Which bread shape is best for you?

BBQ guests who like to share

Want to serve bread alongside grilled food, dips or toppings? You can slice a baguette, while guests can tear off pieces of a tear-and-share loaf.

Planners who bake just before serving

If you want to bake the bread just before serving, make room in the oven or air fryer. Follow the cooking instructions for the product you choose: cooking times and temperatures are not interchangeable.

Shoppers who compare labels

Check the grains used in each loaf, its gluten content and any warnings about traces of allergens. Also check whether yeast has been added alongside the sourdough starter, and what type of salt is listed on the label.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, decide how you want to serve the bread. Then check whether you have time to bake it and whether the ingredients suit your guests’ needs.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
How to serve it Decide whether you want to slice a baguette or share pieces of a tear-and-share loaf. If everyone is helping themselves to bread from the same platter, I want to be able to share pieces without slicing them first. For around 33% of consumers, how the bread is served comes first.
When to bake it Read the cooking instructions and check whether you have an oven or air fryer available. I want to bake the bread just before eating, but I need to make room for it alongside the rest of the BBQ meal. This is the most important consideration for around 25% of consumers.
Sourdough in the product Look for starter or sourdough on the ingredients list, and check separately whether yeast has been added. For me, a clear sourdough component matters more than the shape of the bread. Around 25% of consumers give this preference top priority.
Ingredients and nutritional information Check the label for grains, allergens and the type of salt; compare the nutritional information if it matters to you. If I need to consider certain ingredients or want to know what type of salt has been used, I only decide after reading the label. For around 17% of consumers, this is the first thing they consider.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough is always made without added yeast

    The white sourdough products from Jumbo and PLUS discussed here list both sourdough and yeast. So the product name alone won’t tell you which raising agents have been used.

    Read the ingredients list for the exact loaf if you want to avoid added yeast.

  • Assuming every sourdough loaf contains iodised salt

    According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), bread does not have to be baked with bakers’ salt. The type of salt may therefore be a factor in your choice.

    Check the label for bakers’ salt or iodised salt, or ask the baker.

  • Confusing sourdough with gluten-free bread

    The white sourdough products from Jumbo and PLUS mentioned here contain wheat and/or spelt, and gluten. Some product labels also warn that they may contain traces of other allergens.

    If you need gluten-free bread, choose only a product that is explicitly labelled gluten-free and check the full label.

  • Assuming in-store bakery bread is available to order online

    Jumbo describes its rustic sourdough loaves as unavailable to order online; Lidl says its rustic white sourdough bread is only available in store.

    Before your BBQ, check with the relevant shop to see whether the bread is available, and read the latest product information there.

Brands to compare

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn has an online sourdough bread category and explains what sourdough is.

  • Useful for comparing different types of bread and product labels.
  • Before choosing a particular white loaf for your BBQ, check its shape and ingredients.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists both a white sourdough tear-and-share loaf and a white sourdough baguette.

  • The product information helps you choose between sharing pieces and slicing the bread.
  • Jumbo says its rustic in-store bakery sourdough loaves cannot be ordered online; check availability in store.

Lidl

Lidl lists a rustic white wheat sourdough loaf for anyone who wants to take home a whole loaf.

  • The product is specifically described as white wheat sourdough bread.
  • Lidl says it is only available in store; check the ingredients and allergen information there too.

ALDI

ALDI lists rustic white bread and bake-off bread as options for the BBQ table.

  • You can compare different types of white bread.
  • If you’re specifically looking for sourdough, don’t rely on the name of the rustic white bread; check the ingredients.

PLUS

PLUS lists a white sourdough baguette that can be baked before serving.

  • PLUS provides cooking instructions for an oven and an air fryer for this baguette.
  • The product also lists yeast and gluten-containing grains; check the label if these ingredients affect your choice.

Dirk

Dirk lists white bread, baguettes and sourdough among its bread range.

  • The different bread shapes give you useful options to compare for your table.
  • For your chosen white bread, check separately that it actually contains sourdough and see which allergens are listed.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is white sourdough bread always made without added yeast?

No. The white sourdough products from Jumbo and PLUS mentioned here list yeast as well as sourdough. Read the ingredients list for the exact loaf if you want to avoid added yeast.

Can you cook a white sourdough baguette in an air fryer?

For the PLUS Korenlanders Wit baguette with sourdough starter, PLUS provides air fryer instructions: preheat to 200 °C and bake for 4 minutes. For any other bread, follow the instructions on its own packaging.

Does sourdough bread always contain bakers’ salt?

No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), bread does not have to be baked with bakers’ salt. Check the label or ask the baker what type of salt is used in the bread.

Is white sourdough bread the same as wholemeal bread?

No. Sourdough describes how the bread is made; it doesn’t make white bread wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) says that white bread contains fewer nutrients than wholemeal bread. Compare the product description, ingredients and nutritional information if that matters to your choice.