If you only use a few slices at a time, choose half a wholemeal loaf or freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you buy it. With either option, check that it is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre and salt content on the same basis, such as per 100 g. A whole loaf takes more preparation if you want to reduce waste.
For breakfast, lunch or a light meal for one, you might only use a few slices. Half a loaf or portions frozen straight away can stop the rest from sitting open for too long. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you won’t use it soon.
If you’re choosing bread for its fibre, don’t judge it by its colour or coarse texture alone. Check that it is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and compare the nutritional information for the options you’re considering.
The size you want needs to suit how much you use and be available through your chosen shop, delivery or collection service. Albert Heijn, Jumbo, PLUS and Dirk, for example, list half-size wholemeal options.
First, work out how much bread you’ll use before it starts to lose its freshness. Then compare the ‘wholemeal’ label, nutritional information and the size available to buy.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness and waste | Check whether half a loaf is available, whether you can portion a whole loaf straight away and whether you have freezer space. | If I only use a few slices, I don’t want the rest of an opened loaf to go stale. For around 42% of consumers, reducing waste is the top priority. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check that it is labelled ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre and salt content on the same basis, such as per 100 g. | I want to know that I’m choosing genuinely wholemeal bread and how much fibre the option contains. For around 33% of consumers, this check is the top priority. |
| Size and availability | Check whether the size you want is available through your shop, delivery or collection option. | When I plan my shopping, I want to be able to take or order bread in a size that works for me. For around 25% of consumers, convenience is the most important factor when buying. |
The colour and appearance of the grains don’t tell you whether the bread is labelled as wholemeal. You could end up buying a different type of bread from the one you intended.
For packaged bread, check the ‘wholemeal’ label first, then compare the nutritional information.
With smaller meals, a large part of the loaf may be left uneaten. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it and taking out only what you need.
Choose half a loaf if that better suits how much you use, or divide a whole loaf into freezer portions straight away.
ALDI says that one of its own extra-high-fibre wholemeal options contains more fibre and less salt than regular wholemeal bread. That doesn’t automatically apply to other options.
Compare the nutritional information for the specific loaves on the same basis, such as per 100 g.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority sets out the conditions under which iodine may be added to bread via baker’s salt. This doesn’t confirm which salt was used in a particular loaf.
Check the ingredients on the packaging or ask the baker which salt was used in the bread.
When looking at these supermarket ranges, you can compare factors such as size and how to buy them. Check the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
Albert Heijn lists a range of wholemeal breads, including full and half loaves.
Jumbo lists fine and coarse wholemeal bread, including half loaves.
PLUS lists fine wholemeal breads in full and half sizes, as well as other wholemeal options.
Dirk lists bread in both half and full sizes.
ALDI lists fine wholemeal bread in half and full sizes, as well as a separate extra-high-fibre option.
Lidl lists an 800 g fine wholemeal loaf which, according to the product page, is only available in store.
These products include Lebanese flatbread in a pack of six and 550 g round loaves, sold individually or in packs of two. For smaller meals, consider how much you’ll use once the pack is open and what preparation or storage space you’ll need.
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For a light meal with flatbread, you can use one piece at a time; the pack contains six.
According to the product information, the opened pack should be used within two days. Check the current storage instructions on the packaging.
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This 550 g round loaf may suit your plans if you can store it before use and have time to prepare it.
According to the product information, the loaf needs to be thawed and baked before use. Check the preparation instructions and compare the fibre and salt content on the current packaging.
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The pack contains two round loaves, each weighing 550 g. If you don’t eat much bread with each meal, plan ahead for how you’ll store both loaves.
According to the product information, the loaves need to be thawed and baked before use. Check the packaging for the latest instructions and nutritional information.
If you won’t use the bread soon, it’s best to freeze it in portions as soon as you buy it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises taking only what you need out of the freezer each time. Also check the storage advice on the packaging.
No. The colour and the use of several types of grain don’t, by themselves, confirm that bread is wholemeal. For packaged bread, check the ‘wholemeal’ label.
No, wholemeal and gluten-free don’t mean the same thing. Check the ingredients, allergen information and any explicit gluten-free label on the packaging of the specific loaf.
No, they don’t mean that every individual wholemeal loaf contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that iodine compounds may be added to bread via baker’s salt. For a specific loaf, check the ingredients or ask the baker which salt was used.
