Choose tiger bread if you mainly want a tiger-crust, and sourdough if the use of a sourdough starter is what matters most to you. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, you can choose a wholemeal or brown version of either type of bread; check the bread description rather than relying on the words ‘tiger’ or ‘sourdough’ alone. If you’re buying bread to last several days, match the quantity to how much you’ll eat and check the storage instructions.
Buying bread for several breakfasts and lunches, and keen on a tiger-crust too? Check that the bread description says ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g. Albert Heijn, PLUS and ALDI are among the retailers offering a wholemeal tiger bread.
If the use of a sourdough starter is your main criterion, a tiger-crust doesn’t have to be a deciding factor. Check the product description: Jumbo and Albert Heijn list sourdough breads as a separate option alongside tiger bread.
If you’re buying bread to last several days, choose a whole or half loaf that suits the number of times you’ll eat bread. Albert Heijn and PLUS say that their tiger breads mentioned here can be frozen on the day of purchase; check the instructions for the loaf you choose.
Best for: anyone who wants a tiger-crust and is specifically looking for a wholemeal loaf.
Keep in mind: ‘tiger’ describes the crust; on its own, it doesn’t confirm that the bread is wholemeal.
Best for: anyone looking for bread explicitly made with a sourdough starter, whether or not it has a tiger-crust.
Keep in mind: ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal. Jumbo also says its rustic sourdough breads are only available in store.
First decide which type of bread or crust you want, then use the bread description, nutritional information and storage instructions to choose a loaf for the week.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who does this matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the bread description and compare the fibre per 100 g; the name tiger bread doesn’t tell you the fibre content. | If I eat bread from my weekly shop every day, I want to know what type of flour I’m buying. An estimated 27% of consumers put wholemeal and fibre choices first. |
| Sourdough and bread style | Check that the description actually mentions sourdough, and whether your chosen loaf is available online or only in store. | I’m specifically looking for bread made with a sourdough starter, even if that means choosing a different crust. For around 27% of consumers, that sourdough preference matters most. |
| Weekly shop | Choose a whole or half loaf that suits how much you’ll eat, and follow the product’s freezing instructions. | When I’m buying bread for several days at once, I want to be able to store it in useful portions. An estimated 26% of consumers prioritise convenient storage. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest ingredients and allergen information; also check whether baker’s salt is listed if that’s relevant to your choice. | I need to be able to check the ingredients in this particular loaf before buying it. For around 20% of consumers, checking the label is the most important consideration. |
The name tiger refers to the crust. PLUS lists 6,4 g of fibre per 100 g for its Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren 1/2, compared with 2,3 g per 100 g for PLUS Boeren wit tijger heel.
Check the bread description first, then compare the nutritional information per 100 g if fibre matters to you.
Sourdough describes how the bread is made, not the type of flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also distinguishes between different types of bread when it comes to sourdough.
If you want wholemeal bread, look for the type of bread on the label as well as the word ‘sourdough’.
Buying more than you’ll eat can lead to food waste. According to their product information, the tiger breads mentioned from Albert Heijn and PLUS can be frozen on the day of purchase.
Choose a suitable loaf size and, if needed, freeze portions on the day you buy it, following the instructions for your chosen product.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough breads are available in store but can’t be ordered online. So seeing a loaf in the range doesn’t necessarily mean you can add it to your online weekly shop.
Before you do your shop, check the ordering or in-store information for the loaf you want to buy.
Offers both wholemeal tiger bread and a separate OerDesem range.
Offers white and brown Boeren Tijger breads alongside a separate rustic sourdough range.
Offers packaged breads with a fibre indicator, as well as a separate rustic wholemeal sourdough.
Offers Boeren tijger in white, brown and wholemeal versions in its daily fresh bread range.
Offers tiger breads in white and wholemeal versions, among others, with nutritional information for each product.
Offers Bakker van der Akker Boeren tijger bruin heel, among other breads.
No. Tiger bread is identified by its tiger-crust, while sourdough refers to how the bread is made. If you want both features in one loaf, check whether the description of that particular tiger bread also mentions sourdough.
No. Sourdough doesn’t confirm which type of flour has been used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends checking whether both sourdough and ordinary bread are wholemeal or brown; if you prefer wholemeal, look for ‘wholemeal’ in the bread description.
Choose a loaf size that suits how much you’ll eat and, if needed, freeze portions according to the product instructions. Albert Heijn and PLUS say to freeze the tiger breads mentioned on the day of purchase; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives a freezer storage time of 1–3 months for wholemeal sourdough.
No. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes baker’s salt as the permitted way of adding iodine compounds to bread, but this doesn’t establish the amount in an individual loaf. If baker’s salt matters to your purchase, check the product’s ingredients list.
