Who might these options suit?

Crust lovers looking for wholemeal bread

If you want both a tiger crust and wholemeal bread, check for both features. The crust or colour alone won’t tell you whether the bread is wholemeal.

Sourdough shoppers who check the ingredients

If you’re looking for sourdough, check separately whether it’s wholemeal. If iodine from bread matters to you, ask the baker whether they’ve used baker’s salt.

Households buying bread for several days

A whole loaf can suit your needs better if you divide it into portions in good time. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread on the day you buy it if you want to keep it for longer.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the tiger crust or the sourdough is more important to you. Then check separately whether the bread is wholemeal and whether the ingredients and portion size suit your needs.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Look for an explicit wholemeal label and check the ingredients on packaged bread. For unpackaged bread, ask the seller. If I mainly want wholemeal bread, I don’t want to rely on its brown colour or tiger crust. Around 33% of consumers prioritise a wholemeal base.
Tiger crust or sourdough Check separately for a tiger bread label and a sourdough label; one feature doesn’t confirm the other. People looking for a crust have different priorities from those specifically seeking sourdough, while anyone wanting both can ask about each. For around 27% of consumers, this flavour or crust preference matters most.
Baker’s salt and ingredients Check whether baker’s salt is listed or ask about it for unpackaged bread. If you have an allergy, ask about the relevant allergens before buying. If iodine from bread or a particular ingredient matters to me, I want to know what has actually been used. Around 20% of consumers prioritise checking the ingredients.
Portions and storage Choose a whole loaf, half loaf or individual rolls to suit how much you use, and check the storage advice if you want to freeze the bread. If I’m buying bread for several days, I don’t want to cut into more fresh bread than I’ll use. Around 20% of consumers prioritise choosing portions to suit their needs.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough means wholemeal

    Sourdough describes how bread rises, not whether it’s made with wholemeal flour. So if you’re looking for wholemeal bread, you can’t rely on the sourdough label.

    Check the wholemeal labelling and, for unpackaged bread, ask which type of flour has been used.

  • Assuming the type of bread tells you how much iodine it contains

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Labels such as organic, artisan or sourdough don’t confirm that it has been used.

    For packaged bread, check the ingredients list or ask the baker whether they’ve used baker’s salt.

  • Confusing a tiger crust with sourdough

    For example, PLUS’s wholemeal tiger bread lists both tiger decoration and baker’s yeast. So the crust doesn’t tell you which raising agent has been used.

    Look for a separate sourdough label if that’s the type of bread you want to buy.

  • Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan

    A whole fresh loaf may be more than you’ll use in the first few days.

    Choose a size that suits how much you use, or divide the loaf into portions and freeze them on the day you buy it.

Brands and shops to explore

PLUS

The Korenlanders range at PLUS includes both tiger bread and sourdough options.

  • For Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren 1/2, PLUS lists wholemeal wheat flour, baker’s salt and baker’s yeast.
  • This tiger bread is made with baker’s yeast, so it doesn’t confirm that a PLUS tiger bread option is also sourdough.

Lidl

Lidl describes Rustiek volkoren desembrood as wholemeal wheat sourdough.

  • The product description confirms that this option is both sourdough and wholemeal.
  • Don’t assume it has a tiger crust; check for that separately if it’s what you’re looking for.

ALDI

ALDI lists Boeren tijger volkoren as a whole, pre-sliced loaf.

  • The product description confirms that it’s wholemeal and pre-sliced.
  • Ask whether it’s sourdough or made with baker’s salt if either of these matters to your choice.

Dirk

Dirk’s bread range includes both sourdough and tiger brown bread, and features tiger bread products from Bakker van der Akker.

  • The range gives you a starting point for looking for both types of bread.
  • Having both types in the range doesn’t mean one loaf has both a tiger crust and sourdough.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is baker’s salt compulsory in Dutch bread?

No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. If you want to know whether a particular loaf has been made with it, check the ingredients or ask the baker about unpackaged bread.

Is sourdough always wholemeal?

No. Sourdough tells you about the raising agent, while wholemeal describes the grain used. Look for an explicit wholemeal label or ask the baker about the ingredients.

How can I check allergens in bread from a market stall?

Before buying, ask the seller about the allergens in that particular bread. Don’t rely on the bread’s name alone, especially if the ingredients are important to you.

When can I freeze wholemeal bread?

If you want to keep wholemeal bread for longer, it’s best to freeze it in portions on the day you buy it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. For packaged bread, also follow the storage instructions on the packaging.