is available in store or can be ordered online, and whether it needs to be baked at home. | If I’m planning my herring platter in advance, I want to know whether I need to visit a shop and whether I’ll need to use the oven. This matters most to around 10% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread does not have to be made with baker’s salt; organic bread is often baked without it.
For packaged bread, look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list. If the bread is unwrapped, ask the baker which salt was used.
Sourdough bread can contain wheat, spelt and gluten. The ingredients in Albert Heijn’s wholemeal sourdough bread and Jumbo’s white sourdough rolls show why the word ‘sourdough’ alone isn’t enough when choosing food for a particular diet.
If you need a gluten-free product, check that it is explicitly labelled as such and read the other allergen information on the packaging too.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are baked in store and cannot be ordered online.
Check in-store availability when planning your Vlaggetjesdag platter. Choose another product if ordering online is essential for your plans.
Albert Heijn warns that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. This matters if you’re choosing bread based on its wholemeal content, salt or allergens.
Check the current packaging when you buy the bread, before serving it.
AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren is a 600 g wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
Jumbo describes rustic sourdough loaves baked in store and also sells white sourdough rolls to finish baking at home.
Lidl describes Bio rustiek meergranen desembrood as a 600 g organic brown loaf with seeds and kernels.
PLUS lists Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood in varieties including brown multigrain and wholemeal poppy seed.
Dirk lists sourdough as part of its bread range.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread does not have to be baked with baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients; for unwrapped bread, ask the baker.
An organic label does not confirm that sourdough bread contains baker’s salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says organic bread is often baked without it, so check the label on the bread you choose.
Not necessarily: sourdough bread can contain grains that contain gluten. AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren contains wheat and gluten, while Jumbo Desem Broodjes Wit contains wheat and spelt, among other ingredients. If needed, choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the current allergen information.
It depends on the product: Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves baked in store cannot be ordered online, while PLUS lists specific Korenlanders Kleintje varieties online. Check whether the bread you want to serve is currently available to order; if you’re choosing bake-at-home rolls, remember to factor in the preparation at home too.
