For your first shop, choose a loaf clearly labelled as wholemeal, then decide which slice thickness and size suit how much bread you eat each day. Fine-sliced bread isn’t necessarily medium-sliced, so check the packaging or ask at the bakery counter. A half loaf can be handy if you don’t eat many slices, while you can also freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you get it home.
You want bread for breakfast or lunch and are looking for slices that are easy to make sandwiches with. If wholemeal matters to you, the label is a more reliable guide than the colour of the bread, according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
You might not get through a whole loaf quickly. A half loaf or freezing portions straight away can help you choose a size that suits how much you eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre also offers advice on storing opened wholemeal bread.
You need information about the specific loaf before buying it. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for pre-packed products is shown on the label.
Start by checking that it is labelled wholemeal. Then make sure the slice thickness is what you want, and choose a size you can finish or freeze.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and product information | For pre-packed bread, look for the word wholemeal on the label; for unpackaged bread, ask the staff. Check the latest ingredients and allergen information if it’s relevant to your choice. | If I want to eat wholemeal sandwiches every day, I want to be sure the bread really is wholemeal. For around 38% of consumers, this is the most important factor. |
| Slice thickness and ease of making sandwiches | Check whether the bread is sliced and whether the packaging, product page or shelf label specifies the slice thickness you want. Fine-sliced and medium-sliced are not the same. | Slices that are easy to make sandwiches with make a difference to my breakfast or lunch. Around 37% of consumers prioritise the slice thickness they want. |
| Half or whole loaf, and storage | Choose a size to suit how many slices you eat. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, opened wholemeal bread can be kept for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard or 1–3 months in the freezer. | If I don’t eat many slices, I don’t want to be left with bread I can’t finish in time. That’s why around 25% of consumers prioritise a suitable size. |
The colour of bread or a multigrain label does not, by itself, tell you whether it is wholemeal.
Look for the word wholemeal on the label, or ask about the ingredients if the bread is unpackaged.
Bread described as fine-sliced or sliced won’t necessarily have the slice thickness you’re looking for.
Check the latest packaging or shelf label before buying.
If you don’t eat many slices, a whole loaf may dry out or go stale before you finish it.
Consider buying half a loaf, or freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you get it home.
Information about the specific loaf is important if you need to avoid certain ingredients or allergens.
For pre-packed bread, read the latest label. If the bread is unpackaged, ask about its allergen information before buying.
Albert Heijn’s online range includes several wholemeal breads, including whole loaves and a sliced option.
Jumbo’s online wholemeal range includes both Fine Wholemeal and Fine Wholemeal Half.
Lidl’s product page lists Fine Wholemeal, 800 g, as an in-store product.
ALDI describes its Fine Wholemeal bread as sliced.
PLUS’s online wholemeal bread category includes Round Fine Wholemeal Half, among other options.
Dirk’s search results include wholemeal loaves in both half and whole sizes.
For pre-packed bread, look for the word wholemeal on the label. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from the entire grain. If the bread is unpackaged, ask about its ingredients.
No. The colour of the bread or the use of several types of grain doesn’t automatically mean it is wholemeal. If that’s what you’re looking for, choose bread clearly labelled as wholemeal.
If you won’t finish it within a few days, freeze the bread in portions as soon as you get it home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened wholemeal bread can be kept for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard or 1–3 months in the freezer.
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for pre-packed bread is shown on the label. If the bread is unpackaged, ask for information about that specific product before buying.
You can’t tell from the wholemeal label alone. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the presence of iodine compounds in bread depends on whether baker’s salt is used. Check the ingredients for the specific loaf or ask at the bakery counter.
