If you want to choose how thick your picnic sandwich slices are, buy a whole white loaf and slice it at home. Casino, toast or other sliced white bread saves you the effort, but the type of loaf alone won’t tell you how thick each slice is. Pack fillings that need to be kept chilled in a cool bag, and check the packaging of your chosen bread for ingredients and allergens.
If you’re adding generous fillings, you may want to choose the thickness and number of slices yourself. With a whole white loaf, you can do this at home before packing your sandwiches. Albert Heijn, ALDI and Dirk list whole white loaves in their ranges.
Pre-sliced bread or rolls can be practical when you’re making several packed lunches. Jumbo, Lidl, ALDI and PLUS list casino, toast or other sliced white bread, among other options. Check the slices themselves if their thickness matters to you.
The type of bread isn’t the only decision to make. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag for chilled products on a picnic. Also check the allergen information on the current bread packaging, as it can vary between products.
First decide whether you want to cut thick slices yourself or simply pack everything quickly. Then consider how your fillings need to be transported and what information you want to check on the bread packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the slice thickness yourself | Choose a whole loaf if thickness is key. Cut a test slice at home and see whether the crumb holds together with your fillings. | I want to adjust the slices to suit generous fillings rather than rely on a pre-cut thickness. For around 34% of consumers, having this control matters most. |
| Packing quickly and evenly | With casino, toast or other sliced bread, check the actual shape and thickness of a slice before adding your fillings. | When I’m packing several sandwiches at once, I’d rather not have to slice the bread too. Around 25% of consumers put this convenience first. |
| Transporting chilled fillings | Plan to use a cool bag for fillings that are normally kept chilled, and keep them chilled until you set off. | If I’m using fillings from the fridge, I first want to know how I’ll keep them cool on the way to the park. Safe transport is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens, salt per 100 g and whether iodised salt is listed. | I want to check what’s in this particular loaf before making my sandwiches. For around 16% of consumers, checking the label is their main concern. |
These names help you identify a type of bread, but they don’t specify a set slice thickness. A slice may therefore be different from what you had in mind for your fillings.
If slice thickness is essential, slice a whole loaf yourself or check a slice of the pre-sliced bread first.
Choosing the bread won’t solve the problem of transporting fillings that are normally kept in the fridge. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag for chilled products. Its general food safety advice is to discard perishable food if it has been out of the fridge for more than two hours.
Use a cool bag for chilled fillings and take them out of the fridge shortly before you leave.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, iodine compounds may be present in bread through bakers’ salt. This doesn’t mean that all white bread contains iodised salt.
If this information matters to your choice, check the ingredients list on the bread you’re actually buying.
Ingredients and allergens relate to a specific product and can change. An image or an earlier product description is no substitute for the information on the packaging you buy.
Check the label before packing bread for someone with a food allergy.
Albert Heijn lists products including AH Extra lang lekker tijger wit heel, a whole white wheat loaf that you can slice yourself.
Jumbo’s white bread range includes casino wit and tosti brood wit.
Lidl describes its casino wit as a square loaf weighing 800 g.
ALDI lists options including white bread and casino wit, in formats such as half and whole loaves.
PLUS lists products including Goedhart Tostibrood wit half, for anyone looking for toast or sandwich bread.
Dirk lists products including Bakker van der Akker casino wit heel and boeren tijger wit heel, as well as white rolls.
A whole white loaf gives you more control if you want to cut thick slices yourself. Albert Heijn, ALDI and Dirk list whole white loaves, but the type of bread doesn’t guarantee how well the crumb will hold together with your fillings. Cut a test slice at home first.
Yes. Use a cool bag if the fillings are normally kept chilled. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends taking chilled products out of the fridge shortly before you leave and discarding perishable food if it has been out of the fridge for more than two hours.
No, don’t assume it does. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may be present in bread through bakers’ salt, but this doesn’t confirm that every loaf contains them. Check the ingredients list of the product you’ve chosen.
Read the allergen information on the current packaging of the bread you’re buying. The listed ingredients and warnings apply to that specific product, so don’t infer them from the description ‘white bread’ or from information about a different loaf.
