Who might find this bread guide useful?

Hosting a festive cheeseboard or soup supper

You’re looking for bread to serve with cheese, dips, savoury toppings or soup. If a warm crust matters, baking the bread just before serving could be a good choice.

Looking for wholemeal bread and checking iodine

You want to consider the wholemeal qualities and nutritional information as well as the sourdough flavour. To check for iodine from salt, look for iodised salt or baker’s salt: according to the Voedingscentrum, baker’s salt isn’t used in every type of bread.

Buying for someone with allergies or gluten-free requirements

You need information about the specific loaf, not just the word ‘sourdough’. Check the label on packaged bread, and ask about allergens before buying unwrapped bread.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide what matters most for your festive cheeseboard, soup supper or drinks party: how you’ll serve the bread, whether it’s wholemeal and what salt it contains, preparation time or a specific ingredient requirement.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Flavour and presentation Choose a loaf shape that suits how you’ll serve it. For bake-at-home bread, check the instructions on the packaging. For a bread board with cheese or dips, I mainly want a loaf I can serve when I choose. Around 33% of consumers put flavour and presentation first.
Wholemeal and iodine Check whether the bread is wholemeal and look for iodised salt or baker’s salt in the ingredients. With soup, I want to choose a wholemeal loaf and know what kind of salt it contains. For around 25% of consumers, wholemeal bread and the ability to check for iodised salt come first.
Convenience and planning Check that the preparation instructions fit your serving time. If you’re buying ahead, check how to store the bread. If guests are coming soon, I don’t want to start making a sourdough starter at the last minute. Around 25% of consumers prioritise preparation time and planning.
Ingredients and allergens Read the latest label, including allergen information and any gluten-free claim. For unwrapped bread, ask the seller for information. If I need to avoid a particular ingredient, I need to be able to check what’s in the loaf. For around 17% of consumers, this is the first thing they look for.

Common misconceptions about sourdough

  • ‘Made with sourdough’ doesn’t mean ‘no added yeast’

    The sourdough varieties described by PLUS also contain yeast or baker’s yeast. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you which raising agents have been used.

    Check the full ingredients list for yeast if you need a loaf with no added yeast.

  • Not all Dutch bread contains iodised baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. You can’t tell which salt has been used from the type of bread or the word ‘sourdough’ in its name.

    Check the label for iodised salt or baker’s salt, or ask which salt has been used when buying unwrapped bread.

  • Sourdough isn’t automatically gluten-free

    A multigrain sourdough loaf described by PLUS contains wheat and rye, among other ingredients. The way it’s made doesn’t change the need to check the specific product.

    For a gluten-free option, check the loaf’s current description, ingredients and allergen information.

  • Buying fresh bread without planning when to serve it

    A loaf bought well ahead of mealtime needs different planning from bake-at-home bread that goes into the oven just before serving.

    Follow the storage and, where applicable, freezing instructions for your chosen product. Plan when to bake it using the instructions on the packaging.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren is a specific option to consider if you’re looking for a wholemeal loaf for a sharing board or meal.

  • According to the product information, this loaf weighs 600 g and contains 9,6% wholemeal wheat sourdough, 6,5 g of fibre per 100 g and iodised salt.
  • Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens when you buy it, as product information can change.

PLUS

The products described offer two different options: a small brown multigrain sourdough loaf and a white bake-at-home sourdough baguette.

  • According to PLUS, the multigrain loaf contains 27% wholemeal wheat flour and 9% sourdough. PLUS recommends baking the white baguette in the oven for 8–10 minutes at 220 °C.
  • Both products described contain yeast as well as sourdough. The white bake-at-home baguette isn’t wholemeal; check the latest product information.

Lidl

Lidl describes Rustiek volkoren desembrood as a wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.

  • The product name and description make it easier to look specifically for a wholemeal option.
  • According to Lidl, the range of fresh bread varies by store. Check which options are available in your local shop and read the latest ingredient information.

Jumbo

Jumbo is a place to start if you’d like to make your own sourdough starter instead of buying bread at the last minute.

  • A published Jumbo recipe takes 3–6 days to build a starter. You’ll also need to allow time to make the bread afterwards.
  • A recipe for a starter doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients or availability of bread bought in a shop.

Dirk

Dirk includes sourdough in its bread range, making it a shop worth exploring.

  • The range description lists sourdough alongside other types of bread.
  • Check the specific loaf on the shelf and its ingredient and allergen information before choosing.

Joybuy products related to this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Does sourdough bread always use a sourdough starter as its only raising agent?

No, it can also contain yeast. The bake-at-home baguette and multigrain varieties described by PLUS contain both sourdough and yeast. Check the ingredients list if the raising agents used matter to you.

How can I tell if sourdough bread contains iodised salt?

Look for ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’ on the label, or ask the baker if you’re buying unwrapped bread. According to the Voedingscentrum, baker’s salt isn’t compulsory, so you can’t tell from the name of the bread alone.

Is sourdough always wholemeal?

No. ‘Sourdough’ and ‘wholemeal’ don’t mean the same thing. AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren is a wholemeal option, while the white bake-at-home sourdough baguette described by PLUS isn’t wholemeal. Check the product description and ingredients of the loaf you’re buying.

Where can I find allergen information for unwrapped bread?

Ask the seller about allergens in the specific loaf before you buy it. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information must also be provided to consumers for unwrapped products.

Can I buy sourdough bread ahead of a Christmas gathering?

Yes, as long as you can follow the storage or freezing instructions for that loaf. Albert Heijn says AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren can be frozen at home on the day you buy it. Check the current packaging for the latest instructions.