Start by choosing bread labelled wholemeal: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown or multigrain bread is not necessarily wholemeal. Then compare fibre and salt on the same weight basis, and choose a fine, coarse or seed-filled texture that suits your household. Check the current packaging, even for a bread you know and trust.
If you want to replace brown or white bread with wholemeal bread, start by checking the product label, then compare the fibre content per 100 g. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, the wholemeal label confirms that wholemeal flour is used as the base; check the nutritional values for each product separately.
If you prefer a less coarse crumb, finely or extra-finely milled wholemeal bread is worth considering. Lidl, for example, describes a kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour. Check the label and nutritional information of your chosen loaf when you buy it.
Coarse bread, hearth-baked loaves and varieties with seeds all offer different ways to add variety. Albert Heijn and Jumbo feature these types of bread in their ranges. A dark colour, seeds or a name such as waldkorn does not, in itself, confirm that a loaf is wholemeal.
First, check that the bread is labelled wholemeal. Then compare the nutritional information, the texture you prefer and a loaf size that suits how much you get through.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal status | Look for the wholemeal label; if in doubt, check the ingredients too. | If I specifically want wholemeal bread, I don’t want to rely on a dark colour or seeds. For around 36% of consumers, this reassurance comes first. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare fibre and salt per 100 g, or per portion of the same weight. | I want to compare the nutritional information of different wholemeal varieties. For around 29% of consumers, fibre and salt are the first things they look at. |
| Texture and flavour | Check whether the bread is fine or coarse and whether it contains seeds; for these varieties, check the wholemeal label separately. | A fine-textured slice suits our preference better, or we’re specifically looking for a coarser texture. This is the most important consideration for an estimated 21% of consumers. |
| Size and storage | Choose a whole or half loaf to suit how much you get through, and check the storage advice. | If we don’t eat much bread at home, I want to be able to store what we won’t use straight away. Around 14% of consumers therefore prioritise size and ease of storage. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread contains white flour as well as wholemeal flour. Colour and visible grains don’t offer the same reassurance as a wholemeal label.
Check the product name and, if in doubt, read the ingredients list.
ALDI makes a comparison with standard wholemeal bread for one specific extra-high-fibre wholemeal loaf. That product claim says nothing about the nutritional values of other varieties.
Check which products a comparative claim refers to, and compare the fibre and salt in the breads you’re considering on the same weight basis.
How much your household eats determines whether a whole loaf is practical. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends storing opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months.
Choose a suitable size and freeze any bread you won’t use soon in portions after buying it.
Bread listed on a supermarket website may only be available at certain shops or for a limited time. Lidl, for example, noted that its tiger wholemeal hearth-baked loaf was only available in store during a specified period.
Check what’s available at your chosen shop, and read the current packaging when you buy, including the allergen information.
Albert Heijn offers wholemeal bread in a range of varieties, including fine, coarse, hearth-baked and waldkorn.
Jumbo’s wholemeal range includes fine and coarse bread, as well as a variety with sunflower seeds.
ALDI lists freshly baked wholemeal bread and a separate product called Extra High-Fibre Wholemeal Bread.
Lidl describes a kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour, and also lists wholemeal bread for in-store purchase.
This option is Lebanese flatbread for anyone looking for a different type of bread alongside the usual sliced loaf. Before choosing it as wholemeal bread, check that the current packaging labels it as wholemeal.
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An option if you’re looking for Lebanese flatbread rather than a whole or sliced loaf.
Whole Wheat appears in the product name; check the current packaging for the wholemeal label and the full ingredients and allergen information.
Check whether the bread is explicitly labelled wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; a dark colour, several types of grain or seeds don’t confirm this on their own. If in doubt, check the ingredients list too.
Compare the nutritional values per 100 g or per portion of the same weight. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 3.4 g of fibre and 0.48 g of salt for one 50 g slice of wholemeal bread cut at home; when comparing products, use the values on the packaging of the specific loaves.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months. For unopened packaging, check the date and storage advice on the label too; you can freeze bread you won’t use soon in portions after buying it.
Don’t assume this is the case for every loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the permitted use of iodine compounds in bread via baker’s salt, but this doesn’t confirm which salt was used in a specific loaf. Check the packaging or ask the baker.
