If you want to put bread straight on the table, choose a ready-to-serve white sourdough loaf; tear-and-share bread lets guests help themselves. A bake-at-home baguette is a better fit if you can use an oven or suitable air fryer just before eating. Check the ingredients and allergens for every loaf: sourdough does not mean it is gluten-free or made with iodised salt.
You’ll want a white sourdough loaf that’s large enough to put on the table alongside the barbecue. Albert Heijn lists its Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond as weighing 600 g, with a 56-hour proving process. Check whether the version you choose is sliced or whether you’ll need a bread knife.
You’ll want to serve the bread warm and have an oven or suitable air fryer available at the time. PLUS provides instructions for preparing its white sourdough baguette in both appliances, but you’ll need to factor this step into your barbecue plans.
You’ll want to check for wheat, gluten and other allergens, or find out whether the bread contains iodised salt, before buying. The white sourdough breads mentioned from Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat. According to the Voedingscentrum, you can check the label to see whether baker’s salt has been used.
Before your barbecue, decide how guests will help themselves to the bread and when you want to serve it. Then compare the ingredients of the size and style that suit your plans.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Easy to share | Compare the weight and shape: a larger loaf is easy to slice, while guests can help themselves to pieces of tear-and-share bread. Also check whether the loaf is pre-sliced. | If I’m putting bread on the table alongside the barbecue dishes, I want everyone to be able to help themselves easily. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| When you’ll serve it | Check whether the bread is ready to serve or needs baking, and whether you’ll have the necessary appliance available. | I want to bake the baguette just before eating, so I need to set aside time and oven space. For around 27% of consumers, when the bread is served matters most. |
| Sourdough recipe | Check which sourdough and whether any baker’s yeast are listed in the ingredients. Compare the product information on proving and baking for each loaf. | If you’re choosing the bread specifically for its sourdough character, you’ll want to know how it’s made rather than relying on the product name alone. This is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergen information, including any mention of wheat, gluten, baker’s salt or iodised salt. | If I need to avoid an ingredient or want to know which salt has been used, the label is what matters. For around 20% of consumers, this check comes first. |
Having sourdough in the product name doesn’t mean that no yeast has been added. Albert Heijn says no baker’s yeast has been added to OerDesem blond, while the ingredients for the Jumbo and PLUS sourdough breads mentioned also include yeast.
If a recipe without added baker’s yeast is important to you, compare the latest ingredient lists.
According to the Voedingscentrum, not all bread is baked with baker’s salt. So the terms ‘sourdough’ and ‘organic’ don’t tell you which salt has been used in a particular loaf.
Check the packaging to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients.
According to the product instructions, PLUS’s white sourdough baguette still needs to go into a preheated oven or air fryer just before serving.
If you won’t have a suitable appliance at your barbecue or don’t have time to bake the bread, choose a ready-to-serve loaf instead.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough breads are sold in store; Lidl says its fresh bread range can vary from branch to branch. ALDI’s freshly baked range is available at stores with an in-store bakery.
Check what your intended branch stocks if you’re making a special trip for a particular loaf.
An option if you’re looking for a larger, ready-to-serve white sourdough loaf.
Offers white sourdough products in different shapes, including tear-and-share bread and baguettes.
Offers both a white sourdough loaf and a white sourdough baguette that needs baking before serving.
An in-store option if you want to pick up white sourdough bread on the day of your barbecue.
An in-store option for browsing freshly baked white bread, rather than choosing a particular sourdough based on its name.
A supermarket where you can compare individual breads, including sourdough options.
Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf for baker’s salt or iodised salt. According to the Voedingscentrum, not all bread is made with baker’s salt; the term ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you either way.
The name ‘sourdough’ doesn’t mean that it is. The white sourdough products mentioned here from Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat. If gluten is a factor in your choice, check the latest ingredients and allergen information for each loaf.
PLUS recommends baking its white sourdough baguette for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 220 °C, or for 4 minutes in a preheated air fryer at 200 °C. These timings apply to this product; follow the instructions on the packaging for any other baguette.
Albert Heijn says that Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month. Defrost it before use, and check the storage advice for other loaves.
