Choose toast with sourdough in the ingredients if you’re after a more pronounced grain flavour with your coffee. But don’t rely on the product name alone: sourdough toast can also contain yeast, and it isn’t automatically wholemeal. If fibre is your priority, compare wholemeal toast using the nutritional information per 100 g. For serving several toppings, plain Melba toast in individual packs may be more practical.
If you want the toast itself to add flavour to a little coffee break, check whether sourdough is actually listed in the ingredients. If the baking process matters to you, also check whether yeast has been added.
If you want a crisp base and want to compare fibre content above all, check the nutritional information per 100 g and see which grain ingredient comes first in the list. A description such as ‘luxury’ won’t tell you that.
When you’re serving several guests or toppings, plain toast in individual packs can be handy: you won’t have to open everything at once. When choosing, also check how many pieces of toast are in each pack and the allergen information.
Before choosing toast to enjoy with your coffee, decide what matters most to you: the flavour of the toast, its fibre content or serving a variety of toppings.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who is it important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough content | Look for sourdough in the ingredients and check separately whether yeast is also listed. If it matters to you, check whether the grains are wholemeal. | If I want the toast itself to add something to the flavour when I’m having simple toppings, I deliberately look for a variety with sourdough. This flavour choice comes first for around 40% of shoppers. |
| Fibre | Compare the fibre and salt per 100 g, and check which grain ingredient comes first. | If I eat toast as a snack more often, I want to be able to compare the fibre without overlooking the salt content. Fibre is the main priority for around 30% of shoppers. |
| Portioning | Check whether the toast comes in individual packs, how many pieces are in each pack and the allergen information. | When serving coffee with a variety of toppings, I want to open only the pieces of toast I’m going to serve. For around 30% of shoppers, this practical consideration is the deciding factor. |
According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Jos Poell Zuurdesem Toast contains both wheat sourdough powder and yeast. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you whether a variety is made without added yeast.
Read the full ingredients list if the type of sourdough used and the presence of yeast matter to you.
Even with a wholemeal variety, you should check the salt content separately. Albert Heijn’s product information lists 1,64 g of salt per 100 g for Jos Poell Volkoren toast; the Van der Meulen Melba toast volkoren variety reviewed lists 1,9 g per 100 g.
Compare fibre and salt side by side in the nutritional information per 100 g.
The product name doesn’t tell you whether baker’s salt has been used. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt is not compulsory when baking bread.
If you want to know whether packaged toast contains baker’s salt, check the ingredients list.
Individual packs are most practical when you can leave the remaining pieces of toast sealed until the next time you serve them.
Only open what you need. Store opened toast according to the instructions on the packaging; for AH Melba toast naturel, Albert Heijn recommends an airtight tin.
Worth considering if you want to compare toast with a sourdough component against a separate wholemeal variety.
Offers Melba toast varieties that let you compare a wholemeal option with a wholemeal and spelt variety containing sourdough.
The Melba toast naturel variety reviewed is a plain option for a coffee break with a range of toppings.
No. According to Albert Heijn’s product information, Jos Poell Zuurdesem Toast contains wheat flour and rye flour; having sourdough in the name doesn’t in itself mean it contains wholemeal flour. If you’re choosing based on fibre, check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g separately.
No, not necessarily. Albert Heijn lists both wheat sourdough powder and yeast in Jos Poell Zuurdesem Toast. Check the ingredients if you’re specifically looking for a variety with no added yeast.
Seal opened toast well and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For AH Melba toast naturel, Albert Heijn recommends storing it in a sealed tin; if the toast comes in individual packs, you can leave the remaining packs unopened until you’re ready to serve them.
Don’t assume it does from the product name. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt isn’t compulsory in bread, and the label will say whether it has been used. So, if you want to know whether packaged toast contains it, check the ingredients list.
