Who is this choice important for?

First-time shopper on a tight budget

You’re looking for bread for breakfast or lunch and mainly want to buy what you’ll actually eat. A whole loaf works if you’ll finish it or freeze it; otherwise, a half loaf may be more convenient.

Small household

You don’t eat bread every day, or you’re shopping for one or two people. In that case, the loaf size and whether you can freeze portions are important considerations.

Label-conscious shopper

You want to check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information before buying, for example to compare the fibre and salt per 100 g across products.

What should you look for when choosing?

Before your first shop, work out how much bread you’ll use and whether you can freeze some of it. Then compare the type of loaf, its size and the information on the label.

What to consider What to check Most relevant for
Budget and quantity Compare loaves of the same type and check their size against how much bread you use. For my first shop, I don’t want to bring home a larger loaf than I can finish. For around 42% of consumers, the shopping budget is the most important factor in this choice.
Size and storage Check whether a half loaf will be enough, or whether you can freeze a whole loaf in portions. If I only eat bread now and then, I want to avoid leaving some to go stale. The right loaf size is the main concern for around 33% of consumers.
Label and ingredients Check that it’s labelled wholemeal, and read the ingredients and allergen information; compare fibre and salt per 100 g. When I’m checking the ingredients, I want to know what’s in this particular loaf. Around 25% of consumers prioritise these checks.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming dark or multigrain bread is wholemeal

    The colour or the word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t, by itself, tell you whether a loaf is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the grain ingredient in a product called wholemeal must consist entirely of wholemeal flour.

    Check the product description and, if in doubt, read the ingredients list.

  • Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan

    If you don’t eat much bread, some of it may go stale or mouldy before you get round to eating it.

    Choose a half loaf if that better suits how much bread you eat, or freeze a whole loaf in portions soon after buying it.

  • Confusing wholemeal with an allergen-free claim

    Wholemeal describes the grain ingredient used; it doesn’t mean that a loaf is free from gluten or other allergens. Claims about fibre or salt also apply to the specific product.

    Check the allergen information for each loaf and compare nutritional values on the same basis, per 100 g.

Supermarkets compared

Albert Heijn

AH Tiger Wholemeal Loaf is one specific option to include when comparing bread for your first shop.

  • The product name makes it clear that this is a whole wholemeal loaf.
  • Don’t compare a tiger loaf directly with fine or coarse wholemeal bread.

Jumbo

Include Jumbo if it’s a shop where you do your first grocery shop.

  • Check the type, size and label information of the loaf you choose.

Lidl

Lidl lists Fine Wholemeal, a store-bought loaf weighing 800 g.

  • The listed size makes it easier to compare with other loaves.
  • Check the label on the specific loaf when you buy it.

ALDI

ALDI offers Fine Wholemeal in both whole and half sizes, so you can choose an amount that suits how much bread you eat.

  • The whole and half sizes give you a clear choice if you eat different amounts of bread.
  • Check the separate extra-high-fibre option against its own label; it’s not the same product as Fine Wholemeal.

PLUS

PLUS provides the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values for its 800 g Coarse Wholemeal Loaf in the product information.

  • The product information lets you check the ingredients before buying.
  • The allergens listed apply to this specific loaf; check the packaging of the one you buy too.

Dirk

Dirk lists products including Bakker van der Akker Farmer’s Wholemeal Loaf and Wholemeal Tin Loaf.

  • The products listed give you different types of loaf to consider.
  • When comparing them, check the size and label of each option too.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I recognise wholemeal bread?

Check whether the bread is labelled as wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the grain ingredient in a product called wholemeal must consist entirely of wholemeal flour; a dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough on its own.

Is a whole loaf impractical if I live alone?

Not if you can finish it or freeze some of it. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2 to 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 to 3 months. A half loaf may be a better fit if you don’t eat much bread and don’t freeze it.

Is wholemeal bread automatically gluten-free?

No. Wholemeal describes the grain ingredient, not the absence of gluten. For example, PLUS Coarse Wholemeal Loaf lists wheat, barley, gluten-containing cereals and soya; check the allergen information for the loaf you buy.

Does bread made with baker’s salt always contain the same amount of iodine?

No, don’t assume that every loaf contains the same amount. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that iodine can be present in bread through added baker’s salt. For information about a specific packaged loaf, check the label; for unpackaged bread, ask the retailer.