Who is this choice relevant to?

The fibre-conscious host

You want to serve bread with dinner and choose it based on its wholemeal labelling and nutritional information, rather than its dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone.

Anyone who wants to share bread at the table

You’re looking for a shape that goes well with soup, dips, cheese or small plates. A whole round loaf and wholemeal baguettes each call for a different way of slicing and serving.

Anyone catering for guests

If allergens, salt or iodine matter to your guests, check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values of the bread you’re actually serving.

What should you look for when choosing?

For a dinner party, first decide how you’ll serve the bread and how much you’ll need. Then compare the labels of loaves that suit the way you plan to serve them.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Check that it is labelled wholemeal and compare the fibre per 100 g shown on the packaging. I want to choose bread that is clearly wholemeal, then compare its fibre content. For around 33% of these consumers, this combination comes first.
How it’s served Choose between sliced bread, a whole sharing loaf and a baguette; if you choose a whole loaf, remember you’ll also need a bread knife and chopping board. If guests are helping themselves to bread with soup or dips, I want it to be easy to share. Around 20% of these consumers give the way it’s served top priority.
Label and ingredients Read the allergen information and ingredients; if needed, compare salt per 100 g and check whether baker’s salt has been used. When serving guests with specific dietary requirements, I need to know what’s in the bread I’ve chosen. For around 27% of these consumers, label information is the deciding factor.
Quantity and storage Choose a whole or half loaf to suit the role bread plays in the meal, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. A small number of people want to avoid having lots of bread left over, especially when it’s just a side. That’s why around 20% of these consumers focus mainly on quantity and storage.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming dark or multigrain bread is wholemeal

    The colour of bread and the use of several types of grain do not, by themselves, confirm that it is wholemeal.

    Look for the wholemeal label, then compare the fibre per 100 g shown on the packaging.

  • Relying on a fibre claim alone

    A fibre claim doesn’t tell you which allergens the bread contains or how much salt is in it.

    For the exact loaf, check both the allergen information and the nutritional values per 100 g.

  • Assuming all bread contains baker’s salt

    According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers in the Netherlands are not required to use baker’s salt. The name of the bread alone won’t tell you whether it has been used.

    For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unwrapped bread, ask the baker.

  • Automatically buying a whole loaf

    If bread is only a side dish, you could be left with a lot, especially when there are only a few guests.

    Decide in advance how many guests will be eating, consider buying half a loaf, and follow the storage instructions for your chosen product when storing leftovers.

Brands and shops to explore

These shops’ ranges show a variety of bread shapes. Always compare individual products for their ingredients and nutritional values.

Albert Heijn

The range includes round loaves, hearth-baked loaves and other wholemeal breads.

  • Whole and half loaves offer different serving sizes for the table.
  • Check the product information for the loaf you choose.

Jumbo

The wholemeal bread range includes fine, round and tiger wholemeal loaves.

  • Jumbo Fine Wholemeal Bread lists 7,6 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • That figure applies to this particular variety, not every wholemeal bread from Jumbo.

PLUS

The range includes both whole wholemeal loaves and a wholemeal baguette for the table.

  • Ingredients, allergens and nutritional values are available for individual products.
  • PLUS says that product information can change, so check the packaging too.

Lidl

Lidl’s bread range includes fine wholemeal bread, among other options.

  • For packaged loaves, Lidl uses a fibre scale to make comparisons per 100 g.
  • Check the ingredients and full nutritional information on the packaging of the variety you choose.

ALDI

The range includes fine wholemeal, tiger wholemeal and extra high-fibre wholemeal bread.

  • According to ALDI, its specific extra high-fibre wholemeal bread contains 30% more fibre and 30% less salt than standard wholemeal bread.
  • This comparison is a product claim made by ALDI; for other loaves, use their own values per 100 g.

Dirk

Dirk’s range includes farmhouse wholemeal, round wholemeal and other types of bread.

  • The different shapes give you options for slicing, sharing and filling.
  • Check the label of the loaf you choose for fibre, salt and allergens.

Bread options on Joybuy

These options suit two ways of serving bread: flatbread to share with dips, and a round loaf to slice at the table. For both products, check the current packaging if ingredients, allergens or nutritional values affect your choice.

Souq Lebanese wholemeal wheat bread, 6 pieces

Souq Lebanese wholemeal wheat bread, 6 pieces

An option for sharing bread with dips. The pack contains six pieces.

Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging before serving it to guests with an allergy. If the use of baker’s salt matters to your choice, check the ingredients too.

View on Joybuy
Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal country loaf, 550 g

Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal country loaf, 550 g

A 550 g round loaf to slice and share at the table.

Allow time to defrost, bake and cool before serving. Only compare its fibre and salt with other loaves if the values on the packaging are given on the same per-100 g basis.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is brown or multigrain bread automatically wholemeal?

No. A dark colour and the word ‘multigrain’ do not, by themselves, confirm that bread is wholemeal. Check the product description and ingredients of the bread you want to serve.

Can I serve wholemeal bread to guests who need to avoid gluten?

Don’t assume wholemeal bread is suitable: it may contain wheat and other cereals containing gluten. Read the allergen information for the exact product; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains which allergens must be listed on the label.

Does all Dutch wholemeal bread contain iodine?

You can’t tell from the name. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers are not required to use baker’s salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unwrapped bread, ask which salt has been used.

How should I store bread left over after dinner?

Follow the storage instructions for the bread you’ve chosen. PLUS says its Boeren Volkoren Heel can be frozen on the day of purchase and should be used within one month; don’t automatically apply these instructions to another product.

Can I rely on the online product description for allergen information?

Use it to help you make your choice, but check the current packaging before serving too. PLUS points out that product ingredients and allergy information can change.