For lunch, start by choosing bread sold as wholemeal, then compare the fibre, salt and ingredients on the packaging. Whether you prefer a fine or coarse texture largely comes down to what you enjoy with your toppings; to find a loaf with extra fibre or less salt, compare the exact products. If you have an allergy or need to eat gluten-free, the latest allergen information should take priority over your other preferences.
You want wholemeal bread as a regular part of your lunch and compare the fibre content of different loaves. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as a source of fibre; the label helps you compare specific products.
You want to keep eating wholemeal bread while taking its salt content into account. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises comparing products’ nutritional information on the same basis.
For you, it matters whether the bread is fine or coarse, and whether it works with your toppings and how much time you have to prepare lunch. The ranges shown by shops including Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS include different wholemeal options you can compare on these points.
Start with the name under which the bread is sold and the label on the loaf you want to buy. Then compare the points that matter most for your lunch, ideally using nutritional values per 100 g.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the term wholemeal and compare the fibre figures on the nutrition table, ideally per 100 g. | If bread is the basis of my lunch, I want to know that I’m choosing wholemeal and how the fibre figures compare. For around 36% of consumers, choosing wholemeal and fibre comes first. |
| Salt and nutritional values | Compare salt and fibre using the same label basis; only apply a claim to the product it appears on. | I want to compare the bread I usually buy with an option where salt is my main consideration. Around 29% of consumers put this nutritional comparison first. |
| Texture and convenience | Check whether the shape, slice and preparation required suit your toppings and lunch routine. | Bread that needs preparing doesn’t always suit my lunch break, and I also need to enjoy its texture. This practical choice matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | If you need to avoid something, check the latest ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. | If I need to avoid gluten or another allergen, I first check whether the bread is suitable for me. For around 14% of consumers, this takes priority over their other lunch preferences. |
The colour, seeds and word ‘multigrain’ don’t tell you how the fibre content compares with another loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority investigated whether the grain ingredients in products sold as wholemeal met the wholemeal requirement used in its investigation.
Start with bread sold as wholemeal, then check the ingredients and nutritional information on the packaging you choose.
ALDI says its Extra High-Fibre Wholemeal Bread (Whole) has been compared with ordinary wholemeal bread. This claim does not automatically apply to other ALDI loaves.
Check which loaf the claim refers to and compare the nutritional values of the products you’re actually considering.
Being labelled wholemeal doesn’t make ordinary wheat bread gluten-free. If you need to eat gluten-free or avoid another allergen, the information for the exact product is what matters.
Always check the latest ingredients and allergen information before choosing a loaf.
Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information can change. So a product page you viewed previously may not match the packaging you receive.
Check the packaging again when you buy, especially if the ingredients are key to your choice.
Albert Heijn offers a range of wholemeal breads, including fine, coarse and other styles.
Jumbo offers fine, coarse and other wholemeal options.
Lidl offers oven-fresh bread and a rustic wholemeal sourdough loaf.
ALDI offers fine and other wholemeal breads, including an option called Extra High-Fibre Wholemeal Bread (Whole).
PLUS offers farmhouse, fine and other wholemeal options.
Dirk offers wholemeal breads such as a hearth-baked loaf and a Bakker van der Akker option with extra fibre in its product name.
These Joybuy products suit two ways of enjoying wholemeal bread at lunch: Lebanese bread to eat with toppings or dips, and a round loaf that you bake at home. Alongside how you plan to use it, compare the latest nutritional information and allergen details.
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An option for lunch if you like to eat bread with toppings or dips. If you need to avoid allergens, check the latest packaging and compare the nutritional information with other breads on the same basis.
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An option if you’d like to bake a round loaf at home and have time to do so before lunch. According to the preparation instructions, the loaf needs to defrost first, then be baked and left to cool before slicing. Check the latest packaging for allergen information and to see how the nutritional values are presented.
Start with bread sold as wholemeal and check the latest label. Then compare the fibre and salt content of the loaves you’re considering, ideally per 100 g.
No. Colour, seeds and the word ‘multigrain’ are no substitute for comparing the product description and nutritional information. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre describes wholemeal bread as a source of fibre; to compare products, check the values on each product’s own label.
Ordinary wholemeal wheat bread isn’t gluten-free. If you need a gluten-free option, check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product on the latest packaging.
Choose an amount that suits how quickly your household gets through the bread, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging. For example, Jumbo says to store one of its coarse wholemeal breads in a cool, dark place; check the instructions for the loaf you buy.
