Choose sourdough bread for a large family based on the type of bread, its ingredients and how much you can use or freeze. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white bread; the word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. If you have specific dietary requirements, also check the allergens and whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients.
If bread is a regular feature at breakfast and lunch, the type of bread and a manageable supply for the family matter. The Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you won’t be using it straight away.
If you have specific dietary requirements, the name ‘sourdough’ isn’t enough to help you choose. Check the label on packaged bread, or ask for allergen information before buying unwrapped bread, as advised by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
A trip to the shops, ordering online and buying bread for the freezer each call for different planning. Albert Heijn lists sourdough bread in its online range, Jumbo describes a rustic sourdough range that’s only available in store, and PLUS offers home delivery for its freshly baked bread.
First, decide which type of bread and ingredients are right for your family. Then choose an amount and a way of buying it that suit how quickly you’ll eat it.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Type of bread and fibre | Look for the terms wholemeal or brown; compare fibre content on a like-for-like basis, such as per 100 g. | If bread is often part of breakfast and lunch, I want to know whether I’m buying white, brown or wholemeal sourdough. Around 27% of consumers prioritise the type of bread and its fibre content. |
| Stock and food waste | Check the weight of the loaf and the storage instructions; divide any bread you won’t use straight away into portions to freeze. | If we have several loaves at home, I want to avoid some being left uneaten. Around 33% of consumers prioritise keeping their stock manageable. |
| How to buy and planning | Check whether the bread you’ve chosen can be ordered online, is only available in store or is sold frozen and fresh. | When planning the weekly shop in advance, I need to know whether I’ll have to visit a shop and when the bread can be used. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this kind of planning. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information and, if needed, check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | If someone in the family needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check the exact loaf before buying. Around 13% of consumers prioritise checking ingredients. |
‘Sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is white, brown or wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white bread.
Check the type of bread on the label or product page, then compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the loaves you’re considering.
Bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. The Voedingscentrum states that, for packaged bread, this salt will be listed in the ingredients.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt for the exact loaf; don’t assume it’s used just because the bread is called sourdough or organic.
Stocking up only works if your family can use the bread before its quality starts to deteriorate.
The Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, then taking out what you need each day.
Gluten-free sourdough may contain other allergens. The allergen information for one particular loaf doesn’t automatically apply to other products.
Check the full allergen information and any warnings about possible traces for every loaf you choose. For unwrapped bread, ask for this information before buying.
Albert Heijn lists white, brown, wholemeal, spelt and frozen-fresh sourdough loaves online.
Jumbo describes a range of rustic sourdough loaves baked in store.
Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf alongside its oven-fresh bread range.
PLUS lists several Korenlanders sourdough loaves, including brown and white varieties.
Dirk lists sourdough alongside other types of bread in its range.
ALDI lists Bakkersgoud Rustiek in its freshly baked bread range; the range information shown doesn’t confirm that these loaves are sourdough.
No, sourdough bread can be white, brown or wholemeal, among other types. Check the type of bread on the label; according to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white bread.
No, according to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt.
Ask for the allergen information for the exact loaf before buying. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this information must be available for unwrapped products in a way other than on a packaging label.
Freeze any bread you won’t use straight away in portions as soon as you buy it, then take out the amount you need each day, as the Voedingscentrum recommends. Also follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve chosen.
Not the rustic sourdough range described by Jumbo: according to the retailer, these loaves are baked in store and are only available in its shops. Check the ordering options for other Jumbo loaves separately.
