Shoppers who consciously choose wholemeal
You’re looking for a bun for St Nicholas’ Eve and want to be able to check on the packaging that it really is wholemeal, rather than judging by its brown colour.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Families looking to share small buns
You’re looking for ready-to-eat raisin or currant buns in a size that’s easy to serve to children and guests.
Shoppers who compare labels
As well as checking that the buns are wholemeal, you want to be able to compare the sugars, salt, ingredients and allergens for the exact product.
What should you look for when choosing?
Packaged mini wholemeal raisin or currant buns
Suitable when: you’re looking for small, ready-to-eat buns labelled as both wholemeal and containing your preferred filling.
Worth noting: Lidl lists its mini wholemeal raisin buns as an in-store product; Jumbo no longer lists its mini wholemeal raisin and currant buns in its online range.
Bake your own wholemeal currant buns
Suitable when: you’d like to make your own recipe using wholemeal wheat flour, raisins and currants.
Worth noting: Albert Heijn’s recipe requires preparation and proving time. Baking your own doesn’t automatically mean the buns will be low in sugars.
Wholemeal buns without currants
Suitable when: wholemeal matters more to you than having dried fruit in your bun.
Worth noting: Albert Heijn’s wholemeal buns and PLUS’s wholemeal multigrain buns are not currant buns.
When choosing buns for St Nicholas’ Eve, shoppers may have different priorities: the type of flour, the filling, the label or practical planning.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal description and compare the fibre per 100 g on the packaging of the buns you choose. | I want to be sure my bun is wholemeal and compare its fibre content with other buns. For around 36% of shoppers, choosing wholemeal would be the priority. |
| Raisins or currants | Check that the product name and ingredients mention raisins or currants; a plain wholemeal bun is a different product. | When I serve small buns, I don’t want to swap the raisins or currants for an unfilled bun. The filling would be the main consideration for around 29% of shoppers. |
| Nutritional information and allergens | Compare sugars and salt per 100 g, and read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. | When choosing for my household, I want to know what’s in the bun and what its nutritional values are. Around 21% of shoppers would prioritise this label information. |
| Availability and storage | Check where the buns are available, how many are in the pack and what storage advice is given. | For the celebration, I want to be able to buy enough buns and store them as directed on the packaging. For around 14% of shoppers, this practical planning would matter most. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking a brown or multigrain bun for a wholemeal currant bun
A brown colour doesn’t tell you whether a bun is wholemeal. A wholemeal bun without raisins or currants also won’t meet your need for a filled bun.
First look for the wholemeal description, then check that your preferred filling is listed in the ingredients.
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Assuming wholemeal also means low in sugars
Wholemeal describes the flour used, not the amount of sugars. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a 50 g currant bun contains an average of 15.9 g of sugars; the product you choose may differ.
Read the nutritional information for that product and compare values per 100 g, or per portion if the portion sizes are the same.
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Guessing allergens from the product name
Similar buns can contain different ingredients. PLUS lists, among other things, cereals containing gluten, soya, milk and sesame in its wholemeal multigrain buns.
Check the allergen information on the exact packaging every time you buy, even when switching to a different wholemeal bun.
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Assuming every bun contains iodised salt
The words wholemeal or currant bun don’t tell you what type of salt has been used in the product.
If the type of salt matters to you, look for an explicit mention of baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list.
Brands and product ranges to consider
Jumbo
Jumbo lists Mini Wholemeal Raisin and Currant Buns, a product name that specifies both the flour and the filling.
- The listed pack contains 9 mini buns.
- Jumbo says this product is no longer in its online range. Check a current pack or ask in store whether it’s available.
Lidl
Lidl lists Mini Wholemeal Raisin Buns as an option if you’re looking for a small bun with raisins.
- The product listing specifies a 360 g pack.
- Lidl says the product is only available in store. Check the packaging and nutritional information there.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn offers a recipe for wholemeal currant buns, as well as plain wholemeal buns.
- The recipe combines wholemeal wheat flour with raisins and currants, for anyone who wants to bake their own buns.
- The recipe also involves proving time. AH Wholemeal Buns are a different product and aren’t a substitute for currant buns if the filling matters to you.
PLUS
PLUS lists Korenlanders Wholemeal Multigrain Buns as an alternative without currants.
- According to the product information, these buns contain 7.8 g of fibre per 100 g.
- These aren’t currant buns. The product information lists allergens including cereals containing gluten, soya, milk and sesame.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
How can I identify a wholemeal currant bun?
Look for both the wholemeal description and currants or raisins in the product name or on the packaging. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread labelled wholemeal is made from 100% wholemeal flour; a brown colour alone isn’t a reliable indication.
Can plain wholemeal buns replace currant buns?
Only if you don’t need raisins or currants in the bun. Albert Heijn’s wholemeal buns and PLUS’s wholemeal multigrain buns are different products; check their nutritional information and ingredients separately.
Is a wholemeal currant bun automatically low in sugars?
No. Wholemeal doesn’t mean low in sugars. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives an average of 15.9 g of sugars for a 50 g currant bun; use the nutritional information for the exact bun when buying.
Can I freeze the buns in advance for St Nicholas’ Eve?
Follow the storage advice for the exact product. PLUS says its Korenlanders Wholemeal Multigrain Buns can be frozen at home on the day of purchase and should be used within one month. Albert Heijn, by contrast, says its bake-off Wholemeal Buns aren’t suitable for home freezing; neither product is a currant bun.