When choosing sourdough bread for a special occasion, start by thinking about when you’ll serve it. Fresh bread from a bakery or shop suits those who prioritise crust and flavour, while bake-at-home bread can be prepared just before you eat. Also check separately whether it’s wholegrain, along with the ingredients, allergens and type of salt used; the word ‘sourdough’ alone won’t tell you that.
For breakfast, brunch or drinks with friends, you’re probably looking for bread with a crisp crust and a distinctive sourdough flavour. NielsenIQ identifies flavour and a crisp crust as key reasons for eating sourdough bread. Compare fresh bread from a shop when you plan to serve it, rather than choosing on rustic looks alone.
You want to combine sourdough flavour with a clearly stated wholegrain base. Check the product description and ingredients list, and compare the proportion of wholemeal flour and fibre per 100 g, where this information is provided.
If gluten, other allergens or the type of salt used matter to your choice, the name ‘sourdough bread’ isn’t enough. Check the current ingredients and allergen information, and see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt has been used.
First decide whether you want to serve the bread straight away or bake it at home. Then compare the grain base and the label: wholegrain bread is also available fresh or ready to bake at home.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and crust | Check how and when the bread is baked. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough range is left to rise for more than 24 hours and sold in store. | For brunch, you’ll want the crust and sourdough flavour to shine. For around 40% of consumers, flavour and crust are the main priorities when choosing. |
| Wholegrain and fibre | Read the product description and check the proportion of wholemeal flour and fibre per 100 g. ‘Multigrain’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t automatically mean wholegrain. | If the grain base matters more to you than the type of crust, you’ll want to know how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. Wholegrain and fibre are the main considerations for around 30% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current ingredients and allergen information, and look for any mention of baker’s salt or iodised salt. | If you need to avoid an ingredient or are checking the type of salt, you can’t rely on the word sourdough. For around 20% of consumers, this label information is what determines their choice. |
| Preparation and storage | Check the baking instructions against your serving plans and follow the storage advice on the packaging. If needed, freeze any leftover bread in portions. | If everyone won’t be eating at the same time, you’ll want to be able to prepare or store the bread without buying more than you need. Convenience and planning how much to buy are priorities for around 10% of consumers. |
Sourdough refers to the raising agent, not the type of grain used. As a result, a white sourdough baguette and a brown multigrain sourdough loaf can have different ingredients and fibre levels.
Read the product description and ingredients list, and compare the stated proportion of wholemeal flour and fibre per 100 g.
The Voedingscentrum says that using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So the word sourdough won’t tell you whether iodised salt was used.
Look for ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ on the label if the type of salt matters to your choice.
Bread you don’t eat in time can dry out or go stale. That makes the size of the loaf and when you plan to serve it part of your buying decision.
Buy enough for the number of people eating, and freeze any bread you won’t use soon in portions, as advised by the Voedingscentrum.
Sourdough bread can contain wheat, spelt, rye or barley. Using sourdough as the raising agent doesn’t make bread containing these ingredients gluten-free.
If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific product.
Jumbo describes a rustic sourdough range for shoppers looking for fresh bread from a shop.
PLUS provides product information that lets you assess a brown multigrain sourdough loaf and a white sourdough baguette ready to bake at home separately.
Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf as an option to look for in store.
ALDI describes a bakery section with fresh bread baked daily, freshly baked bread and bread to bake at home.
No. Sourdough is a raising agent and doesn’t, in itself, tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. If you’re looking for a wholegrain option, check the product description and ingredients list, and compare the fibre per 100 g if you like.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the packaging to see whether ‘baker’s salt’ or ‘iodised salt’ is listed among the ingredients.
Not just because it’s sourdough: bread made with wheat, spelt, rye or barley contains gluten. If you need to avoid gluten, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the ingredients and allergen information for that particular loaf.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and freeze any bread you won’t use soon in portions. For wholemeal bread, the Voedingscentrum gives a general guide of 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer.
