When shopping for Easter, first look for bread labelled ‘wholemeal’: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread also contains white flour. A half loaf may be suitable if bread is just one part of your brunch; if you’re feeding several people, consider a whole sliced loaf or a sharing wholemeal baguette. Check the nutritional information, allergens and storage instructions on the packaging of the product you choose.
If you want to replace white or brown bread with wholemeal bread, check the label and compare the fibre content per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes between wholemeal bread made with 100% wholemeal flour and brown bread, which also contains white flour.
A whole sliced loaf may be a good choice if you’re serving sandwiches over several meals. If you’d like bread to share at the table, a wholemeal baguette is another style to consider. Match the quantity to the rest of your spread.
If you’re buying bread for someone who needs to avoid certain ingredients, check the allergen information for the specific product. The label ‘wholemeal’ does not, by itself, mean that bread is gluten-free.
Start with the bread label, then choose a quantity and style to suit your Easter table. Before buying, also check the allergens, availability and storage instructions for the bread you’ve chosen.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ on the bread label and compare the fibre content per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If I’m looking for wholemeal bread, I don’t want to have to judge by its dark colour, and I want to be able to compare fibre content. For around 34% of consumers, checking that bread is wholemeal and comparing its fibre content comes first. |
| Quantity and style | Compare half loaves, whole loaves and sharing bread with the number of people eating and the rest of the brunch menu. | For a full Easter table, I want to serve enough bread, but I don’t want too much left over after a smaller brunch. The right quantity and style of bread matter most to around 25% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the specific loaf; don’t assume it’s suitable based on the word ‘wholemeal’. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know what’s in this particular loaf before I serve it. For around 25% of consumers, checking for allergens is their main concern. |
| Availability and storage | Check how the bread is sold in your shop and read the storage or freezing instructions on the packaging. | For Easter, I want to be able to buy and store bread in a way that suits my plans. Around 16% of consumers prioritise this kind of practical consideration. |
A dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t confirm that bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes brown bread as a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour.
First, check that ‘wholemeal’ appears on the bread label. Then compare the fibre and salt content per 100 g if those figures matter to your choice.
The right quantity depends on how many people are eating and what else you’re serving. Whether bread can be frozen also varies by product.
Read the storage instructions before choosing a whole loaf. For example, PLUS says its whole farmhouse wholemeal loaf can be frozen on the day of purchase and should be used within one month.
Bread can also vary in its salt and allergen content. PLUS lists 6.5 g of fibre and 1.02 g of salt per 100 g for its Korenlanders wholemeal baguette; the product information also lists wheat, rye and barley.
Compare nutritional information using the same units, and check the allergen information for the loaf you’re actually buying.
Albert Heijn’s online range includes several styles of wholemeal bread, including round loaves and whole or half loaves.
Jumbo’s online range includes fine, coarse, tiger and half wholemeal loaves.
Lidl lists an 800 g fine wholemeal loaf as an in-store product.
ALDI’s fresh daily range includes half and whole fine wholemeal loaves, as well as a multigrain wholemeal loaf.
PLUS’s range includes a whole farmhouse wholemeal loaf and a Korenlanders wholemeal baguette.
Dirk’s bread range includes Bakker van der Akker whole farmhouse wholemeal bread.
If you’d like to serve bread to share alongside sliced wholemeal bread, you could try this Lebanese flatbread. Check the packaging to see whether it meets the Dutch definition of wholemeal bread; ‘Whole Wheat’ in the product name alone doesn’t confirm this.
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This Lebanese flatbread is an option to share at an Easter brunch. The pack contains six pieces; before buying, check the wholemeal label, ingredients, allergens and storage instructions on the packaging.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread is a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. Look for the label ‘wholemeal’ if you specifically want to buy wholemeal bread.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists 3.4 g of fibre for an average 50 g slice of wholemeal bread, cut at home. For a particular loaf or a differently sized slice, use the nutritional information on the packaging and the amount you’re serving.
You can freeze products whose storage instructions allow it. PLUS says its whole farmhouse wholemeal loaf should be frozen on the day of purchase and used within one month; for other loaves, follow the instructions on their packaging.
No. ‘Wholemeal’ describes the flour used, not the absence of gluten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wheat, rye and barley as grains that contain gluten. So if gluten or wheat needs to be avoided, check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific bread.
