Choose sliced wholemeal bread if you want to make sandwiches at home and eat them on the go without having to cut the bread. For a planned lunch stop, a rustic wholemeal loaf or wholemeal baguette may be a better fit for the meal, provided you have the time and space to prepare it. Check the ingredients, fibre, salt and allergens for each loaf individually; a premium look doesn’t tell you what’s inside.
If you want to make sandwiches at home and take individual portions of bread with you, sliced bread is a practical choice. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you want to use it later.
If the bread is part of a meal during a stop, you could also consider rustic wholemeal bread or a wholemeal baguette. If you’re not making individual portions before you set off, bear in mind that you’ll need to slice and serve it.
If fibre, salt, baker’s salt or allergens are deciding factors, compare the exact bread rather than just the type. Use the values per 100 g and, if you have allergies, check the latest allergen information.
First decide whether you want to eat the bread straight away while travelling or take it with you for a lunch stop. Then compare the packaging and labels of breads that suit your plan.
Choose this: if you want to make sandwiches at home or don’t want to slice bread while you’re out.
Bear in mind: the filling will affect how you need to store your prepared sandwiches during the journey.
Choose this: if you want to slice and share the bread during a planned stop.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to do some extra preparation if the bread is unsliced or needs baking before serving.
When choosing wholemeal bread as a snack or light meal for a car journey, consumers may have different priorities. The percentages below show the proportion of consumers who would put each need first.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing ahead | Check whether the bread is sliced and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. Freeze portions you’ll use later in good time. | If I make sandwiches at home, I want to be able to grab a portion on the go without a knife. For around 37% of consumers, this convenience would be the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and nutritional value | Check the product description and compare fibre and salt per 100 g in the nutritional information. | I want to know what type of bread I’m buying and compare its nutritional value on a like-for-like basis. Around 27% of consumers would put this comparison first. |
| Lunch during a stop | Choose the type of bread you want to serve and check whether it needs slicing or baking before serving. | For a planned lunch, I want to be able to share the bread, even if it takes some preparation. This would be the most important factor for around 18% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and storage | Read the allergen information and, if necessary, check whether baker’s salt is listed. If you’re taking perishable fillings, plan how you’ll keep them cool. | I want to check before setting off whether the bread suits my choice of ingredients and how I’ll take the fillings with me. Around 18% of consumers are expected to put these checks first. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt in breadmaking is not compulsory in the Netherlands. If you look for the use of iodised salt, this can make a difference when comparing breads.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt, or ask about it when buying unpackaged bread.
Appearance doesn’t tell you how much fibre or salt a loaf contains. A premium presentation alone doesn’t tell you anything about its ingredients either.
Choose bread that is explicitly labelled as wholemeal and compare the latest nutritional information for the products you’re considering.
How you transport perishable fillings matters, especially in warm weather or on a long journey.
Store bread according to the packaging and, if necessary, keep perishable fillings separately in a cool bag. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag in warm weather or on a long journey.
These examples show different types of bread and product information. Always compare the specific loaf, as nutritional values, ingredients and ranges can vary from product to product.
An option to consider if you want soft wholemeal bread for sandwiches made ahead of time.
Offers separate product information for options including fine wholemeal bread and a wholemeal loaf with a tiger pattern.
A shopping option for anyone wanting to take rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough bread to a lunch stop.
Offers a wholemeal range as well as a separate loaf called Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood.
Offers both a wholemeal loaf and a wholemeal wheat sourdough baguette to suit different lunch plans.
A shopping option for comparing wholemeal oven-bottom bread with a separate extra-fibre option.
These options suit two different plans: a portion of flatbread for a snack stop, and round loaves that you’ll need to prepare before a planned lunch. Don’t compare them as if both were sliced, ready-to-eat wholemeal breads.
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A flatbread option for taking individual portions along for a snack stop, rather than a replacement for sliced sandwiches.
If you have allergies, check the latest packaging for wheat and gluten, and for possible traces of soya and milk. Check the ingredients list if you want to know whether iodised salt has been used.
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A round loaf for anyone preparing for a lunch stop. Allow time to defrost, bake and cool the bread before slicing it for the journey.
The pack contains two 550 g loaves. Compare fibre and salt using the nutritional information per 100 g on the latest packaging.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt in breadmaking isn’t compulsory. If the use of iodised salt matters to you, check the ingredients list or ask about it when buying unpackaged bread.
It’s best to freeze portions you want to use later as soon as you’ve bought the bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months. For unopened packaging, follow the date and storage instructions shown.
No. Wholemeal bread may contain gluten-containing cereals. If you have allergies or coeliac disease, always read the allergen information for the exact product and check for any statement about possible traces.
It depends on the filling and the conditions during the journey. If you’re taking perishable fillings, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends using a cool bag in warm weather or on a long journey. So plan how you’ll store the fillings separately from the bread.
