The home worker who likes to compare
You regularly eat bread while working from home and want to compare whole and half loaves on a like-for-like basis. Check the weight and how many slices you actually use.
Who are these choices relevant to?
The online grocery shopper
You want to add bread to an existing order or collect it at a time that suits your working day. Check whether the loaf you’ve chosen is available through that option.
The lunch planner who keeps an eye on supplies
You don’t eat the same amount of bread for lunch every day. A loaf you can portion and freeze helps you match your supplies to how much you use.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with a size that suits your lunches. Then check the label, how you’ll buy the bread and what you won’t use straight away.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Size and contents | Compare the stated weight and check whether it’s a whole or half loaf. | If I often have lunch at home, I want to know how much bread is in a pack before comparing different sizes. For around 36% of these consumers, the amount they can use is the most important factor. |
| Label and nutritional information | Read the product name, ingredients and allergens; compare fibre and salt per 100 g. | I want to be able to see whether the bread is actually described as wholemeal and what the label says. Around 29% of these consumers make this their priority. |
| Ordering or picking up | Check whether the bread can be ordered online, collected or is only available in store. | On a busy day working from home, I want to be able to get bread in a way that fits around my grocery shopping. This is the first thing around 21% of these consumers consider. |
| Storage and portioning | Read the storage advice and decide whether you want to freeze the bread in portions. | If my lunch needs vary, I don’t want unused slices to go stale. Avoiding waste is the top priority for around 14% of these consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a whole loaf and a half loaf are directly comparable
The number of loaves tells you little about the amount of bread if the packs are different sizes or weights.
Check the contents on the product page or packaging, and compare like with like.
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Judging by a dark colour or a claim about fibre
A dark colour or emphasis on fibre doesn’t, by itself, tell you the product’s official name.
Look for the word wholemeal in the product name and read the ingredients. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority points out that, for a product to be described as wholemeal, all the flour used must be made from whole grains.
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Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan
If you eat more slices on some working days than others, you may not use the whole loaf.
Freeze the bread in portions soon after buying it, then take out what you need for lunch.
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Assuming every loaf contains iodised baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. So you can’t rely on that assumption instead of checking the label.
Check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt if this matters to your choice. For unwrapped bread, ask which salt has been used.
Brands and shops to consider
Albert Heijn
The online range includes whole and half wholemeal loaves, as well as speciality varieties.
- You can browse different pack formats when placing an online grocery order.
- Check the weight of the variety you choose before comparing it with another loaf.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers wholemeal bread online, including standard loaves and half loaves, with delivery or collection as possible options.
- Some loaves include additional information about the quantity.
- The packs and product information shown vary by loaf, so check the specific variety you choose.
Lidl
The 800 g fine wholemeal loaf on the product page is intended for in-store purchase.
- The stated weight makes the pack size clear in advance.
- Lidl says this loaf is only available in store.
ALDI
ALDI lists a fine wholemeal loaf and a separate extra-high-fibre wholemeal variety.
- Having separate varieties makes it easy to compare their labels.
- Don’t treat the description of the extra-high-fibre variety as nutritional information for the standard fine wholemeal loaf.
PLUS
PLUS farmhouse wholemeal loaf, whole, is an 800 g loaf that also comes with nutritional information and storage advice.
- The product information lists fibre and salt per 100 g, making it easy to compare the label with another loaf on a like-for-like basis.
- PLUS recommends freezing this loaf on the day you buy it if you want to keep it.
Dirk
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker farmhouse wholemeal loaf, whole, as an option to buy in store.
- You can pick up the loaf as part of a regular shopping trip.
- Dirk doesn’t offer delivery, so choose another way to shop if delivery is important for planning your lunch.
Joybuy products for this lunch
This flatbread is a different pack format for lunch at home from a whole sliced wholemeal loaf. If wholemeal is important to your choice, check the description and ingredients on the packaging.
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Souq Lebanese Bread Whole Wheat, 6 P
Flatbread for anyone who prefers this format to a whole sliced loaf for lunch at home.
Plan how you’ll use the opened pack: the product information says to consume it within two days of opening. Check the current ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Frequently asked questions
How can I recognise wholemeal bread on the packaging?
Check whether the product name includes the word wholemeal and read the ingredients. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the term wholemeal may only be used when all the flour is made from whole grains; the colour of the bread alone isn’t a reliable guide.
How should I store wholemeal bread for lunches at home that vary from day to day?
Freeze the bread in portions if you don’t eat the same amount every time. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping wholemeal bread for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer; always follow the storage advice on the packaging too.
Does bread always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. If this matters to your choice, check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt, and ask about it when buying unwrapped bread.
Should I check for allergens if bread is described as wholemeal?
Yes. The term wholemeal describes the flour used; it doesn’t replace allergen information. Read the current packaging for the specific loaf, even if you’ve bought it before.