For a family meal, choose bread clearly labelled ‘wholemeal’ and buy an amount that suits what your household eats. A whole loaf is most practical if you’ll use it in time or can freeze it according to the label. Also check the ingredients and allergens that matter to your family.
If you often buy bread for the whole household, the loaf’s weight and the number of usable portions matter more than its shape alone. Jumbo offers several loaf shapes in its wholemeal range. Check which quantity best matches what you actually eat.
Does the number of people eating vary, or is bread not on the table every day? A half loaf could be a better fit. The product pages for the whole loaves from Albert Heijn and PLUS mentioned here say they can be frozen on the day of purchase.
If you’re looking for wholemeal bread or need to avoid certain ingredients, the product name and current label are more useful than the bread’s colour. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour. Check the ingredients and allergens for each product.
First, check that it’s labelled ‘wholemeal’. Then work out how much your family will use and whether the storage or freezing instructions suit your mealtimes.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and portions | Check the loaf’s weight and, if stated, the number of portions. Choose an amount that suits the meals you have planned. | When several people are eating, I want enough slices without having bread left over. For around 46% of consumers, having a useful amount is the top priority. |
| Storage and waste | Read the storage instructions and check whether you can freeze the bread on the day you buy it. Consider a half loaf if your usage varies. | If we don’t eat bread every day, I want to avoid leaving a whole loaf unused. Around 36% of consumers say reducing waste is their top priority. |
| Wholemeal and ingredients | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens. Compare fibre and salt per 100 g if that’s relevant to your choice. | If ingredients are a deciding factor for my household, I want to know exactly which bread will be on the table. Checking the label is the top priority for around 18% of consumers. |
Loaves vary in weight and shape. Buying a whole loaf when your family will only use part of it can lead to unnecessary leftovers.
Compare the loaf’s weight with the number of people eating and the meals you plan to serve it with.
A brown colour or seeds on the crust don’t tell you whether bread is entirely wholemeal. The Voedingscentrum distinguishes wholemeal bread, made with 100% wholemeal flour, from brown bread, which contains a mix of wholemeal flour and refined flour.
Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product description and check the packaging if you’re unsure about the ingredients.
If you don’t eat all the slices in time, some of the bread will go to waste.
Choose a smaller amount or follow the freezing instructions for that particular loaf. Albert Heijn and PLUS say that the whole wholemeal loaves mentioned here can be frozen on the day of purchase.
Ingredients, allergen information and ranges can change. This is especially important if someone in your household needs to avoid certain ingredients.
Check the information again on the packaging of the loaf you actually buy.
A useful place to start if you want to compare portions, nutritional information and storage instructions for each loaf.
Worth considering if you want to compare different own-brand wholemeal breads and loaf shapes.
A good option for families considering a whole coarse wholemeal loaf who want to check the label first.
A brand to look at if you’re shopping in store for wholemeal bread for the family.
An option for shoppers who want to check the label of a particular wholemeal loaf in store.
A good choice if you’re looking for wholemeal bread or a smaller loaf in store.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour, while brown bread contains a mix of wholemeal flour and refined flour. If wholemeal is a requirement, look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the packaging.
Choose a loaf weight and number of portions to suit how much your family expects to eat. If you’re comparing different loaf shapes, check the quantity in each pack too. A whole loaf may not be the best fit if you regularly have slices left over.
Some products can be frozen. Albert Heijn says AH Wholemeal Whole and PLUS says Coarse Wholemeal Whole can be frozen at home on the day of purchase, and should then be used within one month. Follow the instructions on the packaging of the loaf you buy.
Read the allergen information for the specific loaf. The ingredients for AH Wholemeal Whole list wheat; Jumbo lists barley and soya among the allergens for Coarse Wholemeal. Don’t assume other options have the same ingredients.
Check the ingredients list on the loaf you buy. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH Wholemeal Whole, while PLUS lists baker’s salt for Coarse Wholemeal Whole. The word ‘wholemeal’ alone doesn’t tell you what type of salt has been used.
