Start with bread labelled as wholemeal, then compare the fibre and salt per 100 g on the packaging. Choose a fine texture if you prefer a soft, even slice, or a coarser loaf if a more substantial bite is what matters most. Always check the label if you have allergies, and think ahead about what you’ll do with any leftover bread.
If you want to compare wholemeal breads, check the fibre per 100 g as well as the wording on the packaging. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called wholemeal if all its grain ingredients come from wholemeal flour.
For a soft slice with your favourite topping, you could try fine wholemeal bread; if you prefer more bite, compare coarse, farmhouse or hearth-baked loaves. The texture alone won’t tell you how much fibre or salt the bread contains.
If you need to avoid certain ingredients, the allergen information on the current packaging is what matters. If you don’t eat bread often, you could also consider the loaf size and storage advice, so there’s less left over after Sunday.
First choose the type of bread and texture you want; then compare the nutritional information and check details such as allergens and storage instructions.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Read the wholemeal description and ingredients; compare fibre per 100 g. | If I want genuinely wholemeal bread for breakfast and need to compare fibre values, I check both the name and the nutritional information. This combination is a priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Texture | Check whether the bread is fine or coarse, and assess its nutritional value separately. | For my breakfast topping, I’m looking for either a soft, even slice or a firmer bite. Texture is the first thing around 20% of consumers consider. |
| Salt and product claims | Compare salt and fibre per 100 g; check what a claim refers to. | If salt or a higher fibre value is what guides my choice, I want to know what the packaging says about the specific loaf. Around 20% of consumers give this priority. |
| Allergens and storage | Check the allergen information and choose a suitable size or look at the freezing advice. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or am likely to have a whole loaf left over, the packaging and storage plan matter a lot. This is the main consideration for around 27% of consumers. |
Colour, seeds and an artisan-style name don’t, on their own, mean that all the grain ingredients come from wholemeal flour. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, this is a requirement for bread to be labelled wholemeal.
Read the product name and ingredients list, then compare the fibre per 100 g.
A claim about extra fibre or less salt applies to a specific product and comparison. Other wholemeal breads don’t automatically have the same nutritional value.
Read the explanation behind the claim and compare the values per 100 g for the breads you’re choosing between.
The word wholemeal says nothing about whether a bread is suitable for a gluten-free diet or whether it contains other allergens. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre stresses the importance of allergen information on the label.
Check the current packaging every time you buy bread to make sure it doesn’t contain ingredients you need to avoid.
If you don’t eat much bread after Sunday breakfast, a whole loaf could be left uneaten for a while.
Choose a smaller loaf if that suits you better, or freeze the bread in portions after buying it, following the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice.
These examples show the types of bread and label information you can compare. Check the packaging of the particular product you’re planning to buy.
Albert Heijn’s product information includes coarse wholemeal bread.
Jumbo Fijn Volkorenbrood is an example for anyone looking for a finer-textured loaf.
ALDI describes fine and coarser wholemeal breads, as well as a separate extra-fibre option.
PLUS Boeren volkoren heel is an example of a wholemeal loaf you can compare with others.
Lidl also describes wholemeal bread made with more finely milled flour for anyone looking for a different texture.
Dirk has described, among other options, wholemeal hearth bread and an extra-fibre variety.
These products offer flatbread and crispbread for breakfast. Both differ from the soft, sliced wholemeal bread that the choice between fine and coarse usually refers to.
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An option if you’d like flatbread for breakfast instead of sliced bread.
Pack description: 6 P. Check the grain ingredients and allergens on the packaging before choosing it as a wholemeal option.
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For anyone who’d prefer crispbread with breakfast instead of a soft slice of bread.
Pack size: 265 g. Check the current ingredients and allergen information if you need to avoid certain ingredients.
Check whether the bread is labelled as wholemeal and read the ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called wholemeal if all its grain ingredients come from wholemeal flour; the fibre per 100 g can then help you compare products.
Ordinary wholemeal bread made from wheat, rye or barley isn’t gluten-free. Check that any alternative is explicitly labelled gluten-free, and read the current ingredients and allergen information.
Don’t assume it does without checking the label. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine compounds may be added to bread through baker’s salt; this doesn’t mean that all bread is made with baker’s salt. If you have a specific question about what a loaf contains, check its ingredients.
If you won’t use the bread soon, it’s best to freeze it in portions after buying it, so you only need to defrost what you need. This follows the storage advice from the Netherlands Nutrition Centre; also follow the instructions on the packaging.
