Choose fresh white sourdough bread baked in store if you want to serve it soon after buying it. A part-baked loaf gives you more control over when it reaches the table. Check the ingredients and allergen information for both: the word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t mean baker’s yeast hasn’t been added. If the type of grain and nutritional value matter more to you than choosing white bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as often as possible.
You’re looking for white sourdough bread with a flavour, crust and shape that work well with dips and toppings. Think about whether you want to slice it or tear it, and when you plan to serve it.
You want to prepare the bread at home while making other dishes. Compare the baking instructions and the amount of bread to make sure they suit your schedule and the number of guests.
You want to know which allergens and grains the bread contains, or you’re specifically looking for bread with no added baker’s yeast. Read the label on packaged bread, and ask for product information if it’s sold loose.
First decide when you’ll serve the bread and what role it will play alongside the dishes from around the world. Then check the information for the specific loaf.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Flavour and presentation | Look at the shape of the loaf and consider whether you want to slice or tear it before the meal. Check when the bread baked in store is available. | With dips and sharing platters, I want bread whose flavour and crust can stand out. Around 25% of consumers give presentation top priority. |
| When to serve | Check whether the bread is ready to serve or needs to be finished baking at home. If it’s part-baked, follow the instructions on the pack. | Anyone preparing several dishes may want to get the bread ready just before the meal. For around 25% of consumers, having control over when it’s served matters most. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the bread you’ve chosen. Check separately for baker’s yeast if you want to avoid it. | If I’m buying for a guest with an allergy, I can’t rely on the name of the bread; the same applies if I have a specific requirement about yeast. Around 19% of consumers put checking the ingredients first. |
| Type of grain and nutritional value | Check whether the bread is white, brown or wholemeal, and compare the nutritional information per 100 g if needed. | If you’re mainly weighing up the type of grain and nutritional value, ‘sourdough’ on its own doesn’t answer your questions. Around 19% of consumers give this consideration priority. |
| Availability | Check the range at the branch where you shop, and bear in mind that some products are only available in store. | If I’m shopping just before the meal, the bread needs to be available at my local shop; the exact sourdough recipe matters less. Availability comes first for around 12% of consumers. |
According to their product information, both Jumbo Desem Breekbrood Wit and PLUS Korenlanders Desem Wit contain sourdough and baker’s yeast.
Read the ingredients list for the bread you choose. If added yeast is a deciding factor for you, ask about the ingredients when buying loose bread.
The name doesn’t tell you which allergens the bread contains. What’s more, loose bread doesn’t come with a pack that you can take away and check.
Before buying, check the label or ask the bakery department for the allergen information for that specific bread.
Sourdough describes how bread is made; it doesn’t mean wholemeal flour has been used. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as often as possible.
Choose white sourdough bread if you specifically want this type of bread with your meal. Look at brown or wholemeal options if the type of grain is your priority.
Bread you don’t use can dry out or go mouldy. How much you need depends on the rest of the menu and how you plan to serve it.
Plan how much you want to slice or share. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing any bread you won’t use straight away in portions after buying it, and throwing away mouldy bread.
Albert Heijn’s white bread range includes AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond.
Jumbo describes rustic sourdough loaves sold in store and also offers a packaged Desem Breekbrood Wit.
PLUS lists Korenlanders Desem Wit in its range of part-baked bread.
Lidl lists Rustiek wit desembrood as a product sold in store.
ALDI lists regular white bread and Bakkersgoud rustiek wit in its bread range.
Dirk lists white bread and sourdough in its bread range; the product description for Batard wit mentions wheat and rye.
No. According to the product information from Jumbo and PLUS, Desem Breekbrood Wit and Korenlanders Desem Wit contain both sourdough and baker’s yeast. If added yeast is a deciding factor for you, read the ingredients for the bread you want to buy.
Before buying, ask the bakery department for the allergen information for that specific bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that consumers must be given this information for loose products in a way other than on packaging.
Not necessarily: sourdough doesn’t tell you which grain or type of flour has been used. Check the product name and ingredients if you’re looking for wholemeal bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends replacing white bread with wholemeal or brown bread as often as possible.
You can’t tell from the name. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be present in bread through baker’s salt; this doesn’t confirm what’s in any particular loaf. Check the product information for the bread you choose.
If you won’t use the bread straight away, freeze it in portions after buying it, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, and follow the storage instructions for your chosen product. Throw away any mouldy bread.
