If you want a hot lunch with filling between two slices, start with soft toastie bread or sandwich bread; crisp toast such as Melba Toast is intended for a different kind of topping. Then compare white and wholemeal options using the nutritional information that matters to you. If a particular thickness or fit is essential, check the slice itself: the bread’s name doesn’t confirm its dimensions.
If you want filling between two soft slices, look at what the bread is intended for. Albert Heijn describes its toastie breads reviewed here as suitable for toasties and club sandwiches; Jumbo also offers bread for toasties. If you’re using plenty of filling, it’s worth checking the size of the slices yourself.
A wholemeal option may suit you if you’re looking for toastie-sized bread and want to take fibre into account. The wholemeal products reviewed here list 7,2 g of fibre per 100 g at Albert Heijn and 6,4 g per 100 g at Jumbo. Compare the values on the product you’re actually buying.
If these nutritional values influence your choice, read the full label rather than relying on the product name alone. Albert Heijn lists 21 g of protein and 27 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Biaform Provital Protein Toast Sandwich. Check the other nutritional information and ingredients too.
First decide whether you want a soft toastie or a small, crisp bite with a topping. For bread, compare its intended use, nutritional information and ingredients. A description such as ‘thick cut’ doesn’t replace checking the slice itself.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Type of bread and filling | Check whether the bread is intended for toasties or sandwiches. If the slice thickness or fit in your toastie maker is essential, check the slice itself. | For a hot lunch with several layers of filling, I want two slices that suit the way I’m making it; around 31% of consumers consider this the most important factor. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check whether the product is wholemeal and compare the fibre per 100 g on the current packaging. | If I often make a toastie, I want to be able to choose wholemeal bread without changing the type of bread; around 23% of consumers prioritise wholemeal and fibre. |
| Protein and carbohydrates | Compare protein and carbohydrates per 100 g, along with fibre and salt, rather than relying on a claim on the front of the pack. | I’m looking for toast bread with a protein or carbohydrate profile that suits my preferences; for around 16% of consumers, this is the main criterion. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product you’ve chosen. If the type of salt used matters to you, check the label for baker’s salt. | If certain ingredients limit my choice, I want to know what’s in the bread; around 15% of consumers put ingredients and allergens first. |
| Storage and freezing | Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and check whether you can freeze the bread in convenient portions. | I only use a few slices for each lunch and want to store the rest; for around 15% of consumers, having bread to hand is the first consideration. |
At Jumbo, Van der Meulen Melba Toast is listed with the small toasts, while toastie bread is sold as bread. A small, crisp piece of toast isn’t the same shape as two soft slices for a filled toastie.
Decide whether you want an open, crisp bite with a topping or a closed toastie. For the latter, look for bread specifically intended for toasties or sandwiches.
The term toastie bread describes how the bread is intended to be used, but doesn’t tell you the thickness of a slice in millimetres. The weight of a portion won’t tell you how thick the slice is either.
Check the packaging or the slice itself if the amount of filling or space in your toastie maker means you need a specific size.
A product with a protein or carbohydrate claim may have a different fibre, salt and ingredient profile from wholemeal toastie bread. The claim alone won’t tell you which type of bread suits your priorities.
Always compare nutritional values on the same basis, preferably per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information too.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the type of bread or the shop’s name won’t tell you which salt is in a particular loaf.
Check the current ingredients list if the type of salt used matters to you. For bread that isn’t pre-packed, ask if necessary.
These examples show different types of bread and toast. Features of one specific product don’t necessarily apply to the whole brand.
Own-brand range with white and wholemeal toastie bread options reviewed here.
Own-brand range of white and wholemeal toastie bread in half loaves.
The Protein Toast Sandwich reviewed here is aimed at shoppers comparing protein and carbohydrates per 100 g.
A brand with products including crackers, crispbread, rusks and toasted bread.
Jumbo sells Melba Toast Naturel with its small toasts.
These two round loaves are designed to be sliced after defrosting, baking and cooling. This gives you a different preparation option from ready-sliced toastie bread. If you want to use them for a toastie, check the thickness and fit of your own slices.
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An option if you’d like to slice your own pieces of round multigrain bread for lunch.
Defrost and bake the bread according to the product instructions, then leave it to cool before slicing. If you’re using it for a toastie, check that the slices are the thickness and size you need.
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An option if you’re looking for wholemeal bread to prepare and slice yourself for lunch.
Leave the bread to cool after defrosting and baking, before slicing. Check the thickness of your slices and whether they fit if you want to use the bread for a toastie.
No. Toastie bread describes what the bread is intended for; it doesn’t automatically tell you how thick a slice is. If you need a particular thickness for your filling or toastie maker, check the packaging or the slice itself.
Choose a wholemeal option if you want to focus on wholemeal ingredients and fibre while enjoying the same kind of lunch. The Albert Heijn and Jumbo products reviewed here list more fibre per 100 g for their wholemeal options than for their white ones. Always compare the current labels on the breads you’re choosing between.
No. The Voedingscentrum says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for the specific bread, or ask which type of salt was used if the bread isn’t pre-packed.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging you’re buying. Information about wheat and other grains, or the possible presence of allergens, can vary between breads. Don’t rely on the brand name or a previous purchase alone.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging and freeze the bread in portions if needed. The Voedingscentrum recommends dividing bread into portions for the freezer as soon as you buy it, so you only need to take out the amount you need for each lunch.
