Who is this choice relevant to?

Anyone who wants to present bread in a special way

You’re looking for bread to serve alongside or instead of rusks with aniseed sprinkles, which you can present on the table yourself, such as a round or whole loaf of wholemeal bread.

Families who look for wholemeal bread

You want to be able to check that the bread is wholemeal and compare the nutritional values of different loaves for the special occasion.

Anyone checking ingredients and allergens

Before serving, you want to know which ingredients and allergens are listed on the current packaging of the bread you’ve chosen.

What should you look for when choosing?

Decide how you want to serve the bread, then check the description and label of the variety you have in mind.

What to consider What to check when buying Who might prioritise this?
Presentation and style of bread Choose the shape you want, such as a round loaf or a whole hearth-baked loaf, and check separately that the description says wholemeal. If you want to slice the bread yourself and serve it at the table, presentation matters more than the convenience of pre-sliced bread. This is the main priority for around 31% of consumers.
Wholemeal content and nutritional value Read the bread description and compare fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g. For a sweet celebration, a family may want to check which bread is wholemeal and how its nutritional value compares with another loaf. Around 31% of consumers give this check top priority.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list and allergen information on the exact packaging; don’t assume it’s suitable based on terms such as sourdough. If you’re serving guests who need to consider ingredients or allergens, you’ll want to know exactly what you’re serving. Around 23% of consumers consider this check the most important.
Planning and availability Check your preferred store or delivery time, and follow the storage advice for the specific bread. If you need bread for a planned occasion, you’ll want to be able to buy it in time and store it until serving. This is the main concern for around 15% of consumers.

Pitfalls to avoid when buying

  • Assuming a dark colour or rustic name means the bread is wholemeal

    Sourdough, rustic and multigrain don’t mean the same thing as wholemeal. According to the Dutch Bakery Centre, bread sold on the Dutch market must be clearly labelled as white, brown or wholemeal.

    First look for wholemeal in the bread description, then decide which shape or style you’d like to serve.

  • Relying on the product name alone to check for allergens

    A wholemeal description doesn’t tell you which other ingredients or allergens the bread contains. PLUS, for example, lists wheat and soya in its Boeren volkoren heel bread.

    Ask guests about any relevant allergies in advance, and check the current packaging of your chosen bread just before buying or serving it.

  • Choosing bread without considering when you’ll serve it

    Not all bread is available or stored in the same way. Lidl lists its Rustiek volkoren desembrood as an in-store product.

    Check where you can buy the variety you want, and if you’re buying it in advance, read the storage advice on the packaging.

Brands to compare

These brands offer different wholemeal breads to compare with your preferences for presentation, convenience and label information.

Albert Heijn

Worth considering if you’re looking for a round wholemeal loaf or bread from the wholemeal baker’s bread category.

  • Albert Heijn lists AH Rond volkoren heel and a separate category for wholemeal baker’s bread.
  • Check the packaging of the bread you choose; Albert Heijn notes that ingredients, nutritional values and allergy information may change.

Jumbo

Worth considering if you want to compare fine wholemeal bread with a hearth-baked loaf.

  • Jumbo lists fine wholemeal bread and Jumbo Oerbrood Vloer Pompoen Volkoren.
  • The product names alone won’t tell you which variety your guests might prefer; compare the ingredients of the bread you choose, too.

Lidl

Worth considering if you want to browse a rustic wholemeal sourdough loaf in store.

  • Lidl lists Rustiek volkoren desembrood as an in-store product and uses a fibre scale on packaged loaves.
  • Check the packaging of the exact loaf for its ingredients and allergens.

ALDI

Worth considering if you want to compare fibre and salt in a whole wholemeal loaf.

  • ALDI lists an Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood heel.
  • ALDI says this particular product contains 30% less salt and 30% more fibre than regular wholemeal bread, based on NEVO-Online 2021 7.0; this comparison doesn’t apply to other ALDI loaves.

PLUS

Worth considering if you want to check the nutritional information and allergens for a whole boerenvolkoren loaf.

  • For its Boeren volkoren heel, PLUS lists 6,7 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g, along with the ingredients and allergens.
  • When buying, use the current packaging for information about the bread you’re serving.

Dirk

Worth considering if you’re looking for a whole wholemeal hearth-baked loaf that you can slice yourself.

  • Dirk lists Vloerbrood volkoren heel.
  • If they’re important to your choice, compare fibre, salt and allergens on the label of the exact loaf.

Wholemeal bread on Joybuy

If you’d like to serve a round wholemeal loaf alongside rusks with aniseed sprinkles, this is an option you can slice yourself. Remember to allow time for preparation when planning when to serve it.

Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread 550 g

Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread 550 g

A round loaf to slice yourself and serve for a special occasion.

The product name describes a 550 g wholemeal loaf. Allow time to defrost, bake and cool before serving; follow the preparation instructions on the packaging.

For allergen information and a fibre comparison, check the current packaging and the basis on which the nutritional values are given.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is dark or rustic bread automatically wholemeal?

No. According to the Dutch Bakery Centre, bread sold on the Dutch market must be labelled as white, brown or wholemeal. So check for a wholemeal description; colour, sourdough and rustic refer to something else.

Can I serve wholemeal bread to someone who needs to eat gluten-free?

Don’t assume that wholemeal bread is gluten-free. PLUS Boeren volkoren heel, for example, lists wholemeal wheat flour and wheat gluten. If gluten-free food is needed, choose only a product explicitly labelled as gluten-free and check the current packaging.

Can I buy a whole wholemeal loaf in advance and freeze it?

You can if the storage advice for the bread you’ve chosen says it’s suitable. PLUS says to freeze Boeren volkoren heel on the day of purchase and use it within one month; don’t assume the same instructions apply to other loaves.

How can I check which type of salt is in the bread?

Check the ingredients information for the specific loaf and, if anything is unclear, ask which salt was used. Don’t rely on terms such as wholemeal, sourdough or baker’s bread to tell you what it contains.