If you have fussy eaters and want a less coarse texture without giving up wholemeal, look for finely milled wholemeal bread first. According to the NVWA, bread can only be called wholemeal if all its grain ingredients are wholemeal flour; bread that also contains white flour is a different choice. Then decide whether you need slices, bread to share or something to fill, and check the packaging for allergens and baker’s salt.
If you prefer to avoid coarse pieces, compare finely milled wholemeal bread with bread made from a mix of wholemeal and white flour. Check the product name and ingredients if the bread must also be entirely wholemeal.
For a shared meal, start by looking for the wholemeal label. Then consider the texture and shape that will work best for toast, sandwiches or small bites.
If your guests need to avoid gluten or other allergens, the ingredients and allergen information for the bread you choose are essential. Check separately for baker’s salt, too.
First choose between bread made entirely with wholemeal flour and bread made with a flour mix. Then consider the texture, how you’ll serve it and the information on the packaging.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal or a flour mix | Read the product name and ingredients: according to the NVWA, the wholemeal label requires all the grain ingredients to be wholemeal. White flour alongside wholemeal flour means it’s a mix. | I want the bread for our meal to be genuinely wholemeal, even if a mix sounds more appealing to others. This would be the main concern when shopping for around 36% of consumers. |
| Fine texture | Compare finely milled wholemeal bread with varieties containing visible seeds or a coarser texture. Consider the crust of the bread you choose, too. | If coarse pieces aren’t to our taste, I look for a finer texture without immediately opting for a flour mix. This would be a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| How to serve it | Choose slices for toast or sandwiches, or a shape that’s suitable for sharing, dipping or filling. If you open the packaging, check the storage instructions, too. | I want to serve small bites without buying bread that doesn’t suit the dish. Around 21% of consumers would mainly choose based on how they plan to serve it. |
| Allergens and baker’s salt | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any cross-contamination warnings. Check separately whether baker’s salt has been used; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it isn’t compulsory. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, or I want to know which salt has been used, I check the packaging first. This label check would be the main concern for around 14% of consumers. |
Bread made with both white flour and wholemeal flour is not the same as bread whose grain ingredients are entirely wholemeal. According to the NVWA, this is required for bread to be labelled wholemeal.
Read the product name and ingredients list. Choose a mix because you want its particular flavour or texture, not because you assume it’s wholemeal.
The colour and appearance of the top of a loaf don’t, on their own, tell you whether all its grain ingredients are wholemeal.
First check for the wholemeal label and read the ingredients. Then choose the crust and texture that suit your meal.
Regular wholemeal bread can contain gluten-containing grains and other listed allergens. What’s more, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread isn’t always made with baker’s salt.
Read the packaging if you’re catering for guests who need to know what’s in their food. Check the ingredients for the salt used, or ask the baker.
A large opened pack isn’t always a good fit for one evening of small bites.
Choose a suitable size and freeze any leftover bread promptly. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against storing bread in the fridge if you want to stop it drying out.
Its bread range includes finely milled wholemeal bread.
Describes finely milled wholemeal bread and wholemeal varieties with seeds.
Describes a kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
Its range includes finely milled wholemeal bread and a separate high-fibre variety.
Its round, finely milled wholemeal bread is listed online with ingredients and nutritional information.
Lists a range of wholemeal breads from Bakker van der Akker, including round loaves and farmhouse loaves.
These products are suitable for sharing and for making filled tortilla bites. The name Whole Wheat alone doesn’t confirm that all the grain ingredients are wholemeal; check the label and ingredients on the packaging.
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An option for sharing bread with dips. Check the packaging for the Dutch wholemeal label, allergens and whether baker’s salt has been used.
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An option for filled tortilla bites. Don’t treat Whole Wheat as proof that this is an entirely wholemeal product; check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging.
No, not if white flour is part of the grain ingredients. According to the NVWA, the wholemeal label requires all the grain ingredients to be wholemeal flour; check the ingredients to spot a mix.
No, how finely the flour is milled doesn’t determine whether bread is wholemeal. Check the wholemeal label and the ingredients; according to Lidl, its particular kids’ bread contains extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. Check the ingredients list or, for unpackaged bread, ask which salt has been used.
Regular wholemeal wheat bread isn’t suitable for someone with coeliac disease because wheat contains gluten. If you choose an alternative, check for the gluten-free label and the allergen information on the packaging.
Freeze any bread you won’t use soon. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that opened wholemeal bread keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1 to 3 months in the freezer; bread dries out more quickly in the fridge.
