Choose wholemeal toast if wholemeal ingredients are your priority. If someone at the table finds the flavour or texture too strong, a product made with both wheat flour and wholemeal flour could be a stepping stone, but it is not entirely wholemeal. Also compare the nutritional information, allergens and packaging with how you plan to use the toast.
If you or a housemate find entirely wholemeal toast too strong, look for products made with both wheat flour and wholemeal flour. Check the proportion of each ingredient: a mix is not the same as an entirely wholemeal product.
When serving toast with toppings, it’s not just the pack weight that matters. The shape of the toast pieces and how many you use are important too. Mini crackers, thin Melba toast and larger pieces of toast don’t necessarily serve the same purpose on your plate.
The toast and cracker varieties mentioned contain wheat, among other ingredients; sesame is also present in some varieties. Read the allergen information for the exact product you’re buying, even if you already know the brand.
For a student meal, start by choosing a type of toast that goes well with your toppings. Then compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the varieties you actually plan to use.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| How much you can use | Check the net weight, the shape of the toast pieces and the storage instructions. | If I want to make several meals from one pack, I need to know whether the toast pieces go with my toppings and can be kept dry. For around 42% of consumers, having a useful supply is the top priority. |
| Making the switch to wholemeal | Check the proportion of wholemeal flour in the ingredients list and compare the fibre per 100 g. | If people at home find entirely wholemeal products too strong, I’d rather look for a mix than a product that only suggests it’s wholemeal on the front of the pack. Around 33% of consumers give this transition top priority. |
| Ingredients and how you’ll use it | Check the allergen information and salt per 100 g, and read how to store the product. | If I need to take allergens or the rest of the meal into account, the label will determine which variety I can use. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
A combination of wheat flour and wholemeal flour may suit someone looking for a mix, but it isn’t an entirely wholemeal product. Albert Heijn lists 57% wheat flour and 38% wholemeal wheat flour for LU Mini Crackers.
Read the ingredients list. According to the Voedingscentrum, a piece of toast can be called ‘wholemeal’ when the flour is entirely wholemeal.
Thin Melba toast, mini crackers and larger pieces of toast come in different shapes. So the weight of a pack alone doesn’t tell you how you can use the product as part of a meal.
First decide which size works with your toppings, then compare the net weight of similar products.
The word ‘salt’ alone doesn’t tell you what type of salt has been used in a toast product. The Voedingscentrum also says that baker’s salt is not compulsory in bread.
If the type of salt matters to you, check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen or ask the manufacturer.
Allergens vary between products and varieties. For example, Bolletje lists wheat, barley and sesame for Lichte Crackers Volkoren; that doesn’t tell you about every other cracker from the brand.
Check the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety every time you buy it.
Volkoren Toast is an option if you’re specifically looking for entirely wholemeal toast in a 90 g pack.
Volkoren Melba Toast is a thin type of toast, ideal for smaller topped snacks or as part of a meal.
Mini Crackers made with wheat flour and wholemeal flour provide a clear mix, but they’re mini crackers, not entirely wholemeal toast.
Lichte Crackers Volkoren are an alternative if crackers are a better fit for your meal than toast.
The range also includes wholemeal crispbread and thin crackers for anyone who isn’t set on toast pieces.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, a piece of toast can be called ‘wholemeal’ when the flour is entirely wholemeal. A mix of wheat flour and wholemeal flour may suit you if that’s the combination you’re looking for; check the ingredients list to find out.
Don’t assume so just because ‘salt’ appears in the ingredients list. The Voedingscentrum says that baker’s salt is not compulsory in bread. If it affects your choice, check which type of salt the manufacturer lists for a specific toast product.
Compare the salt content per 100 g and consider what you’ll eat with it too. Jumbo lists 1.64 g of salt per 100 g for Jos Poell Volkoren Toast and 1.9 g for Van der Meulen Melba Volkoren Toast; Albert Heijn lists 2.1 g for LU Mini Crackers made with wheat flour and wholemeal flour.
Keep toast somewhere dry and seal the pack well once opened. Also follow the storage instructions for the variety you’ve chosen; Jumbo’s product information also recommends keeping various toast products away from heat.
Don’t choose based on the word ‘wholemeal’ alone. The Jos Poell and Van der Meulen varieties mentioned contain wheat, and Van der Meulen also lists sesame. Check the current allergen information on the exact pack before using it.
