Choose tiger bread if a distinctive tiger-crust is what you’re looking for on St Nicholas’ Eve. Choose a loaf sold as sourdough if sourdough is your priority. A tiger crust alone doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is made with sourdough. So check the description and ingredients of the specific loaf, and compare the nutritional information and allergens if these matter to your guests.
For St Nicholas’ Eve, you’re mainly looking for a loaf with a distinctive crust to share with others. Sourdough doesn’t have to be a requirement. Albert Heijn, ALDI, PLUS and Dirk all list varieties of tiger bread.
You want to check whether the loaf you’ve chosen actually contains sourdough, and whether baker’s yeast has also been used, for example. The product name alone doesn’t always tell you enough about the ingredients.
You want to distinguish between white, brown and wholemeal bread, compare nutritional values or take allergens into account. For a specific loaf, also check whether the ingredients list mentions iodised baker’s salt.
First, decide whether the tiger crust or an explicit mention of sourdough matters most for St Nicholas’ Eve. Then use the label to check whether the loaf you’ve chosen meets your other requirements too.
Choose this if: the distinctive tiger crust matters more than an explicit mention of sourdough.
Bear in mind: a tiger crust doesn’t prove that sourdough has been used; PLUS describes its Wholemeal Tiger as wholemeal wheat bread with a tiger-patterned crust.
Choose this if: you want a loaf explicitly sold as sourdough, with ingredients you can check.
Bear in mind: the sourdough loaves listed here by Jumbo, Lidl and PLUS aren’t also tiger-crust loaves.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiable use of sourdough | Read the product description and ingredients list for the exact variety; also check whether baker’s yeast is listed. | If I want to serve sourdough bread, I want to be able to see what role sourdough plays in the loaf. For around 31% of consumers, being able to verify the use of sourdough is the top priority. |
| White, brown or wholemeal | Check the type of bread and compare fibre and salt in the nutritional information per 100 g. | When I’m choosing bread for different guests, I first want to know whether the variety is white, brown or wholemeal. For around 31% of consumers, this choice of bread matters most. |
| Tiger crust and loaf size | Check whether the description mentions a tiger crust or tiger pattern, and what size loaf you’re buying. | For a table where everyone will be sharing, I’m mainly looking for a recognisable tiger loaf in a suitable size; around 23% of consumers prioritise its crust and presentation. |
| Availability | Check what’s available at your chosen store; Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store. | If I need the bread in time for St Nicholas’ Eve, I want to know whether I can pick it up at my local store. For around 15% of consumers, this practical reassurance is their main concern. |
A loaf with a tiger pattern doesn’t have to be sourdough. PLUS lists inactivated wheat sourdough powder in its Wholemeal Tiger, but describes it as wholemeal wheat bread with a tiger pattern.
Read the description and ingredients list for the variety you’re buying. If you specifically want sourdough, check whether baker’s yeast is listed too.
The name tiger bread or sourdough doesn’t tell you what kind of salt was used in that specific loaf.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or a mention of iodine. For unpackaged bread, ask the baker.
A loaf listed online isn’t necessarily available to order online. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store.
Check what’s available at your chosen store before St Nicholas’ Eve, and think about which alternative loaf would best suit your main requirement.
If you only discover the loaf isn’t available when you go to collect it, finding an alternative could take extra time.
The name tiger bread or sourdough doesn’t give you the full picture of the ingredients and allergens in a specific variety.
Read the latest allergen information for the loaf you’re buying. For unpackaged bread, ask about ingredients and possible cross-contamination if this matters to one of your guests.
These retailers’ ranges give you a starting point for comparing tiger bread with sourdough sold separately. Always check the specific variety you choose.
A good place to start if you want to compare tiger bread with separate OerDesem varieties.
A good place to start if an explicitly labelled sourdough loaf is your priority.
A good place to start if you want to assess a wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
A good place to start if you’re mainly looking for white tiger bread.
A good place to compare a wholemeal tiger loaf with a separate brown multigrain sourdough loaf.
A good place to start if you want to look at brown tiger bread.
No. A tiger crust doesn’t prove that a loaf is sold as sourdough. PLUS lists inactivated wheat sourdough powder in its Wholemeal Tiger, but describes the product as wholemeal wheat bread with a tiger pattern. Before buying, check the description and ingredients for the exact variety.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or a mention of iodine. For unpackaged bread, ask the baker; don’t assume it’s used just because the bread is called sourdough or tiger bread.
Compare the fibre and salt in the nutritional information per 100 g, so you’re comparing the same amount of each loaf. Also check whether you’re comparing white, brown or wholemeal bread, and that the information applies to the exact variety.
Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf, rather than relying on its name or a general category description. For unpackaged bread, also ask about relevant allergens and possible cross-contamination.
