Which type of bread suits you?

If bread is the centrepiece of your Christmas table

You can slice a whole white sourdough loaf to serve with toppings or alongside a starter. If you want to slice it at the table, check whether the loaf is already sliced.

If you want to bake the bread just before the meal

A bake-at-home baguette or tear-and-share loaf is ideal for serving warm, as long as you have enough time and space to prepare it alongside the other Christmas dishes.

If you like to check the label carefully

Check the ingredients and allergens on your chosen loaf if you need to know whether it contains wheat, gluten, added yeast or iodised salt. The term sourdough alone doesn’t tell you this.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want to slice a whole loaf or bake bread just before the meal. Then check the label and, for bake-at-home bread, the preparation instructions.

Whole white sourdough loaf

Choose this if: you want to serve slices of bread as a centrepiece on the Christmas table.

Bear in mind: you’ll need to slice an unsliced loaf yourself; it isn’t a substitute for bread that you bake just before the meal.

Bake-at-home baguette or tear-and-share loaf

Choose this if: you want to bake and share warm bread just before serving.

Bear in mind: you’ll need oven or air fryer space at the same time as you’re preparing the rest of the meal.

What to consider What to check before buying Who it matters to
Presentation and flavour Check the shape of the loaf and the sourdough description; see whether a whole loaf is sliced. If I want to put bread on the table and serve it with toppings, I look for a shape that’s easy to slice and share. Presentation and flavour are the top priority for around 40% of consumers.
When you’ll serve it For bake-at-home bread, check the stated baking time and whether an oven or air fryer is available. If I want to serve warm bread while the rest of the Christmas meal is being prepared, baking it needs to fit into my plans. Around 30% of consumers prioritise when they’ll serve the bread.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact loaf; check separately for yeast and iodised salt if needed. If I need to avoid certain ingredients or check for iodised salt, I can’t rely on the word sourdough. Ingredients and allergen information are the top purchase priority for around 30% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough means no added yeast

    Jumbo lists both sourdough and yeast in the ingredients for its white sourdough tear-and-share bread and sourdough baguette. According to the product information, PLUS’s white sourdough baguette also contains yeast.

    If you’re specifically looking for a product without added baker’s yeast, check the ingredients of the loaf you choose.

  • Assuming every sourdough loaf contains baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers in the Netherlands aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the terms organic and sourdough don’t tell you which salt is used in a particular loaf.

    Look for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the label, and ask which salt has been used if you’re buying unpackaged bread.

  • Trying to identify allergens from the word sourdough

    The white sourdough products mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS, among others, contain wheat. Seeing sourdough on the label doesn’t mean a loaf is free from gluten or other allergens.

    Use the allergen information for the exact product rather than relying on the name of the bread.

  • Choosing bake-at-home bread without making room for it

    Bread that you want to bake just before the meal needs the right appliance to be free at that time. This may coincide with preparing other Christmas dishes.

    Check the preparation instructions against your menu, and make sure the oven or air fryer can fit the amount of bread you need.

Brands and ranges to explore

Albert Heijn

AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond gesneden is a white sourdough loaf for anyone who wants to serve a whole sliced loaf.

  • Albert Heijn states that this loaf weighs 600 g, is made using a 56-hour proving process, contains natural sourdough and iodised salt, and has no added baker’s yeast.
  • Check the label and current allergen information when you buy it; Albert Heijn says that product information may change.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers rustic sourdough loaves from its in-store bakery, as well as par-baked white sourdough tear-and-share bread and a white sourdough baguette.

  • Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are left to mature for more than 24 hours with fresh sourdough starter; the in-store bakery products are intended for purchase in store.
  • The ingredients for the white tear-and-share loaf and baguette mentioned also include yeast. Check the allergens and preparation instructions for each product.

Lidl

Lidl describes Rustiek wit desembrood as a white wheat sourdough loaf from its fresh-from-the-oven range.

  • It’s an in-store product for anyone who wants to pick up a white sourdough loaf without having to bake it at home.
  • Check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact loaf before choosing it.

PLUS

PLUS offers both Korenlanders Desem Wit and a white sourdough baguette to bake at home.

  • PLUS describes Korenlanders Desem Wit as a medium white wheat and rye sourdough loaf. For its bake-at-home baguette, PLUS provides separate instructions for an oven and an air fryer.
  • According to PLUS, the baguette mentioned contains 11% sourdough, yeast and iodised salt. Check the current ingredients and allergens for both types of bread.

ALDI

ALDI describes Bakkersgoud Rustiek Wit as a white loaf with a golden-brown crust and soft centre.

  • Rustic white bread could be an alternative if the shape of the loaf matters more to you than whether it contains sourdough.
  • If you’re specifically looking for white sourdough bread, check the product name and ingredients of the item you choose; rustic white doesn’t automatically mean sourdough.

Dirk

Dirk lists both white bread and sourdough in its bread range.

  • That makes the range worth exploring if you’re looking for bread for your Christmas table.
  • Check the ingredients and allergens for any specific white sourdough loaf; separate white bread and sourdough categories don’t confirm that every white loaf contains sourdough.

Related products at Joybuy

Related products will appear soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is white sourdough bread always free from added yeast?

No. Jumbo lists yeast in the ingredients for Desem Breekbrood Wit and Desem Baguette Wit; the same applies to PLUS’s white sourdough baguette. In contrast, Albert Heijn says that AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond has no added baker’s yeast. So always read the label of the loaf you choose.

Can I tell from the name sourdough whether it contains gluten?

No. The white sourdough products mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat, and PLUS describes Korenlanders Desem Wit as a wheat and rye sourdough loaf. Always check the allergen information for the exact product; sourdough doesn’t mean gluten-free.

Does Dutch sourdough bread always contain iodised salt?

No. The Voedingscentrum says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt, and ask if you’re buying unpackaged bread.

How can I fit a bake-at-home baguette in with the rest of Christmas dinner?

Set aside the necessary appliance according to the instructions for the bread you’ve chosen. For its white sourdough baguette, PLUS recommends 8–10 minutes in the oven at 220 °C or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C. Remember to allow for preheating and the space needed for other dishes, too.