Households keeping an eye on fibre
These shoppers want to compare their usual slice of white bread with wholemeal bread. The product description and fibre per 100 g matter more than the colour of the bread.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Shoppers making a gradual switch
If you’d like to keep the taste or texture of white bread, fine wholemeal bread may be worth comparing. Even with a fine-textured loaf, check that it’s actually labelled wholemeal.
Shoppers with specific labelling requirements
If you’re watching your salt or carbohydrate intake, or avoiding certain ingredients, compare the nutritional information and allergens on the pack you choose. A wholemeal label alone doesn’t mean a loaf is suitable for someone with an allergy.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with why you want to replace white bread. Then compare the loaves that fit your needs by checking their product descriptions, nutritional information per 100 g and ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the product description ‘wholemeal’ and compare fibre per 100 g; colour or seeds don’t prove that a loaf is wholemeal. | If I want to replace my daily slice of white bread for the fibre, I want to know whether the loaf is genuinely wholemeal. Around 50% of shoppers put wholemeal and fibre first. |
| Taste and texture | For example, compare fine wholemeal with regular wholemeal, and check which loaf size suits your household. | A different taste or texture can make the switch difficult at home, so I’m looking for a wholemeal loaf we’ll enjoy eating. For around 30% of shoppers, making the switch is the biggest consideration. |
| Label and ingredients | Compare salt and carbohydrates per 100 g, and read the full ingredients and allergen information. | If I have a specific dietary preference or need to avoid an ingredient, I want to know exactly what’s in this loaf. For around 20% of shoppers, checking the label comes first. |
Common mistakes
-
Mistaking dark or multigrain bread for wholemeal
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means that a loaf contains at least three types of grain. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wholemeal.
Check for the product description ‘wholemeal’, then compare the fibre per 100 g.
-
Letting a special claim make the decision for you
‘Low carbohydrate’ or ‘extra high in fibre’ applies to a specific product, not all wholemeal bread. Ingredients and allergens can vary too.
Read the nutritional information and ingredients on the pack you’re buying, and compare nutritional values on the same basis.
-
Assuming every loaf contains iodised salt
Albert Heijn lists iodised salt as an ingredient in Onze Trots Vloerbrood volkoren half. That ingredient information doesn’t apply to other loaves.
Check the current ingredients list. If you’re buying unwrapped bread, ask for product information if the ingredients matter to your choice.
-
Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan
If your household won’t eat the bread in time, a large pack could lead to waste.
Consider buying half a loaf or, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends, freeze a whole loaf in portions as soon as you buy it.
Brands to compare
Albert Heijn
An example to consider if you want to compare a wholemeal hearth loaf for fibre and salt.
- Albert Heijn lists 8 g of fibre and 1,18 g of salt per 100 g for Onze Trots Vloerbrood volkoren half, and includes iodised salt in the ingredients.
- Albert Heijn warns that recipes, nutritional values and allergens can change, so check the current packaging.
Jumbo
An example to consider if you’re looking at a specific low-carbohydrate loaf as well as wholemeal bread.
- Jumbo lists 7,8 g of fibre and 17,2 g of carbohydrates per 100 g for Volkoren Brood Koolhydraatarm half.
- The product lists wheat, barley, soya and egg among its allergens. Check the claims and ingredients for this loaf separately.
Lidl
A shop to visit if you’d like to look at options including fine wholemeal bread.
- Lidl lists a fine wholemeal loaf weighing 800 g and provides ingredients and allergen information for its oven-fresh bread.
- Check the information for the loaf you choose in store before comparing ingredients or nutritional values.
ALDI
An example to consider if you want to assess a specific fibre or salt claim.
- ALDI describes its Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood as 100% wholemeal.
- For this loaf, ALDI claims 30% less salt and 30% more fibre than a regular wholemeal loaf, using NEVO-Online 2021 7.0 as the basis for comparison. This claim doesn’t apply to all ALDI bread, so check the current packaging.
PLUS
An example of a wholemeal loaf with nutritional values listed per 100 g.
- PLUS lists 6,7 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g for Boeren volkoren heel.
- This product lists wheat, barley and soya as allergens. Check the current packaging if the ingredients are important to your choice.
Dirk
A shop to visit if you want to compare a wholemeal hearth loaf with other breads.
- Dirk lists a wholemeal hearth loaf in its bread range.
- If you’re choosing based on fibre, salt or allergens, compare the nutritional information and ingredients on the current packaging.
Bread options on Joybuy
These options include rye bread, wholemeal flatbreads and wholemeal round loaves as possible alternatives to white bread. Their shapes and preparation requirements vary, so choose based on how you plan to use the bread and check the packaging for nutritional values and allergens.
No image available
TastyBasics rye bread, 9 pieces
For anyone wanting to try rye bread as an alternative to white bread; it’s a different type of bread from a regular slice of wheat bread.
Pack size: 9 pieces. If you have an allergy, check the current ingredients and allergen information.
No image available
Souq Lebanese wholemeal flatbreads, 6 pieces
For anyone wanting to serve wholemeal flatbread with a meal; its shape differs from regular bread for making sandwiches.
Pack size: 6 pieces. Before buying, read the full ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
No image available
Lekhaven Bakkerij wholemeal round loaf, 2 × 550 g
For anyone looking for a wholemeal round loaf who has time to defrost and bake it before serving.
Pack size: 2 × 550 g. Follow the preparation instructions on the current packaging, and only compare nutritional values if the quantity they refer to is clear.
No image available
Lekhaven Bakkerij wholemeal round loaf, 550 g
For anyone looking for a single wholemeal round loaf, with defrosting and baking included in their plans.
Pack size: 550 g. Follow the current preparation instructions and check what quantity the nutritional values refer to before comparing them.
Frequently asked questions
Is brown or multigrain bread always wholemeal?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, ‘multigrain’ means a loaf contains at least three types of grain; it doesn’t confirm that it’s wholemeal. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the product description and compare the ingredients and fibre.
How can I tell whether a loaf contains iodised salt?
Check the ingredients of the bread you’re buying. For example, Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in Onze Trots Vloerbrood volkoren half, but that doesn’t automatically apply to other loaves.
What should I look for if I need to avoid certain ingredients?
Read the current ingredients list and allergen information for the specific loaf you want to buy. A wholemeal label doesn’t tell you about other ingredients or allergens. If you’re buying unwrapped bread, ask for product information.
What should I do with wholemeal bread I won’t eat straight away?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing it in portions, preferably as soon as you buy it. That way, you can take out just what you need each time.