For brunch, drinks and nibbles, or a shared meal, don’t choose based on a name like sourdough or rustic alone. First work out how much bread you need and whether wholemeal or a specific ingredient requirement matters. A small loaf or rolls may suit a smaller group better. Check the ingredients and allergens for each product, and read the label if baker’s salt is important to your choice.
You’re looking for bread for brunch, drinks and nibbles, or a shared meal, but want to choose a size that suits the number of people. PLUS, Lidl and ALDI are among the supermarkets offering sourdough and rustic breads to consider for the occasion.
You want bread that goes well with your meal, and fibre matters to you too. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than white bread, so check that your chosen loaf is actually wholemeal.
You need to know which grains or other allergens the bread contains. A sourdough roll from Jumbo lists wheat and sesame, among other ingredients, while a separate YAM sourdough loaf is explicitly sold as gluten-free. Always check the exact packaging.
Start with the occasion and the number of people you’re feeding. Then choose the type of bread you want and check the product information that matters most to your decision.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| A special occasion | Compare the type and size of the loaf; a premium-sounding name alone tells you little about the ingredients. | For drinks and nibbles or brunch, I want to serve bread that suits the meal without buying more than we’ll eat. This is said to be the main consideration for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and read the ingredients; multigrain or a dark colour is no substitute for checking. | If the bread is also for everyday breakfasts or lunches, I want to be sure my choice is wholemeal. This is the most important consideration for around 29% of consumers. |
| Portion size and preparation | Check the weight, number of pieces and whether the bread needs baking. | When I’m feeding a small group or serving several types of bread, I want to avoid having leftovers. Around 21% of consumers are said to focus mainly on this. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the allergen information on the exact packaging and, if relevant, check whether it lists baker’s salt or iodised salt. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the specific bread must meet that requirement before I consider how it looks. This is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, baker’s salt is not required in bread. So the name of the bread won’t tell you whether it was made with iodised salt.
If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on packaged bread for baker’s salt or iodised salt.
A multigrain sourdough product from Jumbo lists cereals containing gluten, while a separate YAM sourdough loaf is explicitly sold as gluten-free. The term sourdough doesn’t tell you whether a bread is gluten-free.
If needed, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the ingredients and allergens on the exact packaging.
According to the Voedingscentrum, multigrain means that different types of grain are used; it doesn’t automatically mean the bread is made with wholemeal flour.
Look for the wholemeal label and check the ingredients if that’s what matters to your choice.
If you’re serving several types of bread to a small group, a whole loaf could leave you with a lot of leftovers.
Choose a size to suit the number of people, and consider a smaller loaf or rolls if you want to serve several varieties.
Albert Heijn offers products including OerDesem, Liefde & Passie, hearth-baked bread and wholemeal options.
Jumbo offers products including a pack of multigrain sourdough rolls and a separate gluten-free YAM sourdough loaf.
Lidl offers a 600 g organic rustic multigrain sourdough loaf as part of its bread range.
ALDI offers products including hearth-baked bread and Bakkersgoud Rustiek extra wholemeal.
PLUS offers Korenlanders sourdough loaves and a small brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
Dirk offers products including wholemeal bread, multigrain bread, sourdough and hearth-baked bread.
No, baker’s salt isn’t used in every type of bread. According to the Voedingscentrum, you can check the label to see whether packaged bread is made with baker’s salt. Don’t assume it is just because the bread is described as organic or artisan.
No, sourdough alone doesn’t tell you whether bread is gluten-free. A multigrain sourdough product from Jumbo lists wheat, among other ingredients. If needed, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the allergens on the exact packaging.
