Choose bread labelled wholemeal if you want to swap white bread for your office lunch to get more fibre: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread contains more fibre than white bread. Then decide which shape and texture suit your fillings and lunch routine, and compare the nutritional information for each product. Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging; if iodine from bread matters to you, also check whether it contains baker’s salt.
Do you often eat sandwiches at the office and want to swap white bread for more fibre? Look for the wholemeal label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that wholemeal bread is made from the whole grain and contains more fibre than white bread.
If you pack sandwiches for several working days, it’s practical to compare the shape of the loaf, whether it’s pre-sliced and how much is in each pack. Also consider how you’ll store the bread.
Do you need to check for allergens, or want to know whether the bread is made with baker’s salt? Check the current packaging for the specific bread. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt is not compulsory.
Start by thinking about why you want to swap white bread. Then compare the bread’s shape, packaging and label with what you need for your working days.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g if you’re comparing different breads. | If I’m swapping white bread for more fibre, I don’t want to judge by a dark colour or seeds alone. For around 36% of consumers, this fibre-focused choice comes first. |
| Easy to make a sandwich | Check the shape of the bread and whether it’s pre-sliced. Also consider whether the texture suits your usual fillings. | For a lunch I can prepare quickly and take with me, a practical sandwich shape matters. Around 29% of consumers give this convenience top priority. |
| Stocking up and storage | Choose a pack size that suits you and read the storage instructions, especially if you don’t eat bread every day. | If I only work in the office a few days a week, I want to use the bread without the rest being left over. Reducing waste comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the allergen information and the salt listed. Look for baker’s salt if iodine from bread matters to you. | If I need to watch certain ingredients, the contents matter more than the shape of the bread. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label is the main priority. |
The colour, seeds and the word “multigrain” don’t in themselves mean that bread is wholemeal. This matters if fibre is your reason for swapping white bread.
First, look for the wholemeal label, then compare the fibre per 100 g on the packaging.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baker’s salt is not compulsory, so you can’t tell whether it’s included just from the type of bread.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt if iodine from bread matters to you. If you’re buying unpackaged bread, ask about the ingredients.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s general storage advice, opened wholemeal bread can be kept in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days. Bear this in mind if you don’t take sandwiches with you every day.
Choose an amount that suits your working days or freeze portions. Also follow the instructions on the packaging.
Bread you don’t use in time can go stale or spoil.
How you need to store a filled sandwich also depends on what’s inside. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, food that spoils quickly should not be left out of the fridge for more than 2 hours.
Take a cool bag or ice pack for fillings that spoil quickly, or keep your lunch chilled at work.
These supermarket examples can help you focus on wholemeal bread and product information. Always check the ingredients and nutritional values for the bread you actually choose.
Albert Heijn’s online range includes a whole Zaans wholemeal loaf.
Jumbo has an online wholemeal bread category, which includes Fine Wholemeal Bread.
Lidl provides information about wholemeal products and the ingredients and allergens in its freshly baked bread range.
ALDI lists both Fine Wholemeal and a separate Extra High-Fibre Wholemeal Bread.
PLUS lists online product details for breads including Whole Farmhouse Loaf.
Dirk’s range includes a wholemeal bâtard as a bread option.
These bread options range from flatbread and rye bread rolls to wholemeal wheat bread that needs baking before serving. Choose the shape that suits how you want to take your lunch with you, and the preparation time that works for you.
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An option to consider if flatbread suits the way you like to fill and carry your lunch; it’s a different shape from a regular sliced sandwich loaf.
The pack contains six flatbreads. Check the current allergen information and look for baker’s salt in the ingredients if that matters to you.
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Consider this rye option if you’d like a different texture from soft white bread for your lunch. Check the packaging to see whether it meets your wholemeal preferences.
Pack size: 500 g. Read the current allergen information and check the ingredients for baker’s salt if that’s important to you.
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The pack of two loaves could suit lunch prep for several days, as long as you have time to prepare the bread first.
This frozen bread needs to be defrosted, baked and cooled before slicing. Before comparing its fibre with other bread, check whether the packaging gives nutritional values per 100 g or per serving.
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This single-loaf option could suit you if you want to prepare fewer loaves at a time, but you’ll still need to allow time before you can pack your lunch.
The loaf weighs 550 g and needs to be baked and cooled after defrosting. Check the unit given in the nutritional information before comparing fibre, and read the current allergen information and ingredients too.
No. The colour and the word “multigrain” don’t confirm that bread is wholemeal. Look for the wholemeal label if you want to swap white bread for more fibre; according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from the whole grain.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, using baker’s salt is not compulsory. Check the ingredients list if iodine from bread matters to you, or ask which ingredients have been used if you’re buying unpackaged bread.
For opened wholemeal bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s general storage advice is 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard or 1–3 months in the freezer. Freeze portions if you don’t eat bread every day, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients list and allergen information on the current packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are labelled. Check products you’ve bought before again too, as their ingredients can change.
That depends on the filling: keep fillings that spoil quickly chilled. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends not leaving food that spoils quickly out of the fridge for more than 2 hours, so make sure you can keep this kind of lunch cool while travelling and at work.
