Choose a finely textured half loaf of wholemeal bread if you want something that works well with a variety of toppings. If texture or crust is your priority, choose a seeded or tiger-topped version. For your Christmas dinner, first work out how many slices you’ll serve and what you’ll do with any leftovers. Check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional details on the packaging of your chosen loaf.
A half loaf may be enough for two to four people, but it still depends on how many slices everyone will eat alongside the rest of the menu. Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread to help reduce waste.
If you’re serving bread alongside soup, toppings or dips, its texture may help you decide. Product descriptions from Albert Heijn and Jumbo highlight the differences between finely textured wholemeal bread, seeded varieties and wholemeal tiger bread.
If you need to check specific ingredients or allergens, or want to compare fibre and salt, the information for the particular variety matters more than its colour or name. Always check the current packaging.
First, decide how much bread you want to serve with your Christmas dinner. Then choose a texture that suits the food on the table, and check the label before making your decision.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and leftovers | Check the net weight and number of slices. Consider whether you’ll freeze any leftover bread. | If bread is only a small side, I don’t want to have more slices left over than I’ll use later. Around 33% of consumers put choosing the right quantity first. |
| Texture at the table | Compare finely textured bread with seeded or tiger-topped varieties; check the ingredients too. | When serving toppings or dips, I want to choose a bread texture that suits the meal. For around 25% of consumers, texture is the first thing they consider. |
| Label and ingredients | Read the ingredients and allergen information. Compare fibre and salt on a like-for-like basis, per 100 g. | If I need to take ingredients or nutritional values into account, I want to be able to check the specific variety. Label information comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check that the variety is available at your chosen shop and look at the use-by information. | If I’m shopping just before dinner, I want to know whether I can pick up the bread there. In-store availability is the main consideration for around 17% of consumers. |
Even a half loaf can be too much if you’re only serving a few slices as a side. Voedingscentrum lists bread as a food that is often wasted.
Before you buy, estimate how many slices you’ll need for the meal. Freeze any leftovers according to the instructions on the packaging, then take out only what you need.
Colour and visible grains don’t, by themselves, tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. Finely textured wholemeal bread, bread made with several grains and tiger-topped bread may also contain different ingredients.
Read the product description and ingredients list, then choose a texture that suits the food you’re serving.
Brood.net describes the use of iodised baker’s salt as an agreement within the baking industry, not something you can assume is used in every loaf.
If the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients list for the specific loaf for terms such as baker’s salt or iodised salt.
These product examples show the differences in texture, packaging and label information you may come across. Always choose based on the specific variety.
Albert Heijn offers AH Extra Lang Lekker Waldkorn Volkoren Half, a variety made with several grains and seeds.
Jumbo offers both Fijn Volkoren Half and Boeren Tijgerbrood Volkoren Half, giving you a choice between a fine texture and a tiger topping.
Lidl lists a Halfje extra volkorenbrood for in-store purchase.
ALDI lists Boeren volkoren meergranen Half as a sliced half loaf, available in store.
PLUS Boeren Volkoren Half is a half loaf for which the net weight and nutritional information are listed.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Boeren Volkoren Half as a half loaf of wholemeal bread.
Freeze the slices and take out only the amount you need later. Voedingscentrum recommends freezing bread to help prevent waste; also follow the storage instructions on your chosen product’s packaging. Albert Heijn and PLUS recommend freezing their half loaves on the day of purchase.
No. Don’t judge by colour or visible grains alone. Check that the loaf is described as wholemeal and read the ingredients list. According to Voedingscentrum, multigrain means that several types of grain are used.
Check the allergen information on the current packaging of the specific variety. The examples from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain gluten-containing cereals; some varieties also contain soya or state that other allergens may be present.
Read the ingredients list for the specific loaf and look for terms such as baker’s salt or iodised salt. Don’t assume based only on the shop or where you buy the bread.
