A wholemeal sourdough or hearth loaf is a good choice for Christmas dinner if you want to put one loaf on the table and slice it yourself. For a smaller gathering or if you’re serving several types of bread, a small sharing loaf is more practical. Wholemeal baguette works well alongside starters or spreads. For every loaf, check the product name, ingredients and allergen information: a dark colour or rustic name doesn’t prove that it’s wholemeal.
You can put a whole sourdough or hearth loaf on the table and slice it there. Think in advance about how many guests you’re serving and whether large slices will work with the dishes you’re planning.
A festive appearance isn’t enough. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called wholemeal if all its grain ingredients are made from wholemeal flour. So check the product name and ingredients, even for dark or rustic-looking bread.
A small sharing loaf or baguette is easier to serve alongside other types of bread. Check the allergen information for each product: the PLUS loaves reviewed contain gluten-containing cereals, and some also carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
First, choose a shape that suits the number of guests and how you plan to serve it. Then check that the wholemeal claim, ingredients and allergen information meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and flavour | Choose between a whole loaf, a small sharing loaf and a baguette; check whether the bread needs to be baked before serving. | If bread is on show on your Christmas table, you’ll want to be able to slice and share it in a way that suits the dishes. Around 42% of consumers would put presentation and flavour first. |
| Wholemeal status and nutritional information | Read the product name and ingredients; compare nutritional values, such as fibre and salt per 100 g, if they matter to your choice. | Even for a festive loaf, you’ll want to check that the wholemeal claim is accurate. Around 33% of consumers would consider this first. |
| Portions, availability and allergens | Check the weight, current availability in store and allergen information on the packaging. | If you have only a few guests or are catering for guests with allergies, you’ll want to choose a suitable size without overlooking the ingredients. An estimated 25% of consumers would consider this the most important factor. |
Colour, seeds and sourdough alone don’t tell you whether the grain ingredients are wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be labelled wholemeal if all its grain ingredients are made from wholemeal flour.
Check the product name and ingredients list rather than relying on the colour or appearance.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. The salt used can therefore vary from one loaf to another.
For packaged bread, look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list. For unpackaged bread, ask the staff.
Wholemeal multigrain and sourdough bread may contain several gluten-containing cereals. The PLUS products reviewed also carry warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
Ask your guests about allergies in advance and check the current packaging before serving the bread.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store. That means choosing where to shop is part of planning your Christmas dinner.
Check current availability in advance and have another suitable type of bread in mind.
You may need to make an extra trip to the shop if you’re counting on this range.
AH Liefde & Passie Dutch wholemeal sourdough is a 600 g wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf for serving sliced at the table.
Jumbo’s rustic sourdough loaves are an option if crust and presentation are important at the table.
PLUS sells both a small wholemeal multigrain sourdough loaf with poppy seeds and a wholemeal wheat sourdough baguette: two different shapes for a table with several dishes.
ALDI’s freshly baked range includes wholemeal bread and hearth loaves.
Dirk lists a wholemeal hearth loaf, which you can slice at the table.
Take a look at Lidl’s oven-fresh bread range if you’re looking for a loaf to serve at Christmas dinner.
These round loaves are suited to a Christmas dinner where you want to share bread and bake it at home. The mention of wholemeal wheat in the product name doesn’t replace the need to check the current wholemeal claim and ingredients: both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour are listed for these varieties.
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Two round loaves to share around a larger table or serve at different times.
Allow time to defrost, bake and cool before serving. If fully wholemeal bread is a must for you, check the current product name and ingredients, and read the allergen information for your guests.
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One round loaf to share if you don’t want to bake two loaves.
Allow time to defrost, bake and cool. Check the current packaging to see how the loaf is described and which ingredients and allergens apply to this variety.
Check the product name and ingredients, not just the colour or seeds. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can be called wholemeal if all its grain ingredients are made from wholemeal flour.
No, don’t assume that it does. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers don’t always use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unpackaged bread, ask which salt has been used.
A small sharing loaf or wholemeal baguette is often a better choice if you have only a few guests or are serving several types of bread. For example, PLUS lists a 300 g wholemeal multigrain sourdough loaf; make sure you check the allergen information for each product.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough loaves are only available in store and can’t be ordered online. Check current availability at the shop where you plan to buy your Christmas dinner supplies.
