Who are these choices relevant to?

Buffet planners catering for guests with different preferences

You want to offer guests a familiar white roll as well as a clearly labelled wholemeal or multigrain option, so they don’t have to guess the difference.

Guests who want to compare different types of bread

You’d rather choose based on the ingredients and nutritional information than on a roll’s colour. Checking whether it contains wholemeal flour and how much fibre it has can help you compare products.

Organisers of a filled-roll buffet

You need to bake the rolls in time, have allergen information to hand and keep perishable fillings chilled.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide which types of rolls you’d like to offer side by side. Then check the ingredients, baking instructions and allergen information guests may need for each option.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Choosing between white and wholemeal Choose rolls that are easy to tell apart and set them out separately with clear labels. If guests have different tastes, I don’t want one type of roll to have to suit everyone. This freedom of choice is a priority for around 33% of consumers.
Ingredients and fibre Check which flour has been used and compare the stated fibre per 100 g on a like-for-like basis. I want to know whether a roll actually contains wholemeal flour, rather than judging by its dark colour. This is the most important factor when choosing for around 27% of consumers.
Baking and serving Check the instructions for your chosen product and how many rolls will fit in your oven or air fryer at once. If lots of rolls need to be on the table at the same time, I want to know whether I can prepare every batch in time. Around 27% of consumers give this planning the highest priority.
Allergens and fillings Check the allergen information for the rolls you buy and arrange refrigeration for perishable fillings. If guests ask about ingredients and there are fillings on the buffet, I want to be able to give clear information and serve them safely. This matters most to around 13% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming multigrain means 100% wholemeal

    A multigrain roll may contain both wholemeal flour and wheat flour. So the product name alone doesn’t tell you whether you’re offering guests a fully wholemeal roll.

    Read the ingredients list and choose a roll explicitly labelled as wholemeal if you want to offer a clear wholemeal option.

  • Confusing a product listing with current availability

    A product page may remain online even when a roll is no longer available in the online range, as with the Jumbo Wholemeal Rolls we looked at.

    Check which version is available shortly before the buffet, and read the information on the packaging of the product you actually buy.

  • Underestimating your baking capacity

    A short baking time per batch doesn’t tell you how long it will take if you can’t fit all the rolls in the oven at once.

    Work out how many rolls fit in each batch and make a baking schedule based on the instructions on the packaging you choose.

  • Planning the rolls but forgetting to chill the fillings

    Perishable fillings need extra care when you’re serving filled rolls. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against leaving perishable food out of the fridge for more than two hours.

    Put out small amounts of filling at a time and top them up from the fridge.

Brands to consider

These product ranges show the white, wholemeal and multigrain options you can compare. Check the current product and packaging before buying for your buffet.

Albert Heijn

AH Wholemeal Rolls are a separate product that Albert Heijn describes as being made with 100% wholemeal flour.

  • The product information states that they contain 7.1 g of fibre per 100 g and includes allergen information.
  • These rolls are listed as an in-store product, so check availability at your chosen branch.

Jumbo

At Jumbo, you can compare different types of rolls, including white and multigrain options.

  • The product information for the wholemeal rolls we looked at included ingredients and baking instructions.
  • Jumbo lists those wholemeal rolls as no longer available in its online range, so check which version you can buy now.

PLUS

PLUS offers bake-at-home rolls in a multigrain version, as well as a separate multigrain sourdough version.

  • The PLUS Multigrain Rolls we looked at list 56% wholemeal wheat flour, 7 g of fibre per 100 g and baking instructions.
  • The sourdough version we looked at lists 34% wholemeal wheat flour and 21% wheat flour, so don’t treat it as fully wholemeal.

Dirk

Dirk lists white and multigrain rolls from 1 de Beste, both in packs of four.

  • The two types of rolls listed make it possible to offer a mix of white and multigrain.
  • If any guests have allergies, check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging you buy.

ALDI

ALDI describes an individual white roll and also lists white and wholemeal rolls in its bread range.

  • The white roll offers a familiar choice for your bread basket.
  • Check in store whether a wholemeal option is available in the roll shape you want.

Lidl

Lidl describes its white roll as a white wheat roll available in store.

  • The white roll can make up the white half of a mixed bread basket.
  • A wholemeal bun is a different shape, so check the range if you want to serve rolls only.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is a multigrain roll wholemeal too?

Not necessarily: check which flour the roll contains. The PLUS multigrain rolls we looked at list 56% wholemeal wheat flour; the multigrain sourdough version we looked at contains 34% wholemeal wheat flour and 21% wheat flour.

How should I plan the baking for a wedding buffet?

For each product you choose, work out how many rolls will fit in your oven at once and follow the instructions on the packaging. For the multigrain rolls we looked at, PLUS recommends 8 to 10 minutes at 220 °C; the sourdough version we looked at has a different baking time.

What allergen information do I need for guests?

Check the allergen information for the rolls you actually serve. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked products appears on the label. For unpackaged rolls, ask the seller for the information.

Does every roll contain iodised salt?

Don’t assume that every roll does. For a prepacked product, check the ingredients list for iodised salt; for an unpackaged roll, ask which ingredients have been used.

How should I serve rolls with perishable fillings?

Keep perishable fillings chilled and put out small amounts at a time. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping your fridge at 4 °C and advises against leaving perishable food out of the fridge for more than two hours.