If you have a small household and don’t eat bread every day during the summer holidays, half a tiger loaf is a practical choice that can help you avoid leftovers. Choose white or wholemeal to suit your preference. A whole loaf can work too, as long as you freeze it in portions as soon as you buy it.
If you’re often out and about during the summer holidays or don’t eat bread every day, half a loaf means less to get through at once. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says you can freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you buy it, then take out only what you need.
If you want a tiger loaf made with wholemeal flour, look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and check the nutritional information on the packaging. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between wholemeal bread and brown bread, which contains a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour.
If you want to check whether your supermarket stocks half a white or wholemeal tiger loaf, check your chosen store and the pack size. Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS list half-size tiger loaves in their ranges, but availability can vary by store and over time.
Before your holiday, work out how much bread you’re likely to eat. Then choose between white and wholemeal, and check that your preferred option is available at your store.
When: You want a smaller amount and specifically prefer wholemeal bread.
Consider: It may taste different from white tiger bread. Check the packaging for the word ‘wholemeal’.
When: You prefer white bread but don’t expect to get through a whole loaf quickly.
Consider: If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, you’ll need to choose a different option. ‘White’ and ‘wholemeal’ refer to different ingredients.
When: You want portions ready for different days of your holiday, or you’re eating with more people.
Consider: You’ll need time to portion it as soon as you buy it, as well as enough freezer space.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and storage | Check whether it’s a half or whole loaf, and whether you can freeze any portions you won’t use straight away. | If I skip breakfast while I’m out and about, I don’t want to be left with a whole loaf I can’t finish in time. Around 50% of consumers say avoiding waste is their top concern. |
| Type of bread and ingredients | If you want wholemeal bread, look for ‘wholemeal’ on the packaging. You can also compare the fibre per 100 g. | I eat bread regularly during the holidays and want to know whether my tiger loaf is genuinely wholemeal. For around 30% of consumers, the type of bread and its ingredients come first. |
| Availability | Check whether your store stocks the half-size white or wholemeal option you want, and check the pack size. | When I plan my shopping in advance, I want to know whether I can get exactly the half-size option I’m after. Availability matters most to around 20% of consumers. |
If you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread, don’t rely on the colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread contains both wholemeal flour and white flour.
Check that the packaging says ‘wholemeal’, and read the nutritional information if you also want to compare fibre content.
If your holiday plans change, bread can be left uneaten for too long.
Choose half a loaf if that’s a better fit for how much you eat. If you buy a whole loaf, follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice and freeze it in portions as soon as you get home.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether it’s been used just from the type of bread.
For packaged bread, read the ingredients list. For unpackaged bread, ask which type of salt has been used.
Ingredients and warnings about the possible presence of allergens can vary between options. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out separate requirements for providing allergen information on packaged and unpackaged food.
For packaged bread, read the current label. For unpackaged bread, ask for allergen information before buying.
Worth considering if you want to compare half-size white and wholemeal tiger loaves in advance.
Worth considering if you’re looking for half a white or wholemeal farmhouse tiger loaf.
Worth considering if you want to check a half-size wholemeal tiger loaf with a stated pack size.
Worth considering if you’re also thinking about buying a whole farmhouse tiger loaf to freeze in portions at home.
Worth considering if you want to check your store’s bread range before choosing between a half and a whole loaf.
No, it depends on how much bread you eat during your holiday and whether you have space to freeze portions. If you’re unlikely to finish a whole loaf, choose half a loaf or follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice and freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you buy it.
Freeze any portions you won’t use straight away as soon as you buy the loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends taking out only as much as you need each time.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread contains a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ if that’s what you’re after.
No, you can’t assume that every loaf does. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list on packaged bread, or ask about it when buying unpackaged bread.
For pre-packed tiger bread, read the current label. For unpackaged bread, ask for allergen information before buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says this information must also be available for unpackaged food.
