Which bread format works best for you?

Caterers serving generously filled sandwiches

With a whole loaf, you can choose the slice thickness yourself. Try a sample slice with your planned filling: the name casino bread or toastie bread doesn’t tell you how thick or sturdy the slices are.

Organisers of short breaks

Sliced part-bake party bread can work well for small snacks that need to be served quickly, provided you have the capacity to bake it just before the break. It’s a different format from bread for large sandwiches.

Caterers providing allergen information

When unpackaged bread and filled rolls are served, information about the allergens they contain must be available before guests order. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains what information guests must be given about unpackaged foods.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide on the size of the sandwich or snack and the fillings you plan to use. Then check the slices, the information for guests and how much you’ll need for each break.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Slice thickness and sturdiness Check whether the loaf is whole or pre-sliced. Try a slice with your planned filling. If sandwiches are going to be generously filled, I want to see whether a slice holds together when it’s cut and filled. Around 36% of consumers put checking the slices first.
Allergen information Check the current label for both the bread and the filling, including which grain is used where gluten-containing cereals are listed. For guests with allergies, I want to be able to clearly state which allergens are present before they order. Around 29% of consumers give this information top priority.
Stock and serving Check the storage instructions on the packaging and plan portions for each break. If attendance varies from one break to the next, I don’t want to prepare all the bread at once. Around 21% of consumers put flexibility with stock first.
Alternatives to white bread Decide whether you also want to offer a separate wholemeal or brown bread option at a full lunch. For a lunch with more than just small snacks, I want guests to have another type of bread to choose from. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this choice.

Common mistakes when choosing bread

  • Assuming casino or toastie bread is thickly sliced

    A bread name tells you what type it is, not how thick each slice will be. As a result, the bread you choose may not work well with your planned filling.

    Decide on the slice thickness and sandwich size you want in advance, then ask about the slicer setting or try one loaf before ordering for the conference.

    Slicing it yourself takes staff time and may result in uneven portions.

  • Planning only white bread for a full lunch

    White bread meets the demand for white sandwiches, but it doesn’t give guests a choice of bread types. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains the nutritional differences between white and wholemeal bread.

    Consider offering a clearly labelled wholemeal or brown option alongside the white sandwiches, and keep the product information for each type of bread separate.

  • Using an old ingredients list for new orders

    A change of bread or filling can affect the allergen information for unpackaged rolls. So check not just the type of bread, but the products you’ll actually be serving.

    Prepare your allergen information using the current labels or product specifications, and update it if you replace a product.

  • Assuming all white bread contains iodine

    Under the Dutch definition, baker’s salt is iodised salt, but bakers aren’t required to use it. So seeing baker’s salt listed for one loaf tells you nothing about another.

    Check the ingredients list for each product you choose for baker’s salt or iodised salt, or ask the baker which salt they’ve used.

Supermarkets to compare

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn stocks products including AH Extra lang lekker casino wit heel, a whole white loaf you can slice yourself.

  • The product page lists 22 servings of 35 g and says it can be frozen on the day of purchase.
  • Check that the slices are the thickness you want, and read the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging when you buy it.

Jumbo

Jumbo stocks products including casino and toastie white bread for you to compare.

  • The different loaf styles give you a starting point for choosing between sandwiches and smaller snacks.
  • Check the actual slice thickness of the option you choose and see how well it works with your fillings.

Lidl

Lidl lists an 800 g white loaf as an in-store product.

  • For larger quantities of rolls, Lidl recommends asking in store.
  • Ask in store about the available bread styles, slices and quantities for your planned serving schedule.

Aldi

Aldi stocks products including casino white bread, white loaves and white rolls.

  • You can compare a loaf for sandwiches with individual rolls for a different serving format.
  • Try your chosen loaf with the intended filling; the product name doesn’t guarantee thick slices.

Plus

Plus stocks various white loaves and, separately, PLUS Partybrood wit gesneden.

  • The sliced party bread is a part-bake format for small snacks.
  • Plan for baking time and equipment separately; party bread isn’t automatically a substitute for thick sandwich slices.

Dirk

Dirk stocks white bread varieties and white sliced rolls.

  • The rolls are a separate format to consider alongside sliced bread.
  • For the white bread option you choose, check the slices, ingredients and allergens using the current product information.

White bread on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell whether white bread is thick enough for filled sandwiches?

Try the actual slice with the filling you want to serve. Ask at the bakery counter about the slicer setting or try one loaf first; labels such as casino and toastie don’t specify a set slice thickness.

What allergen information is needed for unpackaged rolls?

Tell guests about the allergens present in the bread and filling before they order. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that when cereals containing gluten are present, you must also state which grain they are. Use the current product information for every option you serve.

Does all white bread contain iodine because baker’s salt is used?

No. Bakers don’t have to use baker’s salt. Under Dutch regulations, baker’s salt is iodised salt, but check the ingredients list for the bread you choose or ask the baker which salt they’ve used.

How should I plan bread for a conference with changing attendance?

Divide your stock according to the planned break times and don’t prepare everything at once. Check the storage instructions for the bread you choose; Albert Heijn says AH Extra lang lekker casino wit heel can be frozen on the day of purchase.