Who is this choice relevant to?

Everyday savoury breakfast fans

You regularly eat sandwiches and are looking for wholemeal bread with slices that suit your toppings, such as egg, hummus or vegetables.

Label checkers

You want to compare the ingredients, allergens, fibre and salt in the specific loaf. This is particularly useful if you also want to factor in the salt content of savoury toppings.

Shoppers who portion and store their bread

You buy bread for several breakfasts and want to take out only the slices you need. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide, you can freeze wholemeal bread in portions.

What should you look for when choosing?

First check that the bread is labelled wholemeal and that the slices suit your toppings. Then compare the nutritional information and choose a quantity that fits how often you eat breakfast at home.

What to consider What should you check? Who is it important to?
Wholemeal and labelling Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. I want to know what’s in my everyday bread before choosing a loaf; for around 33% of consumers, checking the label comes first.
Slice thickness and toppings Check whether the packaging or shelf label explicitly says ‘medium sliced’; if not, assess the actual slice thickness. With savoury toppings, I want a slice that suits the amount of topping I use. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this combination of slice thickness and toppings.
Fibre and salt Compare the fibre and salt per 100 g of bread, and check the nutritional information for your toppings too. If I often eat savoury toppings, I want to be able to weigh up the values for the bread and toppings together; this is the main concern for around 20% of consumers.
Quantity and storage Choose a whole or half loaf to suit your needs, or freeze slices in portions. I don’t get through a whole loaf quickly and want to avoid slices drying out or going to waste. Quantity and storage come first for around 20% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming ‘fine’, ‘sliced’ and ‘medium sliced’ mean the same thing

    Sliced bread isn’t necessarily cut to the thickness you want. With a different slice thickness, the same amount of savoury topping may sit differently on your sandwich.

    Look for ‘medium sliced’ on the packaging or shelf label. If it isn’t there, check the slice thickness before choosing.

  • Judging by colour or seeds instead of checking for wholemeal

    A dark crust or seeds don’t, by themselves, tell you whether the grain ingredient is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be labelled ‘wholemeal’ if its grain ingredient consists entirely of wholemeal flour.

    Use the ‘wholemeal’ label as your first check, then read the ingredients and allergen information for the bread you choose.

  • Checking only the salt content of the bread

    Savoury toppings can also contain salt. So comparing bread alone won’t tell you everything about the finished sandwich.

    Check the nutritional information for both the bread and the toppings, ideally using the same basis of per 100 g.

  • Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan

    If you only eat a few slices at a time, the rest may dry out before you get to it.

    Freeze the bread in portions after buying it if you don’t expect to finish it within a few days.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Volkoren heel is an example of wholemeal bread for which Albert Heijn provides ingredients, allergen information and nutritional details.

  • The product information lists a 35 g serving, 6,9 g of fibre and 0,9 g of salt per 100 g.
  • The name AH Volkoren heel doesn’t confirm that the slices are medium sliced.

Jumbo

Jumbo’s bread range includes Fijn Volkoren and Fijn Volkoren half.

  • The whole and half-loaf options give you a choice of quantity.
  • The word ‘fijn’ doesn’t confirm a medium-sliced loaf; check the packaging of the option you choose.

ALDI

ALDI describes Fijn volkoren as sliced bread and also lists a separate Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood option.

  • The Fijn volkoren product is explicitly labelled as sliced.
  • ‘Sliced’ doesn’t tell you whether the slices are medium thickness; compare the label on your chosen option for fibre and salt.

PLUS

PLUS lists options including Rond fijn volkoren heel and Rond fijn volkoren half.

  • The options listed give you a choice between a whole and a half loaf.
  • Check the slice thickness and nutritional information on the packaging of the option you want.

Dirk

Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren heel is a wholemeal bread that Dirk describes as suitable for breakfast or lunch.

  • The product name makes it clear that this is a whole wholemeal loaf.
  • Check the slice thickness and nutritional information for the bread you actually buy.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I recognise wholemeal bread?

Check whether the bread is labelled ‘wholemeal’, then read the ingredients list. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a product can only be called wholemeal if its grain ingredient consists entirely of wholemeal flour; the colour of the bread is not a substitute for this.

Is wholemeal bread suitable for a savoury breakfast?

Yes, wholemeal bread can be the basis of a savoury breakfast, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre also explains. Choose the slice thickness to suit your toppings, and consider the nutritional information for the bread and toppings together.

Should I check the salt in bread if I’m using savoury toppings?

Yes, because both bread and some savoury toppings contain salt. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 0,48 g of salt for a 50 g slice of wholemeal bread cut at home; before buying, compare the values for the specific products you plan to combine.

How should I store bread if I won’t get through a whole loaf quickly?

Freeze the bread in portions after buying it, and take out only the slices you need. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s storage guide recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days or in the freezer for 1–3 months; storing it for longer may affect its quality as it dries out.