To make your work-from-home lunch feel special, choose a type of bread and preparation method to suit your break: fresh sourdough or a hearth-baked loaf for a rustic lunch, or bake-at-home bread if you have time for a warm meal. If a regular wholemeal lunch with plenty of fibre matters more to you, check the specific loaf rather than relying on terms such as ‘sourdough’ or ‘multigrain’. If you need to meet a particular ingredient requirement, check the allergens too, and see whether baker’s salt has been used.
If you want a generously topped sandwich between meetings, consider the type of bread, its crust and how much time you want to spend on lunch. Jumbo, for example, says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store.
If bread is often the basis of your lunch, the type of flour may matter more than a rustic appearance. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains fibre; check that the specific loaf is actually labelled wholemeal.
If you need to avoid gluten or another ingredient, check the details for the specific loaf. Also look for information about baker’s salt if that matters to your choice: according to the Voedingscentrum, bakers are not required to use it.
First decide what matters most during your lunch break: the occasion, the type of flour, preparation time or checking specific ingredients. Then compare the packaging of the bread you actually want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and occasion | The type of bread, and whether it’s ready to eat or needs baking first. | If I want a leisurely lunch, I’d rather choose bread that suits my toppings and the time I have. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | The ‘wholemeal’ label and, if listed, the amount of fibre per 100 g. | If I regularly have bread for lunch, I want to know what type of flour I’m buying, even if the loaf looks rustic. Around 31% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Time and availability | Whether the bread can be ordered online or is only available in store, and how long it takes to bake if preparation is required. | Between work meetings, I want to know whether I can eat straight away or need to go to the shop or use the oven first. Convenience matters most to around 23% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | The ingredients and allergen information; check for a ‘gluten-free’ label and information about baker’s salt if needed. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or am checking for baker’s salt, the label needs to meet my requirements. This check is the top priority for around 15% of consumers. |
A rustic name or dark colour doesn’t tell you what type of flour has been used. That distinction matters if you specifically want to choose wholemeal bread.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label on the specific product and compare the fibre per 100 g, if listed.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the terms ‘sourdough’ and ‘organic’ don’t tell you whether your chosen loaf contains iodised salt.
Read the ingredients list or, for unpackaged bread, ask what type of salt has been used.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves can’t be ordered online. Bake-at-home bread needs preparation, while Lidl says its fresh range can vary from store to store.
Before the working day begins, decide between ready-to-eat bread, a trip to the shop and a loaf that still needs to go in the oven.
Baking takes time out of your lunch break; bread that’s only available in store means you’ll need to visit a shop.
‘Gluten-free’ refers to a specific product feature, not the crust, type of flour or nutritional value of the bread. According to the Voedingscentrum, people without coeliac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity don’t need to eat gluten-free.
If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the label, ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack.
These ranges offer different ways to choose bread for a work-from-home lunch. Check the features and availability of each individual product.
A bread range that includes sourdough, hearth-baked, wholemeal and gluten-free options.
A way to find rustic sourdough loaves in store.
Sourdough bread for a ready-to-eat lunch, plus bake-at-home products if you’d like to serve your bread warm.
A store-led selection of fresh and packaged bread.
A bakery range with everyday loaves and speciality rolls.
A bread range that includes wholemeal, multigrain and sourdough options.
No. ‘Sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. Check the label on the specific loaf; according to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains fibre.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the label or, for unpackaged bread, ask what type of salt it contains rather than relying on the bread’s name or origin.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, people without coeliac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity don’t need to eat gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the label, ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf.
Check which ingredients and type of salt have been used, especially if the presence of baker’s salt matters to your choice. For packaged bread, this information is on the label; for unpackaged bread, ask the baker.
