Choose wholemeal bread if fibre is your priority, then decide which bread shape best suits your snacks. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives figures of 3.4 g of fibre per 50 g wholemeal roll and 1.2 g per 45 g hand-cut slice of white bread. As the portions differ in weight, it’s best to compare specific products per 100 g. Check the allergens in the bread, dips and toppings, and allow time for preparation if you choose bread that needs baking.
If you want to make a conscious effort to get more fibre at snack time, don’t judge bread by its colour alone. Look for an explicit wholemeal description and compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the products you’re considering.
If you’re serving bread alongside dips and hot snacks, its shape may help you decide. Consider baguettes, rolls or flatbreads to share, and check the preparation instructions for bread that needs baking.
If you need to know which cereals containing gluten or other allergens are present, check the specific bread as well as what you’re serving with it. Ask for allergen information before buying unpackaged bread.
Start with what matters most for your snack night: fibre, a shape that’s easy to share, preparation or allergen information. Then check the label and packaging of the bread you want to buy.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre | Check that it’s described as wholemeal and compare fibre per 100 g; bear in mind that portions may weigh different amounts. | If I want to switch from white bread to get more fibre, I want to know what the bread I choose actually contains. Around 36% of consumers put this fibre choice first. |
| Bread shape | Check whether sliced bread, baguettes, rolls or flatbread suits the way you want to serve it. | For dips and sharing platters, I want bread that’s easy to share around the table. Around 29% of consumers put this shareable shape first. |
| Preparation | Check the pack size and whether the bread is ready to serve or needs baking. | When the number of people eating varies, I want to avoid leftovers and not find myself needing oven space unexpectedly. This convenience matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the allergen information on packaged bread; ask about it before buying unpackaged bread. | If someone at the table needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check the bread, dips and toppings too. Around 14% of consumers give checking allergens their highest priority. |
The colour or appearance of bread doesn’t tell you which ingredients it contains or how much fibre is in that specific product.
Look for an explicit wholemeal description and compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s examples are a 50 g wholemeal roll and a 45 g hand-cut slice of white bread. Their fibre figures per item therefore aren’t a like-for-like comparison by weight.
For products with different portion sizes, use the figures per 100 g.
Bread that needs to defrost or go in the oven won’t be ready as soon as the other snacks are on the table.
Read the preparation instructions for your chosen product and check that you’ll have oven space at the right time.
Bread from the bakery section may also contain ingredients that matter to someone at the table. The same goes for dips and toppings.
Ask for allergen information before buying unpackaged bread, and check the products you’re serving with it.
A useful option if you want to serve wholemeal baguette with dips or sharing snacks.
An option for comparing different types of wholemeal bread.
Worth considering if individual wholemeal rolls suit your snack spread.
Worth considering if you’re choosing between wholemeal loaves, half loaves and wholemeal rolls.
A useful option if you want to compare wholemeal loaves in different sizes and shapes.
A shop to consider if a wholemeal farmhouse loaf or bâtard suits your meal.
These products offer different ways to serve bread on snack night, from shareable flatbread to rye bread, crispbread and a round loaf that needs baking. Crispbread makes a crunchy base for snacks, but it’s not a substitute for soft bread if that texture is important to you.
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Flatbread is easy to share with dips if you’d rather not serve sliced bread. Before serving it with other snacks, check the packaging for fibre per 100 g, preparation instructions and allergens.
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The pack of 9 may suit you if you want to serve rye bread in individual portions. Check the exact wholemeal ingredients, allergens and whether the product needs any preparation before serving.
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This rye bread is an option if you want to serve bread alongside hot snacks. The name suggests a bread roll, while the further description refers to sliced rye bread. Check the actual shape and the allergens on the packaging.
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Crispbread is a good choice if you’re looking for a crunchy base for toppings or spreads, but it doesn’t have the texture of soft bread. If they’re important to your choice, check the nutritional information and allergens for this variety.
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This round loaf is a good fit if you want to serve bread alongside your snacks and have time to defrost and bake it. Check the baking time on the packaging, and only compare fibre figures once you know what quantity they refer to. Check the allergens too.
Choose wholemeal if fibre is the main reason you want to switch bread for snack night. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives figures of 3.4 g of fibre for a 50 g wholemeal roll and 1.2 g for a 45 g hand-cut slice of white bread. Compare specific products per 100 g, as these example portions don’t weigh the same.
Baguettes, rolls and flatbreads are easy to share with dips, while sliced bread is better suited to making topped bites. For your chosen variety, check whether it needs baking and how much bread you’ll need for your group.
If it matters to your choice, check the ingredients list of the specific bread for iodised salt. Albert Heijn lists it for AH Stokbrood volkoren, but that doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients in other breads.
Ask for allergen information before buying unpackaged bread, and read the label on packaged bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority lists cereals containing gluten among the allergens consumers must be given information about. Check dips and toppings separately too.
If it’s in keeping with the product’s storage instructions, freeze any bread you won’t use on snack night in portions. For opened wholemeal bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping it in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months.
