First, choose a roll that is clearly labelled ‘wholemeal’: according to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while a brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ is no guarantee. A fresh roll is ready to eat straight away; a frozen or long-life bake-at-home version needs to be prepared at home, but may suit a less regular routine better. For whichever type you choose, check the nutritional information, ingredients and allergens on the current packaging.
If you eat rolls as part of a bread-based meal and want to choose wholemeal, the product description tells you more than the roll’s colour. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre notes that some older people may need additional, tailored dietary advice; choosing a product is no substitute for that.
If you don’t eat rolls every day, you can buy them fresh individually or choose a product to keep in stock. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you want to keep it; its quality may deteriorate if stored for longer.
If you take salt, iodine or allergens into account when choosing, check the information for the specific product. Product listings from Albert Heijn, Jumbo and PLUS show that ingredients and salt levels vary between rolls.
Start with the wholemeal label, then compare the product format with how often you eat rolls. Finally, check the packaging for the details that matter to your household.
| What to look for | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Genuinely wholemeal | Look for the term ‘wholemeal’; compare fibre values on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | I want to choose a wholemeal roll rather than relying on its brown colour or seeds. For around 50% of consumers, being able to identify a wholemeal product is the priority. |
| Storage and preparation | Check whether the roll is fresh, frozen or long-life, and read the storage and baking instructions. | If I only eat a roll occasionally, I want to be able to take what I need without having to use the rest straight away. For around 30% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
| Label information | Compare salt per 100 g and read the ingredients, including any iodised salt, as well as the allergen information. | If salt or an allergen is a concern for my household, I want to know what is in this particular version. For around 20% of consumers, checking the label comes first. |
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, brown bread is made from a mixture of wholemeal flour and white flour. So a dark colour or a mix of seeds doesn’t confirm that a roll is wholemeal.
Check the full product description on the packaging or shelf label, including for multigrain rolls.
A wholemeal roll also has a salt content to consider. Albert Heijn lists 1.05 g of salt per 100 g for AH Pistolet volkoren; PLUS lists 1.06 g per 100 g for its wholemeal multigrain rolls.
Compare values per 100 g and take into account how much you eat.
The term ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t tell you what type of salt has been used in an individual roll.
Check the ingredients list for the version you’ve chosen to see whether it mentions iodised salt or baker’s salt.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bread is one of the foods that is often wasted. For a small household, buying rolls individually or storing them in portions may better suit your needs.
Choose the product format before you buy, and follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
A retailer to consider if you’re looking for a fresh wholemeal roll sold individually.
An example of part-baked wholemeal rolls sold frozen.
A retailer to consider if you’re looking for long-life, part-baked wholemeal multigrain rolls.
A retailer to consider if you want to explore oven-fresh rolls.
A retailer to consider if you’re looking at rolls sold individually.
A retailer to consider for wholemeal rolls and bake-at-home products.
Look for the term ‘wholemeal’ on the roll, packaging or shelf label. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour; ‘brown’ and ‘multigrain’ don’t guarantee this on their own.
No. Compare the salt content of the specific products per 100 g. For the versions described, Albert Heijn and PLUS list 1.05 g and 1.06 g of salt per 100 g respectively.
You can’t tell from the name ‘roll’ or ‘wholemeal’. Check the ingredients list for your chosen version to see whether it mentions iodised salt or baker’s salt.
Buy fresh rolls individually or choose a product to keep in stock that suits the cooking facilities you have. If you want to freeze bread, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends doing so in portions as soon as you buy it; also follow the instructions on the packaging.
Read the ingredients, allergens and any cross-contamination warnings on the packaging for your chosen product. The rolls described contain gluten-containing cereals; don’t rely on the product category alone to work out which other allergens may be relevant to a particular version.
