For a sweet breakfast, first choose bread that is explicitly labelled wholemeal. Sourdough can be a reason to choose a particular flavour or crust, but on its own it tells you nothing about the flour used. Then choose a loaf size to suit how much you eat, and check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt if that matters to you.
You want to be sure that the bread is wholemeal, whether or not it is made with sourdough. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholemeal bread as a breakfast option and highlights its dietary fibre.
You’re looking for a more distinctive bread to go with your sweet toppings, but you don’t want to assume it’s wholemeal based on its colour or name.
You’d rather choose a smaller loaf or freeze a larger one in portions. If sourdough isn’t essential, you could also consider other wholemeal breads.
First check that the bread is wholemeal, then compare the sourdough options, and finally see which ingredients and loaf size suit your breakfast.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal base and fibre | Check that it is labelled wholemeal and look for wholemeal flour in the ingredients list. Compare the fibre per 100 g if this information is provided. | If I often eat sweet toppings, I want to know that my bread is genuinely wholemeal, not just dark in colour. For around 40% of consumers, having a wholemeal base comes first. |
| Sourdough flavour and crust | Check whether the bread is labelled sourdough, then choose a crust and texture that you enjoy. | With my sweet toppings, I’m looking for bread with a distinctive crust and sourdough flavour. These qualities matter most to around 30% of consumers. |
| Salt and ingredients | Check the ingredients for baker’s salt or iodised salt, and review the allergen information for the specific loaf. | Before buying, I want to check which salt and grains are in the bread I eat for breakfast regularly. For around 20% of consumers, checking the ingredients is the deciding factor. |
| Size and storage | Compare the loaf weight and decide whether you’ll eat a whole loaf in time or freeze some of it. | A large loaf can go to waste quickly in my household, so I’d rather choose the right size or divide it into portions. For around 10% of consumers, this is the first thing they consider. |
Sourdough bread doesn’t have to be wholemeal. A dark colour, seeds or an artisan-sounding name won’t tell you which flour it is made with, either.
Check the wholemeal label and ingredients before choosing based on flavour or crust.
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So if the type of salt matters to you, don’t rely on the type of bread alone.
Look for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the packaging, or ask the baker which salt they use for unpackaged bread.
If you only eat a few slices a week, a whole loaf may sit around for longer than you’d like. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days.
Choose a smaller loaf or freeze a larger one in portions after buying it.
A general description of in-store sourdough bread won’t tell you which ingredients and allergens are in the particular loaf you’ve chosen.
Check the packaging or shelf label for that specific loaf, or ask the baker for the product information.
AH OerDesem wholemeal Allinson is a sliced wholemeal sourdough loaf weighing 800 g.
Jumbo describes a range of in-store sourdough breads, including a wholemeal option with pumpkin.
PLUS Korenlanders Kleintje wholemeal sourdough bread with poppy seeds is a smaller 300 g loaf with several grains and seeds.
Lidl describes its Rustiek wholemeal sourdough bread as a wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
ALDI offers an extra-high-fibre wholemeal bread as an alternative if sourdough isn’t essential.
Dirk lists a wholemeal floor-baked loaf that you could consider as a wholemeal alternative.
This selection is for a sweet breakfast when you’re looking for wholemeal sourdough bread and have time to defrost and bake it.
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An option for anyone who wants wholemeal sourdough bread with sweet toppings and can defrost and bake the loaf before serving.
Check the packaging for the basis of the nutritional values and whether the salt used is baker’s salt or iodised salt, if that matters to you.
No. Sourdough refers to the way the bread is made, not necessarily the flour used. Check that the bread is labelled wholemeal and read the ingredients list.
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Look for baker’s salt or iodised salt on the label, or ask which type of salt is used for unpackaged bread.
First check that the bread is labelled wholemeal and that wholemeal flour is listed in the ingredients, then look for a mention of sourdough. Seeds, crust and loaf size can help you decide which option best suits your breakfast.
Freeze some of the loaf if you won’t eat it all within a few days. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends keeping opened wholemeal bread in a kitchen cupboard for 2–4 days and in the freezer for 1–3 months. For an unopened pack, follow the information on the label.
No. Jumbo says its in-store sourdough breads can’t be ordered online, while Lidl describes its Rustiek wholemeal sourdough bread as available in store only. Check whether the option you want is available.
