Choose a large, sliced wholemeal sourdough loaf if guests will be helping themselves at a buffet. A wholemeal sourdough baguette is a good choice for a bread board, while a smaller part-baked loaf is handy if you want to bake the bread shortly before eating. Check the ingredients, allergens and ordering options for each product: its shape and the word ‘sourdough’ alone don’t tell you enough.
If guests will be helping themselves to bread to go with toppings or dips, you can choose between slices from a large loaf and pieces of baguette. Albert Heijn lists an 800 g sliced wholemeal sourdough loaf, while PLUS describes its wholemeal sourdough baguette as a separate option for a bread board.
A part-baked loaf needs time and oven space; for bread from a shop’s range, you’ll need to plan a visit. PLUS offers a part-baked Kleintje sourdough loaf, while Jumbo and Lidl state that the sourdough loaves mentioned are sold in store.
Ask guests in advance which ingredients they need to avoid, then check the packaging of the variety you choose. The loaves mentioned by Albert Heijn and PLUS list cereals containing gluten and, depending on the product, other potential allergens. The type of salt used also varies between loaves.
First decide how you want to serve the bread and when you can buy or prepare it. Then check the label for the specific variety, especially if any of your guests need to avoid certain ingredients.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Shape and quantity | Check the weight and whether the loaf is whole or sliced. For a bread board, choose between slices and pieces of baguette. | For a buffet, I want guests to be able to help themselves easily, without me having to slice bread at the table. Around 45% of consumers prioritise how the bread is presented and shared. |
| Preparation and when to buy | Check whether you need to bake the bread and whether the variety you’ve chosen can be ordered online or is only available in store. | If I want to bake the bread shortly before eating, I need to fit it into my oven schedule; if it’s only available in store, I need time to pick it up. This timing matters most to around 33% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the wholemeal description, ingredients and allergens on the current packaging. Check whether it contains baker’s salt or iodised salt if the type of salt matters to you. | If any guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know exactly what’s in their bread before serving it. Around 22% of consumers prioritise checking the ingredients. |
A loaf can look rustic without being both wholemeal and sourdough. For example, Dirk offers a wholemeal batard, but that alone doesn’t confirm that it’s sourdough.
For the variety you’re buying, check both the wholemeal description and whether the product information says it contains sourdough or sourdough starter.
The wholemeal sourdough loaves mentioned by Albert Heijn and PLUS contain cereals with gluten; different varieties may also list other potential allergens.
Ask guests in advance what they need to avoid and read the latest allergen information on the packaging. Don’t rely on the word ‘sourdough’ instead of checking.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt in the Netherlands. So the term ‘sourdough bread’ doesn’t tell you which type of salt has been used.
Check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt if you want to know which type has been used.
Jumbo states that the sourdough loaves it describes can’t be ordered online. Lidl describes its rustic wholemeal sourdough loaf as an in-store product.
Before planning your menu, check whether you can order the variety you’ve chosen or will need to visit a shop.
An option for a large, sliced wholemeal sourdough loaf to serve at a buffet.
An in-store option if you’re looking for a wholemeal sourdough variety from its rustic range.
An option with a smaller part-baked wholemeal sourdough loaf and a wholemeal sourdough baguette.
An in-store option for a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
An option for wholemeal bread if sourdough isn’t essential.
An option for wholemeal bread if the sourdough method isn’t essential.
A round loaf is easy to share at the table. If you specifically want to serve wholemeal sourdough bread, check this product’s ingredients for both wholemeal flour and sourdough, and see whether it needs to be prepared before serving.
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The round shape could work well on a table where guests help themselves to pieces of bread.
Weight: 550 g. Before buying, check the ingredients for wholemeal flour and sourdough, the allergen information, and the storage and preparation instructions. Also check whether the loaf is sliced if you want to avoid cutting it at the table.
No. The wholemeal sourdough loaves mentioned by Albert Heijn and PLUS contain cereals with gluten. The PLUS wholemeal sourdough baguette lists wheat, rye, barley and spelt, among other ingredients, so check the label of the exact variety you want to serve.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread doesn’t have to be made with baker’s salt in the Netherlands. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt in its OerDesem volkoren Allinson, while PLUS lists baker’s salt in its Kleintje sourdough loaf. Check the ingredients of the bread you buy.
Not the rustic sourdough loaves described by Jumbo: the retailer says these can’t be ordered online. Plan a visit to a shop and check which wholemeal variety is available and what the label says.
Choose a loaf size to suit the number of guests and the other dishes. If you want to store the bread, follow the instructions on the packaging for the variety you’ve chosen: Albert Heijn says its OerDesem volkoren can be frozen on the day of purchase, while PLUS states that its Kleintje sourdough loaf can be kept in the freezer.
