When choosing toast for summer toppings, don’t rely on the term ‘thick cut’ alone: if slice thickness is crucial, you’ll need a specific measurement or product description. Haust says its Krokant Toast stays crisp for longer under toppings, but this doesn’t confirm that it’s thick-cut; Van der Meulen describes its Melba Toast Naturel as thinly sliced. Also compare the ingredients, allergens and salt content on the packaging you buy.
Your choice depends on what you need the toast to do at a summer get-together: hold toppings, stay crisp while you’re out and about, or suit the people sharing it.
If you’re preparing topped toast in advance, a product-specific claim about staying crisp is more useful than an unverified description such as ‘thick cut’. Haust makes such a claim about Krokant Toast, but doesn’t specify the slice thickness.
When several people are sharing a platter, it’s important to check the ingredients, allergens and salt content of each product separately. A short ingredients list or a gluten-free label doesn’t automatically answer both questions.
Van der Meulen’s thinly sliced Melba Toast Naturel may suit smaller toppings. The product description at Jumbo makes it clear why this isn’t a confirmed thick-cut option.
First decide what matters most for your holiday nibbles: toast that stays crisp under toppings, a pack that’s easy to store, or a label that suits the people eating it. A claim about crispness doesn’t, by itself, tell you how thick the slices are.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Toppings and crispness | Look for a specific claim that the toast stays crisp after you add toppings. If you specifically want thick-cut toast, check whether the thickness or dimensions are given. | If I prepare the toast in advance, I want to know what a claim about crispness is based on, without confusing it with a thick-cut slice. This is the deciding factor for around 46% of consumers. |
| Storage on holiday | Read the storage instructions and make sure you can keep an opened pack in a cool, dry, dark place and well sealed, as advised by the Voedingscentrum. | If I take toast with me and don’t use the whole pack at once, I want to be able to seal the rest properly. For around 27% of consumers, being able to use the product after opening comes first. |
| Ingredients and labelling | Check the current allergen information and compare the salt content per 100 g of specific products. | If anyone eating with me needs to consider ingredients or allergens, I first need to check that the pack I choose is suitable. For around 27% of consumers, checking the label is the main priority. |
The description of Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel at Jumbo says that the bread is cut into thin slices. So neither the product type nor a search term such as ‘thick cut’ proves that this toast provides a thick base for toppings.
If slice thickness is essential for your toppings, look for a specific measurement or description of the slice thickness.
Jumbo’s product information lists 6.6 g of salt per 100 g for Gluten Free Bakery Holland Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid. This variety also contains egg and may contain nuts and sesame.
If you’re choosing a gluten-free product, check the salt content and full allergen information separately on the current packaging.
Toast that isn’t sealed properly can lose its crispness and flavour. The Voedingscentrum advises storing toast in a cool, dry, dark place and keeping it well sealed.
Seal the pack properly after use, and take only the amount you need for an outdoor snack.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell which type of salt has been used just from the fact that it’s toast.
If you want to know whether a particular product contains baker’s salt or iodised salt, read the ingredients list on that pack.
These product ranges offer different toast options. The features listed apply to the varieties described, not every toast product from that brand.
120 g of Melba Toast Naturel for small, classic toast bites.
100 g of Krokant Toast, with a product-specific claim about topped toast.
100 g of 100% Natural Toast for anyone looking to compare a short ingredients list.
AH Melba Toast Naturel in a 240 g pack containing 12 packs of 6 toast slices.
100 g of Toastjes Italiaans Gekruid, a variety specifically labelled gluten-free.
Not based on the name Melba alone. Jumbo’s product description for Van der Meulen Melba Toast Naturel specifically refers to thin slices; check the stated slice thickness separately for any other variety.
Store it in a cool, dry, dark place and keep it well sealed, as advised by the Voedingscentrum. Before eating, also check whether the toast has lost its crispness or has a stale smell or taste.
No, not automatically. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Read the ingredients list if you want to know which salt has been used in a particular toast product.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging of the product you choose. The toast varieties mentioned here differ: some contain wheat, soya, barley or egg, for example, while sesame or nuts may be listed as possible allergens for certain varieties. Don’t rely on the product type or brand name alone.
