Office lunch fans who like plenty of filling
If you want a thick slice as the base for a generously topped lunch, ask about the slice size or request an explicitly thick-cut option. You can’t tell how thick it is from the bread’s name alone.
Who is this for?
People who buy wholemeal bread every day
If you regularly choose the same bread for lunch, the nutritional information per 100 g, ingredients and allergens for that specific loaf are more useful than average values for wholemeal bread in general.
People who plan lunches in advance
If you buy a whole loaf for several working days, you can divide it into lunch-sized portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions straight after purchase; its quality may deteriorate if frozen for longer.
What should you look for?
If you need to know that your lunch slices are thick, a specified slice size or a confirmed cutting option gives you more certainty than the product name. For example, Bakkerij Lamers lists 11,5 mm as the standard slice and 14,5 mm as the thick-cut option for one wholemeal loaf. These sizes don’t automatically apply to other breads.
Supermarket wholemeal bread
When to choose it: You want to pick a whole loaf based on its packaging and nutritional information.
Consider: Names such as ‘coarse’ or ‘hearty’ don’t confirm slice thickness. Ask if thick-cut slices are essential.
Bread with a specified cutting option
When to choose it: You want to know in advance what thickness the baker can slice your loaf to.
Consider: A confirmed slice size doesn’t tell you anything about the ingredients or nutritional information, so check these separately.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Slice thickness | Look for a measurement in millimetres or an explicit thick-cut option; otherwise, ask the baker. | I like plenty of filling and want to know in advance how thick my lunch slices will be. For around 33% of consumers, confirmed thick slices are the top priority. |
| Nutritional information | Check the product description, fibre and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information. | If I take the same bread with me often, I want to compare the contents of that particular loaf. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this nutritional profile. |
| Storage | Read the storage instructions and check whether you can freeze the bread in lunch-sized portions after purchase. | I prepare lunches for several working days and don’t want to have to use the whole loaf at once. Planning ahead is the top priority for around 20% of consumers. |
| Availability | Check what your shop stocks and look at the information for the specific bread there. | I want to be able to buy wholemeal bread at the shop where I do my food shopping. For around 20% of consumers, this practical choice matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming the bread’s name tells you the slice size
‘Coarse’, ‘farmhouse’ and ‘oven-baked’ don’t, on their own, describe how thick a slice is. For one wholemeal loaf, Bakkerij Lamers offers standard and thick-cut slices as separate options.
Look for a specified thickness for your loaf, or ask for the cutting option to be confirmed before you count on thick slices.
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Applying average nutritional values to every loaf
General nutritional values for wholemeal bread aren’t a substitute for the information on the product you’re buying.
Compare fibre and salt on the same basis, such as per 100 g, and check the ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
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Assuming every loaf contains iodine
The conditions described by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority for iodine compounds in baker’s salt don’t tell you which ingredients are in an individual loaf.
Check the ingredients list to see whether iodised salt or baker’s salt is listed for that bread.
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Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard; freezing is an option if you want to use it later.
Divide the bread into the portions you want to freeze straight after purchase, and follow the product’s storage instructions.
Brands compared
These brands give you a starting point for comparing specific wholemeal breads. Check the cutting option and current packaging for each loaf; a brand name doesn’t confirm slice thickness.
Albert Heijn
For AH Wholemeal, whole loaf, Albert Heijn provides information including ingredients and nutritional values.
- The product information lists iodised salt among the ingredients.
- The product name doesn’t confirm thick-cut slices; check the current packaging and cutting option separately.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s wholemeal range includes fine, coarse and wholemeal toast bread.
- These product names help you distinguish between different types of bread.
- ‘Coarse’ or ‘hearty’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are.
Lidl
Lidl describes its Fine Wholemeal loaf as weighing 800 g and available in store.
- The product weight is specified.
- Check the bread’s cutting option, ingredients and nutritional information in store.
ALDI
ALDI describes a wholemeal loaf that is particularly high in fibre.
- If you want to compare fibre and salt, you can check the nutritional information for this specific loaf alongside that of other products.
- ‘High in fibre’ doesn’t tell you how thick a slice is.
PLUS
For Korenlanders Boeren tiger wholemeal, whole loaf, PLUS provides ingredients and nutritional information per 100 g.
- The product information lists 6,4 g of fibre and 0,97 g of salt per 100 g.
- The tiger pattern and the name ‘farmhouse bread’ don’t tell you how thick the slices are; check the current label too.
Dirk
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Farmhouse Wholemeal, whole loaf, as a bread for breakfast or lunch.
- The product description makes clear that it’s a wholemeal loaf.
- Ask about the cutting option and check the packaging for ingredients and nutritional information.
Wholemeal bread at Joybuy
These two packs of the same round wholemeal bread are options for a packed lunch if you can have the slices cut to your preferred thickness, or slice them yourself. Don’t assume a confirmed thick-cut size: check before you buy if it matters for your filling.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 2 × 550 g
A pack of two loaves for anyone planning several lunches. Check whether you can cut them to your preferred thickness, and compare the nutritional information per 100 g on the packaging.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij round wholemeal bread, 550 g
One loaf for anyone looking for a single round wholemeal bread. Before buying, check the available slice thickness and read the current packaging for ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if wholemeal bread is thick-cut?
Look for a stated slice thickness, an explicit thick-cut option or confirmation from the baker. For one wholemeal loaf, Bakkerij Lamers lists 11,5 mm for standard slices and 14,5 mm for thick-cut slices; don’t assume these sizes are standard for other breads.
Can I assume Dutch wholemeal bread contains iodised salt?
No. Check the ingredients list for the individual loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes conditions for iodine compounds in baker’s salt, but these don’t tell you what every loaf contains.
How should I store bread for several office lunches?
Freeze the portions you want to use later straight after purchase, as recommended by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. It says wholemeal bread keeps for 2 to 4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1 to 3 months in the freezer; its quality may deteriorate if frozen for longer.
Where can I check the allergens in wholemeal bread?
Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the bread you choose. Ingredients and warnings about the possible presence of allergens can vary between products, so don’t rely on the name ‘wholemeal bread’ alone.