Soup lovers who like to dip
You’re looking for bread to eat alongside a thick bowl of pea soup and want to decide whether a sturdy sourdough loaf is a better choice than crisp rusks for dipping.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Bread buyers who read the label
You want to know whether sourdough bread is wholemeal, how much salt it contains and whether iodised baker’s salt has been used if you’re counting bread as a source of iodine.
Fans of sweet toppings
You’re considering rusks or bread with chocolate sprinkles, but are looking for a different occasion to enjoy them than a savoury meal with pea soup.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether you want something savoury with your soup or rusks with chocolate sprinkles for a separate sweet treat. For a savoury meal, compare the bread’s texture, ingredients and salt per serving.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Sturdy bread with soup | Check whether the slice is sturdy enough for dipping. Choose crisp rusks only if you’re after a dry, crunchy accompaniment. | With thick pea soup, I want to be able to dip bread rather than use a crisp base; around 40% of consumers prioritise a sturdy, savoury accompaniment. |
| Wholemeal bread and iodised salt | Look for wholemeal flour on the label. If you’re counting bread as a source of iodine, ask what type of salt is used in unwrapped sourdough bread. | When buying artisan sourdough, I don’t want to rely on the name alone if wholemeal flour and iodised baker’s salt matter to me; for around 30% of consumers, these bread qualities are the main priority. |
| Salt in the meal | Compare the salt per 100 g and per serving in both the soup and the bread, and consider how many slices you eat. | If I eat bread with my soup, I want to keep track of the salt in the whole meal; for around 20% of consumers, the total salt in the meal is the main consideration. |
| A separate sweet treat | For chocolate sprinkles, compare the serving size, sugars, fats and allergens of your chosen variety on the packaging. | I’d rather eat rusks with chocolate sprinkles as a sweet snack than with savoury soup; around 10% of consumers prioritise a separate sweet occasion. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming all sourdough bread is wholemeal
Sourdough describes the method used to make the bread rise, not the type of flour or salt used.
Check the ingredients for wholemeal flour. If iodised baker’s salt matters to you, ask what type of salt is used in unwrapped bread.
-
Checking only the salt in the bread
According to the Voedingscentrum, a 250 g bowl of pea soup contains 1.74 g of salt. So the soup also contributes to the total when you add bread to your meal.
Check the soup’s nutrition information or recipe, as well as the salt per serving in the bread you eat with it.
-
Treating chocolate sprinkles as a savoury topping for soup
Chocolate sprinkles are a sweet bread topping. So rusks with chocolate sprinkles serve a different purpose from bread you want to dip into pea soup.
Choose a suitable slice of bread for dipping and save rusks with chocolate sprinkles for a separate sweet occasion.
-
Relying on a general description instead of checking the specific variety
Ingredients and nutrition information vary between chocolate sprinkle products. The specific variety also determines which allergens are present.
Read the packaging for the exact flavour and size you’re buying, especially if ingredients or allergens are important to your choice.
Brands to consider
De Ruijter
De Ruijter makes sweet bread toppings, including chocolate sprinkles. They’re suited to a separate sweet occasion, rather than as a savoury accompaniment to pea soup.
- Albert Heijn lists various De Ruijter chocolate sprinkle products, so you can check the specific variety you’re considering.
- Check the allergens for each product: De Ruijter pure chocolate sprinkles, as listed by Albert Heijn, contain soya and milk fat.
Venz
Venz is a chocolate sprinkles brand for anyone who wants to enjoy a sweet topping separately from their soup.
- Albert Heijn lists Venz varieties including dark and milk chocolate.
- Compare the ingredients, nutritional values and allergens on the packaging of the specific variety; a description on the front doesn’t replace this information.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists various types of rusks and provides product information for sweet bread toppings.
- The rusk range listed includes plain, wholemeal and multiseed varieties.
- Compare the nutritional information for the type of product you’ve chosen. A Nutri-Score doesn’t replace the ingredients or allergen label.
Rusks for a dry, crisp accompaniment
These wholemeal rusks are a good choice if you want something dry and crunchy to eat alongside pea soup. If you want to dip something sturdy into thick soup, a suitable slice of bread is still the better choice.
Image unavailable
Bolletje dark wholemeal rusks, 10 pieces
For anyone looking for a dry, crunchy alternative to eat with soup; these rusks are less suitable for dipping firmly into thick pea soup.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and per serving if salt is important to your choice. Check the packaging to see what type of salt is used if iodised baker’s salt matters to you.
Image unavailable
Bolletje wholemeal rusks, 13 pieces
For anyone who wants rusks as a dry accompaniment rather than bread to dip into soup; the pack contains 13 pieces.
Compare the salt per 100 g and per serving on the packaging. Also check what type of salt is used if iodised baker’s salt is important to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is sourdough bread automatically wholemeal?
No. Sourdough refers to the method used to make the bread rise, not the proportion of wholemeal flour it contains. Check the product name and ingredients, or ask your baker.
Does sourdough bread always contain iodised salt?
No, don’t assume that just because it’s sourdough. If you’re counting bread as a source of iodine, ask your baker or check the packaging to see whether iodised baker’s salt has been used.
Can rusks with chocolate sprinkles replace bread with pea soup?
Not if you’re looking for sturdy bread to dip into your soup: rusks are crisp and chocolate sprinkles are sweet. Rusks with chocolate sprinkles are better saved for a separate sweet occasion.
How do I compare the salt in pea soup and bread?
Add together the servings of soup and bread you actually eat. For comparison, the Voedingscentrum lists 1.74 g of salt for a 250 g bowl of pea soup and 0.47 g for a 50 g slice of sourdough bread cut at home; check the values for your own soup and bread.