If you’re choosing bread to have with your coffee, first look for bread labelled wholemeal, then decide whether you’d prefer a fine or coarser texture. Compare the fibre, salt and allergens on the packaging of the exact variety. If a product is advertised as extra high in fibre, its nutritional information and the basis for that comparison also matter. For a smaller household, the size of the loaf may help you decide.
For households who want to have wholemeal bread with their coffee and compare the fibre, salt and ingredients in different loaves. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives an average of 3.4 g of fibre for a 50 g slice of wholemeal bread; the nutritional information for a specific loaf may differ.
For anyone who prefers a fine texture without giving up on wholemeal bread. Fine wholemeal bread is available from retailers including Jumbo, Lidl, ALDI and PLUS; check the nutritional information and allergens for the variety you choose.
For anyone who mainly eats bread with their coffee and wants to choose a half or whole loaf to suit how much they expect to use. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as one of the most commonly wasted foods.
Decide whether you want an ordinary slice of bread or a different type, then compare the texture, nutritional information and size of the exact products.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the product name and compare fibre and salt per 100 g on the packaging. | If I’m choosing wholemeal bread, I don’t want to rely on its brown colour; I need to be able to compare loaves. For around 46% of consumers, having confidence that a product is wholemeal and high in fibre comes first. |
| Taste and texture | Choose a fine or coarser variety to suit the bite you prefer; if the ingredients differ, check the allergens too. | With my coffee, I want a slice of bread I enjoy eating, even when I choose wholemeal. Around 27% of consumers give taste and texture the highest priority. |
| Size and availability | Choose a half or whole loaf to suit how much you’ll use, and check whether the variety is available in your chosen shop or online. | If we don’t often have bread with our coffee, I want to choose a size we can finish. The right size and availability matter most to around 27% of consumers. |
Colour, seeds and the number of types of grain don’t, on their own, tell you whether you’re buying the wholemeal bread you’re looking for.
Check the product name first, then compare the nutritional information for the exact variety.
A claim about extra fibre applies to the product in question and the comparison used by the seller. It doesn’t replace the nutritional information for other loaves.
Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and if the claim is relative, check what the product is being compared with.
If you mainly eat bread with your coffee, you may end up with some of a whole loaf left over. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists bread as one of the most commonly wasted foods.
Choose a suitable size, or follow the packaging instructions if you want to freeze portions.
Albert Heijn offers wholemeal bread in different styles and product ranges, including artisan-style and tiger loaves.
Jumbo offers fine and coarse wholemeal bread, among other varieties.
Lidl lists Fine Wholemeal as an 800 g loaf.
ALDI offers fine, multigrain and extra-high-fibre wholemeal varieties.
PLUS offers fine, tiger, farmhouse and artisan-style loaves in its wholemeal range, among others.
Dirk’s bread range includes wholemeal and multigrain varieties, among others.
If you’d prefer flatbread rather than an ordinary slice of bread with your coffee, you could take a look at this Whole Wheat variety. If you’re specifically looking for wholemeal bread or certain nutritional values, compare the description and nutritional information on the packaging.
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An option for anyone who’d rather have Lebanese flatbread than sliced bread with their coffee. Check the packaging for the Dutch product name and the latest nutritional and allergen information.
Start by checking the product name, rather than relying on its colour or visible grains. Then check the ingredients and nutritional information for the exact variety if you want to compare the fibre or salt in different loaves.
No. The fine or coarse texture doesn’t, on its own, determine how much fibre a loaf contains. Choose the texture you prefer, then compare the fibre values per 100 g for the specific loaves.
Don’t assume it does without checking. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out conditions for the use of iodine compounds in bread through baker’s salt, but that doesn’t confirm the ingredients of an individual loaf. Check the ingredients or ask the baker or supermarket.
Follow the storage instructions and use-by information for the bread you’ve chosen. Jumbo recommends storing its Fine Wholemeal Bread in a cool, dry and dark place; the same instructions won’t necessarily apply to every variety.
Check the details for each product and retailer. Lidl says its Fine Wholemeal is available in store only, while Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS also show bread pages online. A product page doesn’t automatically mean the variety you’ve chosen is available for your order.
