When doing your first grocery shop, look for a roll labelled ‘wholemeal’ if you’re specifically after a wholemeal option; brown, multigrain and spelt don’t automatically mean the same thing. Choose fresh rolls if you want to eat them straight away, or check that the storage and preparation instructions for part-baked and frozen options suit your plans. For the option you choose, also check the ingredients, allergen information and whether iodised salt is listed.
You want to be able to tell whether a roll is wholemeal when doing your first grocery shop, rather than relying on its brown colour or the word ‘multigrain’. Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre per 100 g.
You don’t want to eat all the rolls on the same day. Compare fresh, part-baked and frozen options by their storage and preparation instructions, and check that you have the equipment you need.
If you have an allergy or want to know whether iodised salt has been used, it’s important to check the information for the exact option. Read the current ingredients and allergen information, even if you’ve bought a roll from the same brand before.
Start with the ‘wholemeal’ label if that’s the deciding factor for you. Then think about when you want to eat the rolls and check the product information for the option you choose.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the ‘wholemeal’ label and compare the fibre per 100 g on the labels of the options you’re considering. | If I’m looking for wholemeal rolls on my first grocery shop, I don’t want to rely on brown colour alone. For around 50% of consumers, being able to identify a wholemeal option is the deciding factor. |
| Fresh or for later | Check whether the rolls are fresh, part-baked or frozen, and read the storage and preparation instructions. | I want to spread my rolls over several days without eating them all straight away. For around 30% of consumers, being able to prepare them later is the priority. |
| Label and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen information for the exact option; if you wish, also check whether iodised salt is listed. | If I need to avoid an allergen or check for iodised salt, I start with the label. For around 20% of consumers, checking the product details is the first concern. |
Those names alone don’t mean that a roll is made from 100% wholemeal flour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre explains that it’s the ‘wholemeal’ label that identifies this type of product.
Check the product name and ingredients for the option you’ve chosen. Then compare the fibre and salt per 100 g if those values are relevant to your choice.
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that not all bread is made with baker’s salt. So you can’t tell whether a product contains iodised salt just from its category.
Look for iodised salt or baker’s salt in the ingredients list. If the roll isn’t packaged, ask the seller about its ingredients.
Part-baked and frozen options need to be stored and prepared according to the instructions for that product. The time and temperature required can vary between options.
Before buying, check the storage and preparation instructions and make sure you have the oven, air fryer or freezer space you need.
Ingredients and allergens vary from one roll to another. Spelt, for example, doesn’t mean a roll is gluten-free: PLUS lists wheat among the ingredients in its Korenlanders Speltpistolets.
Check the current allergen information on the packaging of the exact option you’re buying.
AH Pistolet volkoren is a fresh option explicitly labelled as containing 100% wholemeal flour.
Jumbo’s roll range includes different types of product, including white, brown and part-baked options, which you can compare side by side.
PLUS sells part-baked rolls, and its product information shows the difference between wholemeal multigrain and brown multigrain options.
Dirk lists rolls in a range of varieties, including white, brown and multigrain.
No. ‘Multigrain’ doesn’t automatically mean that all the flour used is wholemeal. For example, PLUS lists 56% wholemeal wheat flour for its Pistolets meergranen, while its Korenlanders Meergranen sourdough option lists 34% and is described as brown multigrain. Check the label and ingredients for the option you choose.
No, you can’t assume that. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that not all bread is made with baker’s salt. For packaged rolls, check the ingredients list; for unpackaged rolls, ask the seller what salt has been used.
No. The word ‘spelt’ doesn’t mean that a roll is gluten-free. PLUS lists wheat and other gluten-containing cereals in its Korenlanders Speltpistolets. If you need a gluten-free option, read the allergen information for the specific product.
Follow the storage and preparation instructions on the packaging for the exact option you’ve bought. For example, PLUS recommends baking its Pistolets meergranen in the oven for 8–10 minutes at 220 °C; don’t use those timings and temperature for another product.
