Which option is right for you?

If you want bread straight away

If you need bread on the table today without any further preparation, look for a fully baked loaf. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are baked in store and aren’t available to order online.

If you want to compare ingredients

If the sourdough process or ingredients are important to you, look beyond the product name. The examples from Albert Heijn and PLUS show why you should check each loaf for added yeast, the grains used and the type of salt.

If you want to bake bread to go with a light meal

A part-baked baguette or tear-and-share loaf is a good choice if you want to prepare the bread just before eating. Check the size and baking instructions to make sure it fits in with your meal.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether the bread needs to be ready to eat or whether you’ll bake it at home. Then compare the ingredients on the label of the specific product.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Ready to eat Check whether the bread is fully baked and when you can pick it up. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves, baked in store, are only available in store. I want to be able to serve bread as soon as I get home from a quick shop, without baking it first. For around 33% of consumers, bread that’s ready to eat comes first.
Sourdough and ingredients Check the ingredients list for sourdough, any added yeast, the grains used and iodised or baker’s salt. Only compare a stated sourdough percentage when it’s clear which product it refers to. If I’m specifically looking for sourdough bread, I want to know what else it contains and whether the label meets my needs. Around 27% of consumers put this information first.
Baking at home Check the size and follow the instructions on the packaging. PLUS says its white sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C. I have time and the right equipment at home, and want to bake the bread just before the meal. Serving it freshly baked matters most to around 20% of consumers.
Other white bread If you choose an alternative, check the packaging to see whether it actually contains sourdough; a rustic name or crust doesn’t confirm that it does. If I mainly need white bread, another type may do, even if it isn’t a confirmed sourdough option. For around 20% of consumers, having this practical alternative takes priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough never contains added yeast

    The term sourdough doesn’t rule out yeast. PLUS lists baker’s yeast in Korenlanders Desem Wit, and yeast also appears in the ingredients list for Jumbo Desem Breekbrood Wit.

    If you’re looking for bread with no added yeast, check the full ingredients list of the loaf you’re buying.

  • Thinking all bread is made with baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, using baker’s salt in bread isn’t compulsory. So you can’t tell which salt has been used just from the type of bread.

    Check the label for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this is important to your choice.

  • Buying part-baked bread for a meal that’s about to start

    Part-baked bread still needs to be prepared. For example, PLUS gives separate oven and air fryer instructions for its white sourdough baguette.

    Choose bread that’s ready to eat if you don’t want to bake it at home; otherwise, follow the instructions for the exact product.

  • Assuming rustic white bread is the same as white sourdough

    A rustic product name doesn’t, by itself, tell you whether the bread contains sourdough. ALDI describes Bakkersgoud rustiek wit as white bread, without identifying it as a sourdough option.

    Check the product name and ingredients on the packaging before choosing another white bread as a sourdough alternative.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond gesneden is a specific example for anyone looking for sliced white sourdough bread.

  • Albert Heijn says this loaf has a 56-hour proving process, uses natural sourdough and contains no added baker’s yeast.
  • These details apply to this particular loaf, not necessarily to other sourdough breads from Albert Heijn. Check the latest packaging.

Jumbo

Jumbo sells both rustic sourdough loaves baked in store and a part-baked white sourdough tear-and-share loaf.

  • Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves prove for more than 24 hours and are made with fresh sourdough starter.
  • According to Jumbo, these loaves baked in store aren’t available to order online. The part-baked white sourdough tear-and-share loaf also contains yeast.

PLUS

PLUS offers examples of both a white sourdough loaf and a white sourdough baguette to bake at home.

  • PLUS lists 8% sourdough in Korenlanders Desem Wit and provides oven and air fryer instructions for its white sourdough baguette.
  • According to PLUS, Korenlanders Desem Wit also contains baker’s yeast, wheat and rye. Check the ingredients of your chosen variety separately.

Lidl

Lidl describes Rustiek wit desembrood as white wheat sourdough bread and says it’s available in store.

  • The product description tells you what type of bread to look for in store.
  • Check the ingredients, allergens and type of salt used on the packaging in store.

ALDI

Bakkersgoud rustiek wit is an option if another type of white bread will do.

  • ALDI describes this product as white bread with a golden-brown crust and a soft centre.
  • The description doesn’t confirm that this bread contains sourdough. Don’t treat it as equivalent to white sourdough without checking the label.

Dirk

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

  • The bakery section may be a good place to look for a suitable option.
  • Check the product name and packaging of a specific loaf; the categories ‘white’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t, together, confirm that it’s a particular white sourdough option.

Products on Joybuy

This baguette is a handy size to add to a small meal. Check the packaging if white sourdough, ready-to-eat bread or the option to bake it at home is a must for you.

G'woon White Rustic Baguette 250 g

G'woon White Rustic Baguette 250 g

A 250 g baguette for anyone looking for bread to go with a light meal.

Before buying, check the packaging to see whether the bread contains sourdough, is ready to eat or needs baking. If you have specific ingredient requirements, check the label too.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is sourdough bread always made without added yeast?

No. Check the ingredients of the specific loaf. Albert Heijn says AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond contains no added baker’s yeast, while PLUS Korenlanders Desem Wit lists baker’s yeast and Jumbo Desem Breekbrood Wit lists yeast.

Is baker’s salt compulsory in bread in the Netherlands?

No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt; you can check the label to see whether it has been used. Check each loaf for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this matters to you.

Does sourdough mean a loaf is free from wheat or other gluten-containing grains?

No, the term sourdough doesn’t tell you that. Albert Heijn lists wheat in the OerDesem loaf mentioned above, PLUS lists wheat and rye in Korenlanders Desem Wit, and Jumbo lists wheat and spelt in Desem Breekbrood Wit. If you have an allergy or other dietary restriction, always check the latest label for the exact product.

How do you bake PLUS white sourdough baguette?

Follow the instructions on the packaging of the baguette you bought. PLUS says its white sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in an oven at 220 °C, or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C.