For school holiday lunches, choose bread labelled wholemeal, with a slice that suits the toppings and the people eating at home. Check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional information per 100 g for the bread you choose. Pick a whole or half loaf to suit the number of lunches you expect to make, or freeze portions for later.
Looking for wholemeal bread that works for lunch at home. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholemeal bread as a possible choice for children because of its fibre content. How much bread to serve depends on who is eating and what else is on the menu.
Looking for sliced bread for sandwiches or toasties, with a texture everyone at home will enjoy. Jumbo lists fine wholemeal varieties, while Aldi offers sliced fine wholemeal bread. Check that the loaf you choose has slices of the thickness you want.
You may not eat the same amount of bread every day during the school holidays. A half loaf or freezing portions can help you buy the right amount for the lunches you have planned.
Start by checking the wholemeal labelling and choosing the slice thickness you want. Then compare the packaging of specific loaves and pick an amount that suits your holiday plans.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal status and nutritional value | Check that the bread is labelled wholemeal. Compare the nutritional information per 100 g for similar loaves. | If choosing bread for a child’s lunch is my priority, I want to know what I’m buying and what the label says. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this nutritional choice. |
| Slice thickness and lunchtime convenience | Check whether the bread is sliced and whether the slices suit your chosen toppings; ‘fine’ does not indicate a standard slice thickness. | For sandwiches or toasties, I want slices that are easy for everyone at home to top. For around 29% of consumers, this convenience comes first. |
| Quantity and storage | Choose a whole or half loaf to suit your planned lunches, and decide which portions to freeze straight away. | If we eat bread irregularly during the holidays, I want to avoid leaving an opened loaf uneaten. Buying the right amount matters most to around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information; if needed, check whether baker’s salt has been used. | If I have a food allergy or a specific question about the ingredients, I need to check the loaf I choose individually. Around 14% of consumers prioritise checking the label. |
The colour, a multigrain name or a fine texture alone won’t tell you whether the bread you choose is wholemeal.
Check the product description and ingredients. If you’re comparing similar loaves, compare the nutritional information per 100 g, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises when reading labels.
If you have fewer bread-based lunches than expected, you could be left with an opened loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days.
If needed, choose a half loaf or freeze any portions you won’t use within a few days.
A claim about fibre or salt for one loaf doesn’t tell you anything about other varieties, sizes or slice thicknesses.
Read the claim and nutritional information on the loaf you’re actually choosing, and compare products on a like-for-like basis.
Ingredients can vary from loaf to loaf. Albert Heijn also notes that product information may change.
Before eating the bread, read the ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the loaf you’ve bought.
These supermarkets list relevant wholemeal breads or bread categories. A name such as ‘fine’ or ‘sliced’ is a starting point: check the slices and label of the individual loaf.
Albert Heijn has an online category for wholemeal bread.
Jumbo lists fine wholemeal bread, round fine wholemeal bread and a half loaf, among other options.
Lidl describes a kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
Aldi lists sliced fine wholemeal bread and a separate extra-high-fibre variety.
Plus lists round fine wholemeal bread in both whole and half sizes.
Dirk’s search results show various half wholemeal loaves from Bakker van der Akker.
This Bolletje product is labelled Rye Bread Bun. If you’re looking for medium-sliced wholemeal bread, the shape of the loaf and the slices are important things to check before buying.
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If you’re planning a lunch with slices of wholemeal bread, the product format is key: check that this 500 g pack contains the type of bread and slices you want.
Yes, wholemeal bread can be part of a varied lunch. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre lists wholemeal and brown bread as options for children because of their fibre content. Plan the meal around what the people eating need and enjoy.
No, those words don’t tell you how much wholemeal flour the bread contains. Check the product description, ingredients and nutritional information for the loaf you choose. A fine texture also doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are.
Freeze any portions you won’t use soon after buying the loaf. 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. Follow the storage advice on the packaging too.
Don’t assume it does: check the ingredients for the individual loaf or ask the baker. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that bread made with baker’s salt is a source of iodine, but the ‘wholemeal’ label doesn’t confirm that this salt has been used.
Read the ingredients list on the current packaging of the loaf you choose. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, allergens are clearly highlighted there, for example in bold or capital letters. Check any ‘may contain’ statement too, if it’s relevant to you.
