Choose a wholemeal loaf if you’d like to serve generous slices with a meal to share, or a wholemeal baguette for smaller pieces alongside soup and dips. A smaller part-baked loaf is a good choice if you’d like to finish baking it just before eating and have the oven space and time to do so. Whatever shape you choose, check the wholemeal labelling, allergens and preparation instructions. A rustic appearance alone says nothing about its nutritional value.
If you’d like to put a whole loaf on the table and serve generous slices yourself, consider its shape and how you’ll need to prepare it. Albert Heijn describes Liefde & Passie Volkoren as a rustic loaf made with wheat sourdough; Jumbo describes rustic sourdough breads in its bread range. Check which version is actually available to buy.
A baguette is easy to cut into small slices to serve with soup, spreads or a sharing platter. According to PLUS, the Korenlanders baguette is described as a wholemeal wheat sourdough baguette.
If your guests need to avoid gluten or other allergens, the exact packaging will help determine which bread to choose. Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS lists cereals containing gluten and, depending on the variety, other allergens that are present or may be present in various wholemeal and sourdough breads.
First decide how you’d like to serve the bread. Then check that your chosen variety suits the time you have available for preparation and the guests you’re catering for.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation and bread shape | Check whether it’s a whole loaf, a hearth-baked loaf or a bâtard, and whether the product information mentions sourdough or a particular baking method. | If you’d like to serve generous slices from a whole loaf with dinner, its shape is an important factor. Around 36% of consumers prioritise presentation and bread shape. |
| Portions and serving time | Compare the shape and weight of the bread; for part-baked bread, also check the storage and baking instructions. | If I want to serve small pieces with dips or warm bread at a particular time, the preparation needs to fit my schedule. For around 29% of consumers, this is their first consideration. |
| Wholemeal labelling and allergens | Read the official product name and the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety. | If a guest needs to avoid a particular allergen, I don’t want to rely on the bread’s colour or appearance. For around 21% of consumers, the product name and label are their primary concern. |
| Availability | Check the range at your chosen branch and whether the bread needs to be bought in store. | If I’m planning dinner around a particular type of bread, I want to know whether it’ll be available in time. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this practical reassurance. |
A loaf’s colour, seeds or shape don’t confirm that the variety you’ve chosen is wholemeal. For example, PLUS explicitly describes its Korenlanders baguette as a wholemeal wheat sourdough baguette.
Check the wholemeal labelling and ingredients information for the bread you’re buying, rather than relying on how it looks.
Wholemeal and sourdough bread can contain cereals containing gluten. Depending on the product, other allergens may also be present or listed on the label as possible cross-contamination.
Ask your guests about relevant allergens in advance and read the information on the exact packaging. If someone has an allergy, don’t rely on the word ‘sourdough’ or the bread’s appearance.
Jumbo says its rustic sourdough breads are only available to buy in store. Lidl notes that its fresh bread range can vary from branch to branch.
Check your chosen branch before planning your menu around one type of bread, and consider which other shape would also work with your dishes.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. So the type of bread alone won’t tell you which salt was used in a particular loaf.
If you’d like to know, read the ingredients list or ask the baker for information about unwrapped bread.
The Liefde & Passie range includes an example of a rustic wholemeal loaf for a sharing board.
Jumbo describes a range of rustic sourdough breads that may suit you if you’d like to put a whole loaf on the table.
PLUS’s Korenlanders products offer two different ways to serve bread: as a baguette or as a smaller part-baked loaf.
A wholemeal bâtard or hearth-baked loaf from Dirk could be served as bread to share with a meal.
Lidl includes wholemeal bread in its range of freshly baked breads.
ALDI lists options including fine wholemeal bread and a variety called Extra Fibre Wholemeal Bread.
The round loaves below are suited to serving whole; the Lebanese flatbread offers a different shape for dishes with dips. For the round loaves, check the preparation instructions. For all varieties, check the packaging if ingredients or allergens are important for your guests.
Image unavailable
These round loaves are a good option if you’d like to serve a whole loaf at a sharing table.
Allow time to defrost, bake in a fan oven and cool before slicing. Check the baking instructions on the packaging and read the latest allergen information for your guests.
Image unavailable
This single round loaf is a good choice if you’d like to present a whole loaf and slice it yourself.
Allow time to defrost, bake in a fan oven and cool. Check the packaging for the baking instructions and latest allergen information.
Image unavailable
Flatbread offers a different way to serve bread if you’d like to provide pieces for dipping rather than slices from a whole round loaf.
Check the ingredients and allergens on the packaging before serving it to your guests.
Choose a whole loaf for generous slices to share with a meal, and a wholemeal baguette for smaller pieces alongside soup or dips. If you’d like to bake a smaller loaf just before serving, check that you have enough time and oven space.
No. Check the product name and ingredients information for the exact variety. Colour, seeds and words such as ‘rustic’ don’t confirm that it’s wholemeal.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use bakers’ salt. For packaged bread, check the ingredients list; for unwrapped bread, ask the baker which salt was used.
Ask which allergens are relevant, then check the label on the exact bread you’re buying. Wholemeal and sourdough breads can contain cereals containing gluten and, depending on the variety, other allergens. An earlier product description is no substitute for the information on the current packaging.
