When doing your weekly shop, first look for bread labelled wholemeal, then compare the fibre per 100 g, ingredients and loaf size. If you won’t get through a whole loaf within a few days, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing it in portions as soon as you get home; always check each product’s own storage instructions too.
Households looking for wholemeal bread who don’t want to judge it by its dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ alone. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives 3.4 g of fibre for a 50 g slice of freshly cut wholemeal bread; for specific products, compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
If you buy enough bread to last several days, think about what you’ll eat straight away and what you’ll freeze. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you get home and taking out only what you need.
For households where allergens or specific ingredients determine the choice of bread, the current label is what matters. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says common allergens must be clearly listed on the label; ingredients and any warnings vary from one loaf to another.
Start by checking that the bread is labelled wholemeal, and think about how much your household eats. Then compare the nutritional information and decide what you’ll use straight away and what you’ll freeze.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is it important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre per 100 g in the nutritional information. | If I’m specifically looking for wholemeal bread, I don’t want to judge it by its colour or product name. Around 29% of shoppers put wholemeal and fibre first when choosing bread. |
| Storage and size | Choose a whole or half loaf to suit how quickly you’ll eat it, and read the freezing and storage advice. | I want enough bread for several days without any going uneaten. That’s why storage is the top priority for around 29% of shoppers. |
| Availability | Check that the shop where you do your food shopping stocks the loaf size and range you want. | If you shop on a set day, you’ll want to find your chosen variety in your usual shop. That’s the main concern for around 24% of shoppers. |
| Ingredients and salt | Check the allergen information, ingredients and salt per 100 g for the specific loaf. | If an ingredient or allergen limits my choice, the label on that particular loaf needs to meet my needs. Around 18% of shoppers make this product check their top priority. |
A dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ doesn’t in itself tell you whether bread is wholemeal. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre defines multigrain bread as bread made with at least three types of grain.
Check that it’s labelled wholemeal, then compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.
If you’re stocking up for the week, an opened loaf may be left out for longer than you intended.
Choose a size that suits how quickly you’ll eat it, or follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice and freeze portions as soon as you get home.
Fibre and salt levels vary between individual loaves, even when they’re all labelled wholemeal. The range can also vary by store, as Lidl points out for its fresh bread range.
Compare the loaves available on your shopping day and check their current packaging.
A mention of iodised salt or allergens on one wholemeal loaf doesn’t automatically apply to another. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in the ingredients for AH Rond volkoren heel.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information for the specific product every time you buy it.
These examples show the product details you can compare for each loaf. The values given apply to the individual products, not to a brand’s entire range.
Albert Heijn provides online ingredient, nutritional and storage information for AH Rond volkoren heel.
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren is one option if you’re looking for finely milled wholemeal bread.
Among its in-store baked breads, Lidl lists an 800 g finely milled wholemeal loaf.
Aldi lists both Fijn Volkoren and a separate Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood.
Plus stocks products including Rond fijn volkoren heel and provides nutritional information for it online.
Dirk stocks products including Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren heel and a separate variety with extra fibre.
This selection includes wholemeal flatbreads and round wholemeal loaves to bake at home. If you’re stocking up for the week, pay particular attention to pack size and the different storage and preparation instructions.
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An option if you’re looking for wholemeal flatbreads for several meals rather than one whole loaf.
The pack contains 6 pieces. According to the product information, the bread should be eaten within 2 days of opening; check the best-before date on the packaging when planning for the week too.
Contains wheat and gluten; may contain soya and milk. If you have an allergy, check the current label.
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This pack of two round wholemeal loaves is a good fit if you’d like to bake bread at home at different times.
The loaves are unbaked and not ready to eat. The instructions say to defrost for 4 hours, bake for 11–13 minutes at 220°C and leave to cool for 30 minutes; also follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
When comparing fibre and salt levels, check that the nutritional information on the packaging uses the same basis, such as per 100 g.
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This single round wholemeal loaf is a smaller amount to bake than the pack containing two loaves.
The loaf is unbaked and not ready to eat. The instructions say to defrost for 4 hours, bake for 11–13 minutes at 220°C and leave to cool for 30 minutes; also follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
When comparing fibre or salt, use the nutritional information on the current packaging and check that the values are given per 100 g.
First, check whether the bread is labelled wholemeal. A dark colour or the word ‘multigrain’ isn’t a substitute; then compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g on the current label.
Follow the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s advice and freeze portions as soon as you get home, taking out what you need. Also follow the instructions for the specific bread: an opened pack of flatbreads and an unbaked loaf for baking at home need different storage approaches.
No, these values vary by product. Albert Heijn lists 6,9 g of fibre and 0,9 g of salt per 100 g for AH Rond volkoren heel, while Plus lists 6,7 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g for Rond fijn volkoren heel. Always compare the current nutritional information on the same basis.
Don’t assume it does; check the ingredients of the bread you’re buying. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes the addition of iodine through bakers’ salt, while Albert Heijn explicitly lists iodised salt for AH Rond volkoren heel. That doesn’t tell you what’s in every other loaf.
Check the allergen information and any warning that the product may contain other allergens every time you buy it. Don’t rely on an earlier product description: ingredients and warnings can vary from one loaf to another.
