When people have different preferences, don’t automatically take one compromise loaf. Choose wholemeal bread if a wholemeal option is your priority. Add white bread if some people prefer it, or consider fine wholemeal bread if a less coarse texture is what you’re looking for. Check the product description and allergens on the packaging, and take any fillings that need to stay chilled in a cool bag.
You want to choose bread made with wholemeal flour. The Voedingscentrum explains that wholegrain products contain more fibre than white grain products, so check the product description rather than relying on the colour alone.
Some people in the group want soft white bread, while others prefer wholemeal. Fine wholemeal bread can be a less coarse option. Taking both white and wholemeal bread means no one has to settle for just one type.
You’re looking for bread that’s easy to portion and take with you. If you’re also bringing fillings that need to stay chilled, it’s important to think about how you’ll transport them: the Voedingscentrum recommends using a cool bag.
First, decide whether the group mainly needs a wholemeal option, a familiar bread texture or something that’s easy to transport. Then compare the product description, size and information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Look for the wholemeal product description and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | I want to choose wholemeal bread for the picnic, rather than judge by a dark colour or seeds. Around 45% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
| Taste and texture | See if fine wholemeal bread would suit, or choose white and wholemeal separately. Pick a size that works for your group. | If fussy eaters leave coarse bread untouched, I want to offer them a familiar alternative too. This preference would matter most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Transport and fillings | Choose manageable portions and check the storage instructions. Carry any fillings that need to stay chilled in a cool bag. | I want to be able to hand out the bread easily without transporting chilled fillings unprotected. This practical need would come first for around 22% of consumers. |
The colour and visible seeds don’t tell you on their own which flour has been used. If you specifically want wholemeal bread, you could end up taking a different type than you intended.
Check the product description and read the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging.
Choosing wholemeal won’t automatically meet the needs of people who prefer soft white bread. Taking two types gives the group a choice, although you may have leftovers.
If the group is small, consider a half loaf or smaller packs. If both preferences are clear, take white and wholemeal separately.
Choosing between white and wholemeal bread doesn’t change how you need to transport fillings that must stay chilled.
Follow the Voedingscentrum’s advice and take these fillings in a cool bag. Only take them out of the fridge shortly before you leave.
Ingredients vary from product to product. For example, PLUS lists wheat, barley and soya in its boerenvolkoren bread. This doesn’t tell you what’s in another loaf.
Check the latest label every time you buy bread if someone needs to avoid particular ingredients.
These retailers offer useful options for comparing types of bread. Check the latest packaging and availability for each product you choose.
Albert Heijn has separate online categories for white bread and wholemeal bread.
Jumbo’s wholemeal bread category includes both fine and coarser options.
Lidl’s bread range distinguishes between white, brown, multigrain and wholemeal bread.
ALDI’s fresh bread range includes white bread, fine wholemeal bread and multigrain bread.
PLUS provides nutritional information, allergen details and storage instructions for individual bread products.
Dirk stocks options including white bread, wholemeal bread, multigrain bread and half loaves.
These bread options are suitable if you want to take both a wholemeal and a white option to your picnic. Consider the round loaf separately if having a fully wholemeal option is essential to you.
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A flatbread option for anyone who wants to take bread made with wholemeal flour as well as white bread. The pack contains six pieces. If you have an allergy, check the latest label.
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Four individual white rolls for picnickers who prefer white bread. This isn’t a wholemeal option, so take a separate loaf if you want to offer one. If you have an allergy, check the label.
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A 250 g white baguette that you can cut into portions. If you want to offer a wholemeal option too, you’ll need a separate loaf. If you have an allergy, check the label.
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A 550 g round loaf for anyone who wants to prepare portions in advance. It needs to be defrosted, baked and cooled before the picnic. If a fully wholemeal option is important to you, check the latest product description and ingredients. If you have an allergy, read the label.
No. Wholemeal bread is a good choice if a wholemeal option is your priority, but if people have different preferences, offering a separate white option means no one has to go without bread they enjoy. The Voedingscentrum explains that wholegrain products contain more fibre than white grain products, so the two types of bread aren’t the same in this respect.
Check the product description for the word wholemeal and read the ingredients on the packaging. A dark colour, seeds or the description ‘multigrain’ don’t, on their own, prove that it’s made entirely with wholemeal flour.
Yes, if the fillings need to stay chilled. The Voedingscentrum recommends carrying chilled products in a cool bag. Only take the fillings out of the fridge shortly before you leave.
Take two types of bread if both preferences are clear, and choose pack sizes to suit the number of people. A half loaf or smaller pack can help reduce leftovers. Follow the storage instructions on the packaging for any bread you don’t use.
