Choose sourdough if you want to serve that style of bread and the product format suits your plans. Choose tiger bread if its distinctive crust is your priority. A tiger-striped crust doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with sourdough. To cater for both preferences at your buffet, you can serve two separate loaves, provided you check the serving instructions and up-to-date allergen information for each product.
If you want a bread table featuring a clearly labelled sourdough product, consider the format it comes in too. Albert Heijn lists a whole, sliced OerDesem loaf, while PLUS offers, among other things, a sourdough baguette that needs to be baked in the oven.
If you want to offer both sourdough and the distinctive tiger-striped crust, you can choose two separate loaves. Check the product names and ingredients rather than assuming one tiger loaf has both characteristics.
Gather the up-to-date ingredient and allergen information for each loaf before putting it on the buffet. Sourdough alone tells you nothing about the grains used or the presence of allergens. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says allergen information for unpackaged bread must be available to consumers.
First decide which breads you want to offer, then choose a product format that works with the time and oven space available, as well as the information your guests may need.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Style of bread | Look for an explicit sourdough mention if you want sourdough. Choose tiger bread for its distinctive crust, or buy both types separately. | If I want to offer both sourdough and a tiger-striped crust, I want to know whether I need to buy two loaves. Bread style is the top priority for around 45% of consumers. |
| Serving plans | Check whether the bread is sliced and whether you need to defrost or bake it in the oven. Make sure you have enough oven space for any part-baked product. | If I still need to bake bread just before the buffet, I want to be able to fit that in alongside the other preparations. Serving plans are the deciding factor for around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the up-to-date ingredient and allergen information for each loaf. Check whether it is labelled brown or wholemeal separately from any sourdough claims. | If guests ask about ingredients, I want to be able to give them a clear answer about each loaf. For around 22% of consumers, this information is the top priority. |
A tiger-striped crust and sourdough preparation are two different characteristics. So a loaf with a tiger-striped crust doesn’t have to be sourdough.
Check the product name and ingredients list for sourdough or leaven. If you want to serve both types of bread, choose them separately.
Part-baked bread needs oven space at a time when the rest of the buffet will also need your attention.
Check how many loaves will fit in the oven at once and follow the instructions for your chosen product. Consider sliced bread if baking doesn’t fit into your plans.
Sourdough can be made from different grains, and it isn’t automatically wholemeal or free from allergens.
Check the up-to-date packaging for each loaf and note down the relevant allergen information for any guests who ask.
Recipes vary. PLUS lists iodised salt in the ingredients for its Korenlanders Wit baguette made with sourdough; that doesn’t tell you what salt is used in another loaf.
If the type of salt matters to a guest, read the ingredients list for the bread you actually choose.
A place to start if you’re looking for sourdough in different formats for your buffet.
Worth considering if you want to bake a sourdough baguette in the oven or are looking for a smaller brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
An option if you’re specifically looking for a wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
A place to look for tiger bread as a separate option alongside sourdough.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a tiger bread option in white, brown or wholemeal.
A shop where you can explore sourdough and tiger bread as separate options.
Not necessarily: tiger bread refers to the crust, while sourdough describes how the bread is made. Check the product name and ingredients if you want a loaf with both characteristics for your wedding buffet.
No. Sourdough doesn’t tell you which grain or type of flour has been used. Check whether it’s labelled brown or wholemeal separately if you want to serve that variety.
Follow the instructions for your chosen baguette and plan the baking around serving time. PLUS recommends baking its Korenlanders Wit baguette made with sourdough for 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C; make sure you have oven space at the time.
Keep the allergen information for each loaf available for guests who ask. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says businesses must provide consumers with information about allergens in unpackaged products in a way other than on a label. If you’re organising a private buffet yourself, gather the up-to-date product information before serving the bread.
Don’t assume so: check the ingredients list for the specific loaf. PLUS lists iodised salt in the ingredients for its Korenlanders Wit baguette made with sourdough, but that doesn’t automatically apply to other breads.
