For a buffet with generously topped, thick slices, how the bread is sliced matters more than its shape. Choose a loaf that you can confirm is unsliced or can be cut to your preferred thickness. A whole, coarse or round loaf doesn’t guarantee this. Also check the wholemeal description, the latest allergen information and how much bread you can store before and after the buffet.
If thick slices are important for your open sandwiches, ask whether the bread is available unsliced or can be cut to your preferred thickness. The name of a loaf doesn’t tell you how thick it is sliced.
You’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread and want to check the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens for your guests too. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) explains that, for bread to be labelled wholemeal, all the flour used must come from whole grains.
You want to have enough bread ready without opening every loaf at once. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it, so you can set aside just the amount you need.
First decide whether you need to be able to cut the slices to your preferred thickness yourself. Then compare the information on the specific loaf and plan how much you’ll need for Boxing Day.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Thick slices | Ask whether the bread is supplied unsliced or can be cut to your preferred thickness. ‘Whole’ and ‘coarse’ don’t confirm how thick the slices are. | When serving heavy or moist toppings, I want to choose the thickness myself so the slices suit my appetisers. Around 40% of consumers put control over slicing first. |
| Wholemeal and labelling | Check the wholemeal description, ingredients, nutritional information per 100 g or per serving, and allergens on the latest packaging. | If guests have a food allergy, I want to know exactly which bread I’m serving rather than judge by its colour. Around 30% of consumers put checking the label first. |
| Planning and storage | Check availability for your order and divide any bread you’ll use later into portions for the freezer as soon as you buy it. | For a buffet, I want to have enough bread ready without leaving unused loaves out for too long. Around 30% of consumers give this planning the highest priority. |
These words don’t tell you how many millimetres thick the slices are. A whole loaf may also be sold pre-sliced.
If thick slices are essential for your toppings, ask the shop to confirm how the bread is sliced before you buy it.
According to the NVWA, colour and terms such as multigrain are no substitute for the wholemeal description. For bread to carry that description, all the flour used must come from whole grains.
Check the product name and ingredients list rather than judging by the colour or crust.
Once opened, bread has a limited shelf life. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days.
Divide any bread you won’t use straight away into portions for the freezer as soon as you buy it. Throw away mouldy bread.
Freezing portions and thawing them later does require some forward planning.
Ingredients and allergens vary from one product to another. For a buffet, the information on the bread you’re serving matters more than that on a previous purchase.
Read the latest packaging and keep it available for guests who ask about ingredients or allergens.
These supermarket ranges can help you get started with your search. Check how the specific loaf is sliced and whether it’s available for your order.
Albert Heijn’s wholemeal bread range includes whole and half loaves.
Jumbo’s online range includes coarse, round and wholemeal toast bread.
Lidl offers fresh and packaged bread, and uses its own fibre scale on packaged loaves.
ALDI’s fresh daily range includes fine and farmhouse tiger wholemeal loaves.
PLUS offers products including coarse wholemeal whole loaves and farmhouse wholemeal whole loaves.
Dirk offers wholemeal bread alongside other types, including a wholemeal whole floor-baked loaf.
These two round loaves are options if you’re preparing bread for a buffet. Their product names distinguish between a pack of two loaves and a single loaf. Before buying, check that you can cut them into the thick slices you want; the shape alone doesn’t guarantee this.
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A pack of two round loaves for anyone wanting to serve more than one loaf at the buffet.
Allow time for thawing, baking and cooling as part of your preparations. Check whether the bread can be sliced to your preferred thickness, and read the latest packaging if allergens are relevant to your guests.
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A single round loaf if you’re preparing one loaf for the buffet.
Allow time for thawing, baking and cooling before serving. Ask whether the bread can be sliced to your preferred thickness and check the latest allergen information on the packaging.
No. According to the NVWA, all the flour used must come from whole grains for bread to be labelled wholemeal. So check the product name and ingredients list; colour or the presence of several types of grain doesn’t confirm this.
No. The shape and the description ‘whole’ don’t confirm the slice thickness or that the bread is supplied unsliced. Ask the shop whether the loaf is unsliced or can be cut to your preferred thickness.
Ideally, freeze any bread you’ll use later in portions as soon as you buy it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days and in the freezer for 1 to 3 months; its quality may deteriorate if frozen for longer.
Read the latest packaging for the exact bread you’re serving. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says certain allergens must be clearly listed on the label. Check for any additional ingredients too, and keep the packaging available at the buffet.
You can’t tell from the word wholemeal. If the type of salt used or the iodine content matters to your choice, check the information for the specific loaf or ask the manufacturer.
