If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose ordinary tiger bread based on its name or crust. Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’ or displays the Crossed Grain symbol. Then choose sliced bread or a gluten-free bread roll, ciabatta or baguette if you’d prefer a roll with savoury fillings; these options won’t give you the same crust as tiger bread. When preparing and filling your bread, avoid contact with crumbs from ordinary bread.
You’re looking for bread to have with savoury toppings, but the name of a bread tells you nothing about whether it’s labelled gluten-free. The Voedingscentrum advises checking the label or the Crossed Grain symbol, while the Dutch Coeliac Society also emphasises the importance of preventing cross-contamination.
When choosing bread to eat with, for example, cheese, egg or hummus, you also want to check the ingredients and fibre per 100 g. Compare the packaging of the products you’re considering rather than guessing their nutritional value from the colour or the name ‘seeded’.
If you’re mainly looking for the shape of a roll, you could consider a roll, ciabatta or baguette clearly labelled gluten-free. That doesn’t guarantee the crust or flavour will be the same as tiger bread.
If you have coeliac disease, checking that the bread is labelled gluten-free and avoiding contact with crumbs matter more than the shape of the bread or its nutritional information. Then compare the options to find what suits your toppings and breakfast routine.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling and contact with crumbs | Look for ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the current packaging. At home, use clean utensils and a clean work surface. | If I have coeliac disease, I want to choose bread labelled gluten-free and prevent ordinary bread crumbs from getting onto it when I add toppings; this check comes first for around 50% of consumers. |
| Fibre and ingredients | Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and check the ingredients list for allergens and iodised salt. | For my savoury sandwich, I want to know which ingredients I’m choosing and how much fibre the bread contains; this comparison matters most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Bread shape and availability | Choose between sliced bread and rolls such as bread rolls or ciabatta; check what’s available at the shop where you plan to buy. | I’d rather have a roll than a slice of bread with my toppings, so I’m looking for a suitable shape in my shop; this choice is the deciding factor for around 20% of consumers. |
The style of a loaf doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease. According to the Voedingscentrum, you can identify a gluten-free product by the words ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol on the packaging.
Check the label before choosing between a whole loaf, bread roll, ciabatta or baguette.
The Dutch Coeliac Society warns that even a single crumb can be harmful to someone with coeliac disease.
Clean the work surface, use clean or separate utensils and keep the gluten-free bread wrapped until you need it.
The ingredients for Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn at PLUS list iodised salt, but that tells you nothing about other breads. The Voedingscentrum points out that eating little bread or bread without iodised salt can affect your iodine intake.
Check the salt in the ingredients list of the bread you buy. If you have questions about your diet while following a strict gluten-free diet, speak to a dietitian who specialises in this area.
Shop ranges and product information can change. What’s more, a roll in a bakery category isn’t automatically gluten-free.
Check what’s available at your chosen shop and read the packaging of the product you receive before using it.
These shop ranges can help you look for a gluten-free bread shape to go with savoury toppings. Check the current packaging of each individual product.
The online Gluten-Free Bakery category includes Schär bread, mini baguettes and gluten-free cheese and onion rolls.
Jumbo has a gluten-free bread category with a range of shapes, including seeded bread and ciabatta.
Lidl has a page about gluten-free products, which also mentions changes to its special-buy range.
ALDI mentions gluten-free bread in its information about bakery products and bake-at-home rolls.
PLUS offers white, brown and seeded gluten-free bread, as well as gluten-free bread rolls.
Dirk’s search results include packaged Schär bread and gluten-free mini baguettes.
No. Gluten-free toppings don’t make bread suitable if it hasn’t been confirmed as gluten-free. As advised by the Voedingscentrum, check the current bread packaging for the words ‘gluten-free’ or the Crossed Grain symbol.
Prepare and add toppings to your gluten-free bread on a clean work surface, using clean or separate utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Society stresses the importance of preventing cross-contamination, so keep the bread wrapped until you’re ready to use it.
No. You need to compare the fibre content of each product in its nutritional information per 100 g. PLUS lists 9.9 g of fibre per 100 g for Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn; that figure doesn’t automatically apply to other gluten-free bread.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging of the bread you’ve bought. The product information for Schär Meesterbakker Mehrkorn at PLUS recommends resealing the packaging after opening and using the bread within a few days, or freezing it straight away.
