Lunch planners who keep an eye on fibre
Households looking to replace white bread and focusing mainly on wholemeal ingredients and fibre content at lunchtime.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Careful white-bread switchers
People who choose wholemeal bread based on its taste and texture, and which they enjoy eating as a sandwich. A fine texture may be more appealing than a coarse one.
Shoppers who read labels carefully
People who want to compare carbohydrates, salt, ingredients or allergens as well as fibre before choosing a loaf.
What should you look for?
If you want to replace white bread with a wholemeal option, start by checking that it is labelled wholemeal. Then choose a texture you enjoy and compare the nutritional information per 100 g and the current label to check your other priorities.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it's important to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal ingredients | Look for the word wholemeal; don't rely on a dark colour, seeds or the name multigrain alone. | If I want to replace white bread with a wholemeal sandwich, I want to be sure what the bread is made from. For around 36% of consumers, that certainty comes first. |
| Taste and texture | Compare fine and coarse wholemeal options to find the bite you prefer; texture alone says nothing about fibre content. | I find coarse bread less appealing, so I look for a wholemeal option with a texture I enjoy. Around 29% of consumers give taste and texture the highest priority. |
| Nutritional information | Compare fibre, carbohydrates, protein and salt on the same basis, preferably per 100 g. | I want to know how the bread fits into my usual lunch, so I look beyond a single figure or claim. This broader comparison matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any warnings on the current packaging. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, the composition matters more than taste or fibre content. For around 14% of consumers, checking this is their first priority when buying. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking brown or multigrain bread for wholemeal
A dark colour, seeds or a mix of grains don't mean that bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes wholemeal bread from brown bread, which also contains white flour.
Use the wholemeal label as your first check, then read the ingredients and nutritional information.
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Relying only on a carbohydrate or fibre claim
An option with a carbohydrate claim may have a different composition from ordinary wholemeal bread. The low-carbohydrate wholemeal bread described by Jumbo also contains ingredients such as soya, egg and seeds.
Compare the nutritional information per 100 g and read the full ingredients and allergen information before choosing based on a single claim.
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Treating online allergen information as definitive
Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that product information can change. This makes the packaging particularly important if you need to avoid an ingredient.
Check the label on the bread you have actually bought before eating it.
Brands and shops compared
These shops stock a range of wholemeal breads. Always compare the specific product: texture, ingredients and nutritional information can vary between options.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn provides online product information for items including AH Rond volkoren heel.
- For this product, you can use the listed ingredients and nutritional information to compare it with other breads.
- Albert Heijn warns that product information can change, so check the packaging when you buy it.
Jumbo
Jumbo stocks wholemeal breads with different textures and product names, including fine and coarse wholemeal options.
- The different options let you weigh up texture and ingredients for each product.
- A low-carbohydrate option may contain additional ingredients and allergens, so check its own label.
Lidl
Lidl stocks fine wholemeal bread, among other options, in an 800 g loaf.
- The fine-textured option may be worth considering if a coarse texture is putting you off switching from white bread.
- Check the packaging of your chosen loaf to compare fibre, salt and allergens.
Aldi
Aldi stocks freshly baked wholemeal bread and an extra-high-fibre wholemeal option.
- Aldi says its wholemeal breads are made with 100% wholemeal flour.
- Check the latest nutritional information for each option if you want to compare fibre or salt.
PLUS
PLUS stocks options including Rond fijn volkoren heel and Boeren volkoren heel.
- These options give you a starting point for comparing different bread textures at the same shop.
- PLUS says that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information may change, so read the packaging.
Dirk
Alongside other types of bread, Dirk stocks options including wholemeal bâtard and wholemeal tin-free bread.
- The different product types give you a choice of bread shapes and textures.
- Use the latest nutritional information for each product to compare fibre, salt and ingredients.
Bread options at Joybuy
These options include flatbread and round loaves that you could consider for lunch. A name containing Whole Wheat doesn't on its own prove that a product meets the Dutch wholemeal labelling requirements; check the ingredients if you want bread made entirely from wholemeal flour.
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Souq Lebanese Bread Whole Wheat 6 P
A flatbread for a lunch with fillings or dips, instead of ordinary sliced bread.
Check the ingredients if you're looking for bread made entirely from wholemeal flour. If you have an allergy, also read the current allergen information on the packaging.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread 550 g x 2
A round loaf to consider for filled sandwiches; allow time to defrost, bake and cool.
The ingredients listed include both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour. Check the packaging if you're looking for fully wholemeal bread, and use the latest nutritional information to compare fibre and salt.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread 550 g
This version of the round loaf could work for filled sandwiches, provided you have time to defrost, bake and cool it.
The listed ingredients include both wholemeal wheat flour and wheat flour. Read the label if you need fully wholemeal bread, and only compare nutritional values when they are given on the same basis.
Frequently asked questions
Is brown bread the same as wholemeal bread?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread also contains white flour. So look for the wholemeal label rather than relying on colour alone.
Why choose wholemeal bread rather than white bread for lunch?
If you're mainly looking for fibre, wholemeal bread is a suitable choice: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes it as a higher-fibre option than white bread. To see how your lunch measures up, also consider what you put on your bread and what you eat alongside it.
Should I check allergens in wholemeal bread too?
Yes, if you need to avoid certain ingredients. The ingredients vary from one loaf to another; depending on the recipe, there may be other ingredients of concern as well as wheat. So check the allergen information on the current packaging of the option you choose.