Households looking to replace white bread
If you usually eat sandwiches and are looking for a wholemeal alternative, the label on the bread and its fibre, ingredients and salt per 100 g are useful points to compare.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Families getting ready for the parade
If you want to buy, fill or take bread with you in advance, it’s worth choosing a suitable shape, enough portions and clear storage or freezing instructions.
Shoppers who need to check the label carefully
If you have a food allergy, the allergen information for the bread you choose is essential. If you also want to check for iodised baker’s salt, read the ingredients or ask for information when buying unpackaged bread.
What should you look for when choosing?
Decide whether you’d like to prepare filled sandwiches in advance or share bread on the day. Then compare the labels on the types of bread that suit your plans.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the label ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g on the packs. | If I’m replacing white bread, I want to be able to see which bread is wholemeal and how much fibre it contains. For around 42% of consumers, this is the top priority. |
| Shape and storage | Check the number of pieces or the net weight, and read the storage and freezing instructions. | Preparing sandwiches in advance or sharing bread during the parade calls for a shape that suits my plans. For around 33% of consumers, this practical choice matters most. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the latest allergen information and, if you wish, check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or want to check for baker’s salt, I want to be able to check the bread I’ve chosen. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming dark or multigrain bread is wholemeal
The colour and style of a loaf don’t, on their own, tell you whether it’s made with wholemeal grain. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, a food can only be called ‘wholemeal’ if all of its grain ingredient is wholemeal flour.
So check for the label ‘wholemeal’ first, then compare the nutritional information per 100 g.
-
Assuming all bread contains baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, baker’s salt isn’t compulsory. So neither the type of bread nor the word ‘wholemeal’ tells you whether iodised salt has been used.
Read the ingredients list on packaged bread, or ask which salt has been used when buying unpackaged bread.
-
Looking only at the fibre content
Wholemeal breads can vary in their salt, ingredients and listed allergens. The fibre content doesn’t replace this other information.
Compare the salt per 100 g too, and check the allergen information on the specific pack just before buying.
Brands and shops to consider
Albert Heijn
AH Rond volkoren heel is an example of a wholemeal loaf for sandwiches.
- Albert Heijn lists 6.9 g of fibre per 100 g for this bread, as well as iodised salt, and says it can be frozen on the day of purchase.
- Check the latest packaging: ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information may change.
Jumbo
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren is a finely milled wholemeal bread whose nutritional information per 100 g can be compared.
- Jumbo lists 7.6 g of fibre and 1.00 g of salt per 100 g for this bread.
- The product contains wheat and barley; also check the information about possible allergens on the latest packaging.
Lidl
Lidl offers options including Fijn volkoren and Rustiek volkoren desembrood, with different types of bread to choose from.
- Lidl lists Fijn volkoren as weighing 800 g.
- Before choosing, check the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens for the specific bread.
ALDI
ALDI offers examples of finely milled wholemeal bread and extra-high-fibre wholemeal bread.
- ALDI describes its whole extra-high-fibre wholemeal bread as being made with 100% wholemeal grain.
- A feature of this variety doesn’t automatically apply to other ALDI breads, so always compare the label on the one you choose.
PLUS
PLUS offers finely milled and farmhouse wholemeal bread for anyone looking to compare bread shapes and nutritional information.
- For Rond fijn volkoren heel, PLUS lists 6.7 g of fibre and 1.03 g of salt per 100 g.
- Ingredients and possible allergens can vary between varieties; check the packaging of the bread you choose.
Dirk
Dirk stocks various types of bread, including wholemeal bread and an extra-fibre variety from Bakker van der Akker.
- The different types of bread give you the chance to compare their shapes and ingredients.
- If you want to compare the fibre and salt in a particular variety, check the nutritional information on the label.
Wholemeal flatbread at Joybuy
If you’d like to share bread at the parade rather than serve filled sandwiches, this wholemeal flatbread is another type to consider. Compare its label separately with that of a whole sliced wholemeal loaf.
No image available
Souq Lebanese wholemeal flatbread, 6 pieces
A wholemeal bread option to share when filled sandwiches don’t suit your plans for the parade.
Pack of 6. Check the latest packaging for ingredients, allergens and the salt used, if these are important to your choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is dark or multigrain bread automatically wholemeal?
No. The colour and the name ‘multigrain’ don’t prove that it’s wholemeal. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that, to use the label ‘wholemeal’, all of the grain ingredient must be wholemeal flour. So check the product description.
Does all bread in the Netherlands contain iodised baker’s salt?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread doesn’t have to be baked with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list or, for unpackaged bread, ask which salt has been used.
Can I freeze wholemeal bread before the parade?
It depends on the instructions for the bread you choose. PLUS says that Boeren volkoren heel can be frozen on the day of purchase and used within one month. For other bread, follow the instructions on its packaging.
What should I check if someone has a food allergy?
Read the latest ingredients and allergen information for the bread you’re planning to buy. The examples mentioned from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS contain wheat, and list different possible allergens for each product. Don’t assume another variety has the same ingredients.