Households that freeze bread
You buy several loaves at once and want to store them in portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage advice can help you work out how much you can use within the recommended freezer period.
Who is this relevant to?
Fibre-conscious bread eaters
You’re looking for wholemeal bread and comparing the ingredients, fibre, salt and allergens on the pack, rather than relying on the colour or name alone.
Small households looking to reduce waste
You don’t get through a whole loaf quickly. Half a loaf, or buying fresh more often, may suit how much you eat better, as the whole and half-loaf options in PLUS’s range show.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, work out how much bread you can eat or store. Then compare the packaging and label for the details that matter most to your household.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Storage and freezing | Check the freezing advice for this loaf and make sure you have room for it in your freezer. For opened wholemeal bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer. PLUS advises freezing its Boeren volkoren heel loaf on the day of purchase and using it within one month. | If I buy several loaves at once, I want to be able to store them until I need them. Around 50% of consumers prioritise planning their supplies in this way. |
| Wholemeal and nutritional information | Read the product description and compare fibre and salt per 100 g. Check the ingredients and allergens too. Claims about extra fibre or less salt apply to the specific product in question. | I want to know which wholemeal bread matches the nutritional values I’m comparing, without relying on the colour of the bread. For around 30% of consumers, choosing by the label is the main priority. |
| Quantity and waste | Compare a whole loaf with a half loaf and consider whether you can use the amount you choose in time. PLUS offers both sizes in its wholemeal range. | If I don’t eat much bread or have very little freezer space, I don’t want to end up with a lot left over. Reducing leftovers is the main priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan
A whole loaf won’t keep for long if it’s opened and left in a kitchen cupboard: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends 2–4 days, compared with 1–3 months in the freezer.
Only choose a whole loaf if you’ll eat it in time or freeze it according to the instructions on the pack.
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Treating brown, multigrain and wholemeal bread as the same thing
The colour or a general name for the bread won’t tell you which ingredients and nutritional values apply to that specific loaf. Claims about fibre or salt don’t automatically apply to other wholemeal breads either.
Check the product description, ingredients, fibre and salt on the individual pack.
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Assuming every loaf contains iodine
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes baker’s salt as a possible source of iodine in bread; this doesn’t mean that every loaf contains it.
Check the current ingredients list if the presence of baker’s salt matters to your choice.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
The online range includes products such as AH Rond volkoren heel and AH Boeren grof volkorenbrood heel.
- Offers several whole wholemeal loaves to compare in advance.
- Albert Heijn says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information may change, so check the pack.
Jumbo
Jumbo shows a range of wholemeal breads online and offers delivery or collection during the ordering process.
- You can add your bread choice to the plan for a larger grocery order.
- Follow the storage advice for the loaf you choose. For example, Jumbo advises keeping its Grof Volkoren bread in a cool, dry and dark place.
Lidl
Lidl lists products such as its tijgervolkoren heel floor-baked loaf as an in-store item.
- An option to look at in-store if you’re after a wholemeal loaf.
- Check whether the item you want is available at your local store before setting off; a temporary offer doesn’t guarantee regular availability.
ALDI
ALDI offers products such as its Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood heel.
- For this specific loaf, ALDI states that it has 30% less salt and 30% more fibre than standard wholemeal bread.
- This comparison is a product claim from ALDI, not a feature of every loaf in its range. Compare the current label.
PLUS
PLUS’s online wholemeal range includes whole and half loaves.
- PLUS gives specific freezing advice for its Boeren volkoren heel loaf: freeze it on the day of purchase and use it within one month.
- Don’t apply this advice to other loaves without checking first; follow the instructions on the pack you choose.
Dirk
Dirk stocks products such as Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren heel and volkoren floor-baked bread.
- You can compare wholemeal loaves in-store during a shopping trip.
- Dirk doesn’t mention a delivery service, so bear in mind that you’ll need to visit a store if you want to stock up there.
Wholemeal bread on Joybuy
This selection includes round wholemeal loaves for baking at home, as well as a pack of Lebanese wholemeal flatbreads in smaller portions. Choose an amount that suits how much you eat, and check the storage and preparation instructions on each pack.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 2 × 550 g
A pack of two loaves for anyone planning several bread-based meals and with space to store them.
Check the defrosting and home-baking instructions before choosing these loaves for your supplies.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 550 g
A single round loaf for anyone who doesn’t need a pack of two and can bake it at home.
When planning when to enjoy your bread, take the defrosting, baking and cooling instructions on the pack into account.
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Souq Lebanese wholemeal flatbread, 6 pieces
Six individual flatbreads may suit you if you prefer smaller portions to a single round loaf.
Check the storage instructions after opening, along with the current ingredients and allergen information. Don’t assume it has the same freezer life as other wholemeal bread unless the pack says so.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I store wholemeal bread?
For opened wholemeal bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer. Check the product label too: PLUS, for example, advises freezing its Boeren volkoren heel loaf on the day of purchase and using it within one month.
Can I tell whether bread is wholemeal by its brown colour?
No. Don’t choose by colour or the term ‘multigrain’ alone. Check that the bread is labelled as wholemeal, and read the ingredients and nutritional information if you want to compare fibre or salt between products.
Does every loaf made with baker’s salt contain iodine?
According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, iodine compounds may be present in bread through baker’s salt, but that doesn’t mean every loaf contains iodine. Check the ingredients list for the specific loaf if this matters to your choice.