A whole white sourdough loaf is handy for making slices topped with herring. For sharing at a drinks table, you could choose tear-and-share bread or a baguette instead. Go for a bake-off option if you have time and a suitable appliance just before serving. Check the ingredients, allergens and any mention of iodised salt for each loaf individually: the word sourdough alone doesn’t tell you whether it contains it.
If you want to make topped slices, you can slice a whole loaf yourself. For a table where guests can help themselves and share, white sourdough tear-and-share bread or a baguette are other options to consider.
A bake-off loaf is a good choice if you can fit the preparation in just before mealtime. PLUS says its white sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in the oven at 220 °C or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C.
If iodised salt, wheat or other allergens matter to you, check the information for the specific loaf. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers’ salt isn’t compulsory, so the word sourdough on the packaging doesn’t confirm that the bread contains iodised salt.
First, decide how you’d like to serve the bread with herring or other toppings. Then check whether the preparation fits your plans and read the label on the loaf you choose.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Bread format | Choose between a whole loaf to slice yourself, tear-and-share bread or a baguette to break into smaller pieces. | For a drinks table, I want bread that guests can easily help themselves to; for topped slices, I want to choose the thickness myself. Bread format is the top priority for around 40% of consumers. |
| Preparation time | Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs defrosting or baking, and which appliance you’ll need. | When the herring is on the table, I don’t want to be left waiting for the bread. Timing is the main concern for around 30% of consumers. |
| Label | Read the ingredients and allergen information, including any mention of iodised salt and possible cross-contamination. | I want to know before buying whether the ingredients suit my needs. Checking the label is the top priority for around 30% of consumers. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using bakers’ salt isn’t compulsory. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in its organic OerDesem Blond, but that tells you nothing about other sourdough loaves.
Check the ingredients list for bakers’ salt or iodised salt, or ask your baker.
The white sourdough products mentioned from Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn contain wheat and/or gluten. Other allergen information can also vary from product to product.
If you have an allergy, check the information for the specific product. For unpackaged bread, ask for allergen information before you buy.
PLUS’s white sourdough baguette needs to be baked at home, and preheating can take time too.
Read the preparation instructions before planning when to serve it. If baking doesn’t fit your schedule, choose bread that’s ready to eat.
At a drinks gathering, you could be left with a whole loaf if guests mainly eat herring or other toppings.
Choose a bread format to suit the number of guests. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions straight after buying it if you want to keep it.
The range varies by loaf and shop, so check the packaging of the option you want to buy.
Albert Heijn offers, among other options, blond and frozen OerDesem loaves.
Jumbo offers white sourdough options, including par-baked tear-and-share bread.
PLUS offers, among other options, a white sourdough baguette to bake at home and a small white sourdough sunflower seed loaf.
Lidl describes its rustic white sourdough as a white wheat sourdough loaf.
Aldi offers fresh white bread and Bakkersgoud Rustic White.
Dirk lists white bread and sourdough among the types in its bread range.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using bakers’ salt isn’t compulsory. Check whether the ingredients list for the loaf you choose mentions bakers’ salt or iodised salt, or ask when buying unpackaged bread.
Not just because it’s called sourdough. The white sourdough products mentioned from Jumbo, PLUS and Albert Heijn contain wheat and/or gluten. If you have an allergy, always check the allergen information for the specific loaf.
Choose a bake-off option with instructions that suit your plans and appliance. PLUS says its white sourdough baguette takes 8–10 minutes in the oven at 220 °C or 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C; the frozen OerDesem option from Albert Heijn mentioned here needs to defrost for at least 6 hours first.
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging. If you want to freeze bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends doing so in portions straight after buying it.
