Choose tiger bread if its distinctive crust is important for your buffet; choose sourdough if you’re looking for bread with a documented sourdough and proving process. Neither name tells you whether the bread is wholemeal or which allergens it contains. So check the exact variety and find out whether it’s available from your shop or delivery area around Boxing Day.
Is the distinctive tiger crust important for your sandwiches? Compare the white, brown and wholemeal varieties separately. The name of the bread tells you nothing about the ingredients or allergens in the variety you buy.
If you’re looking for bread with a documented proving process, check the information for the specific sourdough loaf. Jumbo says its sourdough breads are matured for more than 24 hours using fresh sourdough starter, but also states that they’re only available in store.
If ingredients, fibre, salt or allergens will determine your choice, compare the information for the exact breads you plan to serve. Ask for allergen information before buying unpackaged bread; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority outlines this information requirement for sellers.
For a Boxing Day buffet, start by deciding whether you want a particular crust or sourdough process. Then check the label and availability of each loaf: the product name won’t tell you everything you need to know.
Choose this if: the distinctive tiger crust is important for your bread board.
Bear in mind: the crust doesn’t tell you whether the bread is white, brown or wholemeal; check the variety you’re buying.
Choose this if: you specifically want to serve bread with a documented sourdough and proving process. Jumbo says its sourdough breads are matured for more than 24 hours using fresh sourdough starter.
Bear in mind: sourdough doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal. Jumbo also states that its sourdough breads are only available in store.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Crust and presentation | Check the exact tiger bread variety and whether it’s white, brown or wholemeal. | If you mainly want the distinctive tiger crust on your bread board, presentation is what matters most. Around 33% of consumers put this first. |
| Sourdough and proving process | Read what the information says about the sourdough and maturation process for your chosen loaf. | If the documented sourdough process determines your choice, look for a loaf that describes the process clearly. This is a priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and nutritional information | Compare wholemeal status, fibre and salt per 100 g; check the ingredients and allergens for each variety. | If you need to check what’s in the bread for your guests, the label matters more than whether it’s called tiger bread or sourdough. This is the main concern for around 25% of consumers. |
| Planning and storage | Check availability at your shop or in your delivery area, and work out how much bread you’ll need. | If you’re buying before Boxing Day, you’ll want to avoid finding that your preferred bread is unavailable or having lots left over. Around 17% of consumers prioritise this planning. |
Sourdough describes how the bread is proved, not the type of grain used. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sourdough can be made from different grains.
If you want to serve wholemeal bread, choose a variety labelled as wholemeal and check the ingredients.
Ingredients vary from product to product. The allergen information for one tiger bread doesn’t automatically apply to another loaf.
Read the allergen information for the exact variety, and ask about it before buying unpackaged bread.
Jumbo says its documented sourdough breads are only available in store. So just because you can view a loaf online doesn’t mean you can order it online.
Before your buffet, check what’s available at the shop where you plan to buy it.
If you can only buy it in store, you’ll need to plan time for a trip to the shop.
You may have a lot of bread left over after the buffet. Its quality may also decline if it’s stored for too long.
Work out how many slices you’ll need. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you want to store it.
AH OerDesem donker meergranen is a specific sourdough loaf you can compare with your chosen tiger bread.
Jumbo describes both Boeren Tijgerbrood Bruin and a separate range of sourdough breads.
At PLUS, you can look at PLUS Volkoren tijger heel and Korenlanders sourdough breads as separate options.
Dirk’s bread range includes both sourdough and tiger bread.
ALDI lists boeren tijgerbrood and wholemeal options in its bread range.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, sourdough can be made from different grains. If you want wholemeal bread, check that your chosen variety is labelled as wholemeal and read the ingredients.
No. Check the allergen information for the exact loaf, even if you know another variety from the same brand. Ask for this information before buying unpackaged bread; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority outlines sellers’ information requirements.
No, you can’t work out the iodine content from the name of the bread or from the words ‘baker’s salt’ alone. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH OerDesem donker meergranen, while Jumbo lists baker’s salt for Boeren Tijgerbrood Bruin. Check the ingredients for the variety you’re buying.
Freeze bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you plan to use it later, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also check the storage instructions on the packaging of your chosen bread.
