Choose wholemeal sourdough bread if fibre content is your main consideration when pairing bread with sweet toppings; white sourdough is a good choice if you prefer a milder base. Compare the fibre content per 100 g and check the latest label for allergens and iodised salt. The term ‘sourdough’ alone doesn’t mean that bread is wholemeal or gluten-free, or that it’s made with iodised salt.
If you’d like to pair sweet toppings with a wholemeal bread base, check the product description and compare the fibre content per 100 g. This lets you assess different breads without relying solely on the term ‘sourdough’.
If you want jam, honey or fruit to provide most of the flavour, compare white or light-coloured sourdough with a wholemeal option. Check the type of bread and whether it contains seeds before you choose.
If you have a food allergy, check the latest ingredient and allergen information. If iodised salt is important to you, look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list too. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory for every loaf.
For a sweet breakfast, start by deciding whether you’d prefer a wholemeal or milder white bread base. Then consider whether the preparation method suits your morning and whether the label provides the information you need.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check that it’s labelled wholemeal and compare the fibre content per 100 g. | I want sweet toppings on a wholemeal bread base, so fibre content is my main consideration. Around 33% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Mild flavour | Compare white and wholemeal sourdough, and check whether the bread contains seeds or other grains. | If I want jam or honey to provide most of the flavour, I’d prefer a less distinctive bread base; around 25% of consumers say this matters most to them. |
| Freshness and convenience | Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs baking at home. If it’s bake-at-home bread, follow the instructions on the packaging. | On a busy morning, I want to know whether I can serve the bread straight away or need to bake it first. Convenience is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens and salt | Read the latest allergen information and, if necessary, check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | Before buying, I need to be able to check which grains and allergens the bread contains and what type of salt has been used; around 17% of consumers give checking the label the highest priority. |
The term ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you how much fibre a bread contains. Jumbo’s product information lists 3.4 g of fibre per 100 g for its white sourdough tear-and-share bread; Albert Heijn lists 6.5 g per 100 g for AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren, and PLUS lists 7.3 g per 100 g for its Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood volkoren maanzaad.
Check the type of bread and compare fibre values on the same 100 g basis.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baking with baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So you can’t tell whether a bread contains iodised salt from its name alone.
Read the ingredients list or, for unpackaged bread, ask which salt has been used.
Sourdough isn’t automatically gluten-free. Regular varieties listed by Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat, among other ingredients.
Check the latest allergen information before you buy. If it isn’t clearly displayed for unpackaged bread, ask for details.
Jumbo says its rustic, freshly baked sourdough range isn’t available to order online. Bake-at-home bread, such as PLUS’s white sourdough baguette, needs to be prepared at home.
Choose according to how you want to buy and serve the bread. For bake-at-home bread, follow the preparation and storage instructions for that specific product.
Offers a range of sourdough breads whose product information you can compare, including AH OerDesem and Liefde & Passie.
Offers both freshly baked rustic sourdough breads in store and a pre-baked white sourdough tear-and-share bread.
Features a Rustiek volkoren desembrood in its oven-fresh bread range.
A useful point of comparison if you’re considering other fresh breakfast breads as well as sourdough.
Under the Korenlanders name, PLUS features both wholemeal sourdough bread and a white bake-at-home sourdough baguette.
Lists sourdough alongside wholemeal, multigrain and white bread as types available in its range.
No. Sourdough describes how bread is made, not whether it’s wholemeal. Check the type of bread and the ingredients: alongside wholemeal sourdough breads from Albert Heijn and PLUS, Jumbo also lists a white wheat sourdough bread.
Not automatically. Sourdough can contain gluten-containing grains such as wheat or spelt. If you need gluten-free bread, check that the product is explicitly labelled gluten-free and read the latest allergen information.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baking with baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list of the bread you want to buy for baker’s salt or iodised salt, or ask about it if the bread is unpackaged.
Ask before you buy if the information isn’t clearly displayed. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for unpackaged foods must be provided to consumers in a way other than on a label.
