Choose bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ if 100% wholemeal flour matters to you; brown bread also contains white flour, so it isn’t the same thing. If your guest prefers a fine texture, you could look at finely milled wholemeal bread. Then decide how you want to serve it: a half-baked loaf needs very little preparation just before dinner, whereas a bread mix needs to be started well in advance.
Someone who usually eats white bread may want to try brown bread or a finely milled wholemeal variety. Check the product name if it matters to you whether the bread is made with a mix of wholemeal and white flour or entirely with wholemeal flour.
A half-baked loaf can work well for a small meal and be finished in the oven just before you eat. Bear in mind the space in your oven and the finishing instructions for your chosen product.
A bread mix is a good fit if baking from scratch is part of the evening and you have time for preparation, proving and baking before dinner.
First, think about the taste and texture your guest would enjoy, and whether you want bread made entirely with wholemeal flour. Then choose between serving it straight away, finishing it briefly in the oven or baking it yourself.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who is this important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Taste and texture | See whether the bread is described as brown, wholemeal or fine wholemeal. Check the ingredients and product description for the variety you’re considering. | If my guest prefers to avoid a coarse crumb, I want to know how fine the bread is without mistaking brown bread for fully wholemeal bread. For around 40% of consumers, an easy-to-enjoy texture matters most. |
| Wholemeal flour and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare the stated fibre per 100 g on the same basis. | If I want to serve bread made entirely with wholemeal flour, I want to be able to tell from the product name. Around 30% of consumers say this certainty and checking the fibre content are their top priorities. |
| Serving dinner for two | Check the size of the loaf and, for a half-baked loaf, the finishing instructions and the oven space required. | For a small dinner, I want to serve warm bread without automatically choosing a whole loaf. For around 20% of consumers, serving it at the right moment is the main consideration. |
| Baking it yourself | For a bread mix, check the full preparation instructions, including proving and baking. | If baking together is to be part of the evening, I’d rather start early enough than leave it until just before dinner. For around 10% of consumers, the chance to bake from scratch is the main reason for choosing this option. |
A dark colour or the name ‘multigrain’ doesn’t tell you whether the bread is made with 100% wholemeal flour. According to the Voedingscentrum, brown bread contains both wholemeal and white flour.
Choose bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ if you’re looking for bread made entirely with wholemeal flour. Choose brown bread as a mixed-flour option, not as another name for wholemeal bread.
A bread mix takes more than just baking time: you’ll also need to allow for resting and proving.
Check the full preparation time in advance. If you don’t have enough time, choose bread you can serve straight away or a half-baked variety with suitable finishing instructions.
‘Wholemeal’ describes the type of flour, not all the ingredients or warnings about allergens that may be present.
Check the latest ingredients and allergen information for each variety you choose, especially if a guest has a relevant allergy.
The type of bread alone won’t tell you which salt the baker has used in that particular product.
If you want to know whether a loaf contains iodised baker’s salt, check the packaging or ask the baker or producer.
A bread range from Dirk that includes a wholemeal batard.
This PLUS range includes a half-baked half wholemeal loaf that you can finish in the oven for dinner.
Koopmans offers wholemeal bread mixes for anyone who wants to bake their own bread.
ALDI’s fresh bread range includes wholemeal, brown and multigrain loaves.
Lidl lists both fine wholemeal bread and a variety made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour.
These two bread options are suitable for sharing at a meal: Lebanese bread in a pack of six and a round loaf. For both, check the packaging if the precise flour content, texture or preparation method is an important factor in your choice.
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An option if you’d like to share several pieces of bread at dinner. The product name says Whole Wheat and the pack contains six; check the Dutch packaging description and ingredients if 100% wholemeal flour is important to you.
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A round loaf for anyone who can plan the preparation in advance. The product name states 550 g; check the preparation instructions and ingredients before choosing this bread to suit your preferred serving time and flour content.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, brown bread is made with a mix of wholemeal and white flour, while bread labelled ‘wholemeal’ is made with 100% wholemeal flour. So don’t judge by colour alone.
It could be worth considering if texture is the main concern. Lidl describes its kids’ bread made with extra-finely milled wholemeal flour as tasting like brown bread; that doesn’t tell you how every guest will find it, or how other fine wholemeal breads will taste.
Start well before dinner and follow the timings on the pack you’ve chosen. For Koopmans Broodmix volkoren, PLUS lists 10 minutes resting time, 60 minutes proving time and around 25 minutes baking time; you’ll also need to allow for preparation and preheating the oven.
Check the latest packaging for the specific loaf. For Korenlanders Boeren tijger volkoren 1/2, PLUS lists wheat and barley and also warns that several other allergens may be present; this information doesn’t automatically apply to other breads.
Check the ingredients on the packaging or ask the baker or producer. The words ‘wholemeal’ or ‘brown’ alone won’t tell you which salt was used.
