Who is a half loaf suitable for?

Smaller households looking to reduce leftovers

If you serve bread with dinner but won’t get through a whole loaf, a half pack can make it easier to plan what you need. Also check whether you can freeze any leftovers according to the label.

Shoppers comparing wholemeal bread and fibre

If you don’t want to judge bread by its colour alone, compare the product description and fibre per 100 g. This lets you compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis.

Shoppers with a specific label requirement

If you’re particularly interested in salt, whether the bread contains baker’s salt or iodised salt, or its allergens, check the ingredients and allergen information for the exact variety you’re buying.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide how much bread you’ll need for dinner and any later meal. Then compare the nutritional information and check each product against your label requirements.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this most important for?
Quantity and storage Compare the weight and, if stated, the number of portions. Read the freezing advice on the pack you’ve chosen. If there’s bread left after dinner, I want to know how much to serve now and what I can keep; portion planning is a priority for around 45% of consumers.
Wholemeal and fibre Read the product description and compare fibre per 100 g, rather than per portion when portion sizes vary. I want to choose wholemeal bread and compare its fibre content on a like-for-like basis; this matters most to around 36% of consumers.
Ingredients and allergens Check the current ingredients, nutritional information and allergens. If you’re interested in iodine or baker’s salt, check whether iodised salt is listed. If salt, iodine or allergens determine my choice, the specific variety I pick needs to meet my label requirements; this comes first for around 19% of consumers.

Common mistakes when choosing

  • Choosing half a loaf without planning how much you need

    According to Voedingscentrum, bread is among the foods most often wasted. You can still have leftovers from half a loaf if you don’t estimate how much you’ll need for dinner.

    Count how many people will be eating, decide whether bread is a side dish and check whether you can freeze leftovers according to the label.

  • Judging by colour or a fibre claim

    A dark colour, the term ‘multigrain’ and information about fibre don’t all tell you the same thing about a loaf’s ingredients.

    Check that the product description says wholemeal bread, then compare the ingredients and fibre per 100 g.

  • Treating a label claim as complete product information

    Reduced salt, baker’s salt and a modified recipe refer to different product characteristics. The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foodstuffs defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt used in bread-making; this doesn’t tell you which salt is used in every individual loaf.

    Read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack you’re buying, even if the product name highlights a particular feature.

Brands to consider

Albert Heijn

AH Rond volkoren half is a standard half wholemeal loaf, with portions you can factor into your plans.

  • Albert Heijn lists around 11 portions of 35 g, 6,9 g fibre per 100 g and iodised salt for this variety.
  • Check the current pack for ingredients and allergens; Albert Heijn notes that product information may change.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers several half wholemeal loaves, including Fijn Volkoren Half and Waldkorn Volkoren Brood Half.

  • These varieties give you several product descriptions to compare with your preference for a half loaf.
  • Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for the specific variety, rather than relying on details for a different Jumbo loaf.

Lidl

Lidl lists a 400 g Halfje extra volkorenbrood.

  • Lidl describes this variety as ‘Reduced in salt’. This may be worth looking into if salt is one of your purchase criteria.
  • Check the nutritional values, ingredients and allergens on the pack before comparing this variety with another loaf.

ALDI

ALDI lists a product called Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood half.

  • The product name makes it easy to identify the half loaf you can look for on the label.
  • Compare fibre, other nutritional values and allergens using the information on the pack you’ve chosen, not the product name alone.

PLUS

PLUS Boeren volkoren half is a 400 g pack, suitable if you also want to allow for a later meal.

  • PLUS lists 6,7 g fibre per 100 g and says this loaf can be frozen at home on the day of purchase.
  • Read the ingredients and allergen information on the current pack if these are important to your choice.

Dirk / Bakker van der Akker

Dirk lists Bakker van der Akker Boeren volkoren half and a separate reduced-carbohydrate half-loaf variety.

  • You can look up either the standard variety or the one with a different recipe.
  • Compare the nutritional values, ingredients and allergens on the pack for the exact variety you’re considering.

Products at Joybuy

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if half a wholemeal loaf will be enough for a family dinner?

Consider how many people will be eating and what part bread will play in the meal. AH Rond volkoren half lists around 11 portions of 35 g; compare a portion guide like this with how much you plan to serve and possibly save for later.

Can I freeze half a wholemeal loaf?

You can if the label for your chosen variety gives freezing instructions. Albert Heijn says AH Rond volkoren half can be frozen at home, while PLUS says Boeren volkoren half can be frozen at home on the day of purchase.

Does baker’s salt mean the bread contains iodine?

Yes. The Commodities Act Decree on the Addition of Micronutrients to Foodstuffs defines baker’s salt as iodised table salt used in bread-making. However, check the label on your loaf to see whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is actually listed as an ingredient.

Do wholemeal, extra high fibre and reduced carbohydrate mean the same thing?

No. These terms describe different product characteristics. Check the product description and compare the nutritional information per 100 g for the varieties you’re considering, along with their ingredients and allergens.