Choose half a wholemeal loaf if you’re unlikely to need enough slices to finish a full loaf at a small barbecue. Then compare the bread type, fibre, salt and allergens on the specific pack. If you plan to use some of the slices later, portion them up ready to freeze.
If you only have a few slices at your barbecue and don’t eat much bread afterwards, half a loaf may better suit how much you use. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions if you’ll need it later.
If you want slices for sandwiches at the barbecue or the following day, check the shape of the loaf, the number of portions on the pack and the nutritional information per 100 g.
If salt, fibre, ingredients or allergens are a deciding factor for you or your guests, don’t choose based on the size or name of the bread alone. Compare the current packaging of the loaf you’re planning to buy.
Work out how many times you expect to serve bread around the barbecue, then choose the type of loaf. This helps you weigh up the right quantity alongside taste, nutritional information and ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and storage | Compare the amount of bread with the number of times you expect to serve it. Check whether you can freeze any unused slices on the day you buy it. | If I don’t eat much bread after a small barbecue, I don’t want to be left with lots of slices. Around 36% of consumers prioritise finding a suitable quantity. |
| Loaf shape and portions | Check whether the loaf is sliced and how many portions the pack lists; choose a texture that suits your toppings. | For quick sandwiches, I want to know how many slices I can serve and how many will be left. Practicality comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Fibre and salt | Compare the fibre and salt per 100 g on the packaging of the variant you’ve chosen. | When I want to compare loaves by nutritional value, I need figures from the same type of label. Around 29% of consumers give fibre or salt top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, especially for loaves with extra grains or seeds. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly which bread I’m serving. For around 14% of consumers, checking the label takes priority over the other considerations. |
A full loaf still needs to suit the number of people eating and the times you’ll serve bread after the barbecue. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread is often wasted.
Estimate how many slices you’ll need in advance. If half a loaf is enough, stick with that; freeze any slices you’ll use later in portions.
Product information from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS lists 6.9 g, 7.6 g and 6.7 g of fibre per 100 g respectively for the half loaves discussed. The stated salt levels also vary by product.
Compare fibre and salt per 100 g for the variants you’re considering, ideally using the current packaging.
The type of bread doesn’t tell you which grains, seeds or other allergens may be present in a specific variant. For example, Jumbo lists wheat and barley in its Fijn Volkoren Half.
Before buying, check the ingredients and allergen information for the bread you plan to serve your guests.
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the conditions under which iodine compounds may be present in bread. This rule doesn’t mean that every loaf contains iodine-enriched baker’s salt.
If iodine content is important to your choice, check the information for the specific loaf rather than assuming it from the type of bread.
AH Rond volkoren half is a half-sized option for anyone looking for a round wholemeal loaf.
Jumbo Fijn Volkoren Half is a fine-textured, half-sized wholemeal option.
Lidl offers a 400 g Halfje extra volkorenbrood as a reduced-salt option.
ALDI lists Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood half, an option the retailer describes as a dark loaf with seeds and grains.
PLUS Boeren volkoren half is a half-sized farmhouse-style wholemeal loaf.
Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren half as a half-sized wholemeal option.
Half a loaf may be a better fit if you only expect to use a few slices for the barbecue and in the following days. Choose an amount that suits your plans; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread for later in portions.
Albert Heijn and PLUS say that the half loaves mentioned can be frozen at home on the day you buy them. Divide the slices into portions beforehand, so you only need to defrost what you’ll use later.
It’s best not to store bread in the fridge: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, it dries out there. Follow the storage instructions on the product and freeze any bread you want to eat later in good time.
No, that isn’t required by Dutch regulations. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says iodine compounds may be present in bread only through the addition of baker’s salt, with a maximum of 65 mg of iodine per kg of salt. This doesn’t confirm that every loaf contains iodine-enriched baker’s salt.
Read the current ingredients list and allergen information on the packaging of the variant you’ve chosen. The grains listed and any other potential allergens can vary from loaf to loaf, even when both are wholemeal.
