Choose wholemeal sourdough if you’re mainly looking to increase your fibre intake with a regular office lunch: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread, while ‘sourdough’ alone tells you nothing about the type of bread. Then check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs baking off. Also check the ingredients, allergens and baker’s salt for each product; these features aren’t automatically indicated by the name sourdough bread.
If bread is often the basis of your lunch, you may want to know whether a sourdough loaf is also wholemeal. Check the type of bread and compare the fibre content in the nutritional information; ‘sourdough’ is no substitute for the ‘wholemeal’ label.
If you want to eat your lunch without any extra preparation, check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs baking off. Perishable fillings need to be kept properly chilled while you’re travelling and at work.
Sourdough bread may contain wheat or other cereals containing gluten. For packaged bread, check the label; for loose bread, ask for allergen information before you buy. Check the ingredients list to see whether baker’s salt has been used.
First, choose the type of bread and preparation method that suit your lunch. Then compare the nutritional information and check the ingredients and allergens for the specific loaf.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare fibre per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from the whole grain. | If you take bread to work on several days of the week, you’ll want to know which type of bread you’re choosing as the basis for your lunch. An estimated 31% of consumers put wholemeal first. |
| Taking it with you and preparation | Check whether the bread is sliced and ready to eat, or needs baking off. | You need to be able to take your lunch to the office without an oven or extra preparation. An estimated 31% of consumers make convenience their top priority. |
| Flavour and crust | Choose the type of bread you prefer and decide whether you want a loaf that’s ready to eat or one that needs baking off. | You care about the flavour and crust of your lunch bread, and can make time to bake it beforehand if needed. An estimated 23% of consumers give this preference the most weight. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information; check separately whether baker’s salt is listed. | You need to be able to check which grains and other ingredients the bread contains before buying it. For an estimated 15% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
Bread can be made with sourdough starter without being wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread; this difference may matter if you often take bread to work.
Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre and salt per 100 g across different loaves.
Sourdough bread may contain wheat and rye. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, these are cereals containing gluten; using a sourdough starter doesn’t automatically change this.
If you need gluten-free bread, check the product is explicitly labelled as gluten-free and read the allergen information for the loaf you’re buying.
Bread can contribute to your iodine intake, but you’ll need to check which type of salt is used in each product. For example, the ingredients in PLUS Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood volkoren maanzaad list baker’s salt.
For packaged bread, read the ingredients list; for loose bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
The storage temperature of your fillings also matters when it comes to keeping a filled lunch safe to eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing perishable foods at 4 °C and throwing them away if they have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours.
If needed, keep perishable fillings in a fridge at work or in a cool bag with an ice pack.
Albert Heijn offers products such as AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren as packaged in-store bread.
Jumbo describes rustic sourdough loaves in a range of varieties, including white, multigrain and wholemeal.
Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal sourdough loaf and describes it as wholemeal wheat sourdough bread.
ALDI offers rustic bread varieties, including extra wholemeal and spelt, at stores with an in-store bakery.
PLUS offers products such as Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood volkoren maanzaad, a loaf that needs baking off.
Dirk lists sourdough alongside other types of bread in its bread range.
No, the label ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. Check the type of bread on the packaging and, if you like, compare the fibre per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from the whole grain.
No, sourdough bread isn’t automatically gluten-free. It may contain wheat or rye, both of which are cereals containing gluten according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. If you need gluten-free bread, check that the product is explicitly labelled as gluten-free and read the allergen information.
Before buying, ask the bakery in store for the allergen information for that specific bread. For packaged bread, you can check the allergens on the label.
Don’t assume that all sourdough bread contains baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list on packaged bread or ask which type of salt has been used in loose bread.
Keep perishable fillings chilled, for example in a fridge at work or in a cool bag with an ice pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing perishable foods at 4 °C and throwing them away if they have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours.
