Which type of bread roll is practical for you?

Households keeping an eye on fibre

You want a bread roll to go with your pea soup that you can check is wholemeal, and that shows how much fibre it contains per 100 g. Look beyond its colour or a ‘multigrain’ label.

Families who want to serve straight away

You want to put the soup and rolls on the table without waiting for them to bake. A fresh, individual wholemeal roll is ideal for serving straight away; Albert Heijn describes its AH Pistolet volkoren as a 70 g roll.

Households that bake rolls just before eating

You want to choose when the rolls are served warm and can use an oven or air fryer to bake them. Check the packaging for instructions on how to prepare and store your chosen part-baked rolls.

What to look for in wholemeal bread rolls

First, check the wholemeal label and nutritional information. Then decide whether you want rolls that are ready to serve or need baking, and see which option fits your usual shopping routine.

What to consider What to check when buying Who is this important for?
Wholemeal and fibre Look for an explicit wholemeal label and compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g. With pea soup, I want to know whether my bread roll is genuinely wholemeal and how much fibre it contains. This is the most important factor for around 46% of consumers.
When you want to serve Check whether the roll is fresh, part-baked or frozen, and follow the preparation instructions if needed. I want to serve the rolls straight away, or bake them just before eating. For around 27% of consumers, when they can serve the rolls is the deciding factor.
Availability Check the current range, and if you choose an alternative, make sure it is explicitly labelled wholemeal. If my preferred roll isn’t available, I want to be able to choose a suitable wholemeal roll or wholemeal finger roll instead. Availability comes first for around 27% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming dark or multigrain means wholemeal

    The name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you how much wholemeal flour a roll contains. Alongside the name, the product information for PLUS Pistolets meergranen also lists 56% wholemeal wheat flour and wholemeal rye flour.

    Look for the wholemeal label and compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g for the specific roll.

  • Adding a roll you’ve seen before to your shopping list without checking

    A product listing doesn’t necessarily mean a roll will be available when you shop. The product page for Jumbo Volkoren Pistolets stated that this product was no longer in its online range.

    Check what’s currently available before planning your meal, and look for an explicitly labelled wholemeal small roll as an alternative if needed.

  • Checking the fibre content alone

    Ingredients and allergens can also affect your choice. AH Pistolet volkoren contains wheat and gluten; the information for the PLUS rolls discussed here lists cereals containing gluten and possible traces of soya, milk and sesame.

    Check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional details on the latest packaging.

  • Assuming every roll contains iodised salt

    You need to check the type of salt for each product. Albert Heijn and PLUS list iodised salt in the rolls discussed here, but that doesn’t tell you anything about other rolls.

    Check the ingredients list or, for unpackaged bread, ask which ingredients have been used.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

An individual wholemeal roll that you can serve without baking.

  • According to the product information, AH Pistolet volkoren contains 100% wholemeal flour and 7,1 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • The roll contains wheat and gluten. Check the latest packaging, as the ingredients may change.

Jumbo

An example of frozen wholemeal rolls that you can bake later.

  • The product information for Jumbo Volkoren Pistolets described a pack of four and instructions to bake them from frozen.
  • The same product page stated that this product was no longer in the online range. Check what’s currently available before counting on it.

PLUS

For anyone who wants to bake part-baked wholemeal multigrain rolls in the oven or air fryer.

  • For the rolls discussed here, PLUS lists 56% wholemeal wheat flour, additional wholemeal rye flour and 7 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • Check the latest allergen information: the product contains cereals containing gluten and may contain soya, milk and sesame.

ALDI

For anyone considering a wholemeal bun as an alternative to a bread roll.

  • ALDI features a wholemeal bun in its bread range.
  • A bun is a different shape from a bread roll. Check what’s available at your local shop and read the product packaging.

Dirk

For anyone who wants to serve wholemeal small rolls, such as wholemeal finger rolls, with pea soup.

  • Dirk features wholemeal small rolls, including wholemeal finger rolls.
  • Don’t assume a finger roll or bun is the same as a wholemeal bread roll; compare the name, ingredients and size.

Joybuy products on this topic

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is a multigrain bread roll automatically wholemeal?

No, the name ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough to tell you. Check the wholemeal label and ingredients for the specific product. For example, PLUS also lists wholemeal wheat flour and wholemeal rye flour in the multigrain rolls discussed here.

Should I choose a fresh or part-baked roll with pea soup?

Choose a fresh wholemeal roll if you want to serve it without waiting for it to bake; choose a part-baked option if you want to bake it just before eating. For the latter, check the instructions on the packaging: PLUS says to bake the rolls discussed here for 8–10 minutes in the oven or 4 minutes in the air fryer, at the specified temperatures.

Can I assume every bread roll contains iodised salt?

No, check the ingredients for each product. Albert Heijn and PLUS list iodised salt in the rolls discussed here. For another roll, or unpackaged bread, check the packaging or ask the shop or bakery about the ingredients.

What should I look for in the allergen information for wholemeal rolls?

Read the allergen information for the roll you’re buying. The AH roll discussed here contains wheat and gluten; the PLUS rolls discussed here list cereals containing gluten and may contain soya, milk and sesame. If the ingredients change, the latest packaging is the best source of information.