Which bread is right for you?

Lunch shoppers who prioritise flavour

You’re looking for a white roll where flavour and crust are what matter most. Check the product details or ingredients list to see whether it contains sourdough, rather than trying to tell from its appearance.

Lunch shoppers who prioritise fibre

You want sourdough for lunch, but are comparing white and wholemeal options. Check the type of bread and the fibre content per 100 g on the packaging.

Lunch shoppers short on preparation time

You want to take a roll with you or prepare it just before lunch. Check whether it’s ready to eat, how a bake-at-home product needs to be prepared, and what storage and allergen information applies.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want white or wholemeal bread. Then check how it needs to be prepared and the ingredients of the exact roll you’re considering for lunch.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this most important for?
Flavour and crust Check whether the chosen bread is described as sourdough, and choose the type of bread you want for lunch. When I pick up a roll, what matters most is a flavour and crust that suit my preferences; around 20% of consumers put flavour and crust first.
Preparation time Check whether the bread is ready to eat or needs baking, and what equipment you’ll need. If I want lunch straight away, a roll that needs to go in the oven won’t work for me. Preparation convenience is the main concern for around 27% of consumers.
Wholemeal and fibre Look specifically for the wholemeal label and compare fibre on the same basis, for example per 100 g. I want sourdough, but for lunch I mainly look at the type of bread and its fibre content; this matters most to around 33% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product, including the grains listed. If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I don’t want to rely on the name ‘sourdough’. Around 20% of consumers give this check top priority.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough means wholemeal

    Sourdough doesn’t tell you whether a bread is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while white bread is made from refined flour.

    Look for the wholemeal label if that’s what matters most to you, and compare the fibre content per 100 g.

  • Buying a bake-at-home roll for lunch when you don’t have an oven

    A part-baked roll may still need cooking. For example, PLUS recommends baking its white sourdough baguette in the oven for 8–10 minutes at 220 °C.

    Read the cooking instructions before taking the roll with you. Choose a ready-to-eat product if you can’t bake it.

  • Guessing allergens from the product name

    Jumbo’s white sourdough rolls list wheat and spelt; PLUS’s white sourdough bread lists wheat and rye. So the name ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you which grains the product contains.

    Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging of the exact bread.

Brands and shops compared

Albert Heijn

A shop where you can compare white and wholemeal sourdough options side by side.

  • The sourdough range includes white and wholemeal options. AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren lists 6,5 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Compare the nutritional information for the specific bread: the figures for the wholemeal version don’t automatically apply to white sourdough.

Jumbo

A shop for rustic sourdough loaves and part-baked white sourdough rolls.

  • Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are left to mature for more than 24 hours with fresh sourdough starter. The white sourdough rolls are sold as a separate, part-baked product.
  • Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves, baked in store, aren’t available to order online. Check the cooking instructions and allergen information for the rolls.

Lidl

A shop for rustic white wheat sourdough.

  • Lidl describes its rustic white sourdough as white wheat sourdough.
  • The product is listed as available in store only. Check the label there for ingredients and allergens.

Aldi

A shop where you can compare different types of bread for lunch.

  • Aldi’s range includes white bread, wholemeal bread, freshly baked bread and bake-at-home bread.
  • Choose based on the label and ingredients of the bread you actually find in store, rather than relying only on the general range description.

Plus

A shop for a whole white sourdough loaf or a bake-at-home white sourdough baguette.

  • PLUS provides ingredients and preparation information for these products. The bake-at-home white sourdough baguette comes with oven instructions.
  • Check which grains are listed for each product and whether it needs baking; the two types of bread don’t require the same preparation.

Dirk

A shop where you can browse white, wholemeal, multigrain and sourdough breads as separate types.

  • Dirk lists these types of bread in its bread category.
  • For the bread you choose, check both whether it’s labelled white or wholemeal and its ingredients; the category description doesn’t refer to a specific white sourdough product.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is white sourdough wholemeal bread too?

No. Sourdough and wholemeal describe different characteristics of bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, so look specifically for the wholemeal label if that’s the type you want.

Is white sourdough gluten-free?

Don’t assume it is. Jumbo’s white sourdough rolls list wheat and spelt, while PLUS’s white sourdough bread lists wheat and rye. Read the current allergen information for the exact product.

Does a white sourdough roll always need baking?

No, preparation instructions vary by product. PLUS’s white sourdough baguette is a bake-at-home product, and PLUS recommends baking it in an oven at 220 °C for 8–10 minutes. Check the packaging for any other roll.

How can I tell whether my bread contains baker’s salt?

Look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list of the bread you choose. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre discusses iodine in bread in connection with the use of baker’s salt, but the label tells you what’s in your product.

Can I order any supermarket sourdough online?

No. Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves, baked in store, aren’t available to order online. Before you pick up or order the bread you want, check the sales channel and current availability.