If you want to serve warm bread
Part-baked bread can be an appealing option alongside soup, stew or a sharing platter. Check whether the oven will be free at the time, and choose an amount that suits your guests.
Which bread is right for you?
If you’re consciously choosing wholemeal
A festive look doesn’t have to mean compromising on wholemeal. Check the product description: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Colour, seeds and sourdough are not a substitute.
If you need to consider allergens
When you’re catering for a mixed group, the packaging of the specific product you choose is what matters. Wholemeal and sourdough breads can contain different gluten-containing grains; also check for warnings about the possible presence of other allergens.
What should you look for?
First decide how you want to serve the bread. Then compare the product description, ingredients and packaging of the options that suit the occasion.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Serving warm | Check whether the bread needs baking, and how much oven time and space it requires. | If I want to serve warm bread with dinner, baking it needs to fit around the other dishes in the oven. For around 30% of consumers, this is the priority. |
| Choosing wholemeal | Look for the wholemeal description on the product; compare nutritional values on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If I want the bread basket to feel festive but also want to choose wholemeal, I look beyond colour or sourdough. For around 30% of consumers, checking that a product is wholemeal comes first. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, as well as any warnings about allergens present and possible cross-contamination on the current packaging. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know whether this particular bread is suitable for them. This is the most important consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Planning | Check the pack size and the storage and preparation instructions for the product you’ve chosen. | If I have lots of Christmas dinner elements to organise at once, I want bread that fits my preparation schedule and portion planning. Around 20% of consumers prioritise this. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming dark, multigrain or sourdough bread is wholemeal
A dark crust or the presence of sourdough starter doesn’t tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Start by checking for the wholemeal description, then use the ingredients and nutritional information to compare specific products.
-
Forgetting to factor the oven into your Christmas plans
Part-baked bread takes up oven space at a time when you may also be cooking other dishes. PLUS lists a baking time of 6–8 minutes at 220 °C for Dutch Bakery Bio sourdough wholemeal rolls.
Plan when you’ll bake the bread alongside the rest of the menu, and follow the instructions on the packaging of the product you buy.
-
Serving bread to share without checking the allergens
Ingredients and possible cross-contamination vary from one product to another. Labels such as sourdough or wholemeal don’t tell you whether a bread is suitable for someone with an allergy or coeliac disease.
Check the current packaging of the exact bread you’re buying, and speak to any guests concerned in advance about a suitable alternative.
-
Assuming a product range is still available in store
Albert Heijn and Jumbo stated that the Liefde & Passie Wholemeal and Dubbel Donker Desem Wholemeal Bread varieties described were no longer available in their online ranges.
Choose based on the product currently available in your shop. If you switch to another bread, check its product description, ingredients and preparation instructions again.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn describes Liefde & Passie Wholemeal as a rustic bread, made with sourdough starter and baked on a stone oven floor.
- The variety described is an example of a whole loaf for a bread basket.
- Albert Heijn listed this variety as discontinued; check any available alternative separately.
Jumbo
Jumbo described a Dubbel Donker Desem Wholemeal Bread variety with grains and seeds in the ingredients list.
- The ingredients list helps you decide whether the bread is suitable for your guests.
- Jumbo said this variety was no longer available in its online range; check the packaging of any alternative you choose.
PLUS
PLUS offers products including Korenlanders wholemeal bread in small loaf and baguette formats.
- The different sizes give you the choice of a compact loaf for the table or bread to share with soup or dips.
- Check the preparation instructions, nutritional information and allergens for the specific product you choose.
Dirk
Dirk offers products including a wholemeal batard as an option for serving a whole loaf at the table.
- You can slice a whole loaf at the table without needing small rolls for this style of serving.
- Check the full ingredients and allergen information on the packaging or in store for the batard you choose.
Bread options at Joybuy
These options offer different ways to serve bread at the Christmas table: round loaves that need preparation, flatbread to share and rye bread. For each product, check that the current packaging suits your wholemeal preference and your guests’ needs.
Image unavailable
Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread, 2 × 550 g
An option if you want to share two whole loaves at the table. Allow time in your schedule for defrosting and baking; check the packaging for the baking time and allergen information.
Image unavailable
Souq Lebanese wholemeal flatbread, 6 pieces
Serve flatbread in portions with dips or on a sharing platter. This pack contains six pieces; check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging you choose.
Image unavailable
Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread, 550 g
This single round loaf is a good fit for a bread basket if you want to slice it at the table. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling; check the packaging for the baking time and allergen information.
Image unavailable
Bolletje Rye Bread Bun, 500 g
Consider this rye bread option if you’d like to serve a different type of bread alongside wheat bread. The pack contains 500 g; before choosing it as a wholemeal option, check the exact product description, ingredients and allergens.
Frequently asked questions
Is dark bread or sourdough automatically wholemeal?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. Check that the bread you choose is labelled wholemeal rather than relying on its colour, seeds or sourdough starter.
What should I check if guests have allergies?
Check the current packaging of the exact product you’re serving. Wholemeal and sourdough breads can contain different gluten-containing grains; also read any warnings about the possible presence of other allergens, and agree on an alternative with the guests concerned.
How should I fit part-baked rolls around Christmas dinner?
Set aside oven space for the time you want to serve them, and follow the instructions on the packaging of the rolls you choose. PLUS lists 6–8 minutes at 220 °C for Dutch Bakery Bio sourdough wholemeal rolls; once opened, this variety should also be refrigerated and eaten within two days.
How can I tell whether bread contains iodised salt?
Check the ingredients list for the specific bread. The AH Liefde & Passie Wholemeal variety described and Dutch Bakery Bio sourdough wholemeal rolls list iodised salt, but that doesn’t tell you what kind of salt another variety contains.
Is rustic bread automatically more nutritious than ordinary wholemeal bread?
No. A rustic appearance alone doesn’t tell you about a bread’s nutritional value. Compare the product descriptions, ingredients and nutritional information for the specific varieties, and compare values such as fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g.