Who is this bread for?

Anyone serving bread with a sharing platter

You’re looking for a sourdough flavour and bread to serve alongside hot snacks, dips or toppings. Check the wholemeal label separately: a rustic appearance doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.

Anyone comparing nutritional information

You want to check whether the bread is wholemeal and compare fibre and salt on a like-for-like basis, such as per 100 g. Also think about how much bread you’ll need for the evening.

Smaller households and last-minute shoppers

You’re looking for a size that suits the number of people eating and want to know whether you’ll need to pick the bread up in store. If there’s any left over, you can freeze it in portions.

What should you look for?

Before your snack night, decide whether the wholemeal label, flavour, ingredients or a practical size matters most to you. Always check for sourdough and wholemeal separately: they are two distinct product features.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Wholemeal and fibre Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and compare the fibre per 100 g in two products. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that ‘wholemeal’ means the grain ingredient is made entirely from wholemeal flour. When I serve bread with snacks, I don’t want to have to rely on its dark colour to tell me whether it’s wholemeal. Around 31% of consumers make checking that it’s wholemeal their top priority.
Sourdough flavour and texture Check whether the product is described as sourdough, and choose a style that suits the way you want to serve it. For my sharing platter, I mainly want bread with a sourdough flavour and texture that go well with my toppings. Around 31% of consumers give this choice of flavour and texture top priority.
Allergens and salt Check the latest allergen information and compare salt per 100 g if it’s relevant to your choice. If the bread is sold loose, ask about allergens before buying. When I’m sharing bread with others, I want to know which ingredients and allergens are in this particular variety. Around 23% of consumers put checking the ingredients first.
Size and availability Compare the weight of the loaf with your serving plans, and check whether the variety is available at your local shop. For a small get-together, I don’t want to buy a bigger loaf than I can use or store, and I want to be able to pick it up in time. Around 15% of consumers put this practical planning first.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming sourdough means wholemeal

    Sourdough refers to the raising agent; wholemeal refers to the grain ingredient. So a dark or rustic-looking sourdough loaf isn’t automatically wholemeal.

    Check the product name and ingredients rather than relying on the colour of the crust or a ‘multigrain’ label.

  • Buying a whole loaf without a plan for leftovers

    A whole loaf may be more than you need alongside the other food at a small snack night.

    Choose a size to suit the number of people eating and how you plan to serve the bread. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises freezing bread in portions straight after buying it if you want to keep it for later.

  • Assuming fresh in-store bread is available to order online

    Jumbo says that the rustic sourdough loaves described aren’t available to order online; Lidl labels its Rustiek volkoren desembrood as available in store only.

    Check your local store’s current range before counting on a particular variety being available.

  • Guessing allergens from the name of the bread

    The words ‘wholemeal’ and ‘sourdough’ don’t tell you which grains or other allergens are in the variety you’ve chosen. This matters even more when you’re sharing the same bread with several guests.

    Check the latest allergen information, or if the bread is sold loose, ask about allergens before buying.

Brands to compare

Albert Heijn

The AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren variety has a specific product name and nutritional information you can check when making your choice.

  • For this variety, Albert Heijn lists a weight of 600 g, 9,6% wholemeal wheat sourdough, 6,5 g of fibre per 100 g and iodised salt.
  • The product page says this variety is available in store only. Check the current packaging if the ingredients or nutritional values matter to your choice.

Jumbo

Jumbo also includes a wholemeal pumpkin sourdough variety in its range of rustic sourdough breads.

  • Jumbo says the sourdough range described is made with fresh sourdough starter and baked in store.
  • Jumbo says these loaves aren’t available to order online. Check the product name and ingredients of the variety available at your local store.

Lidl

Lidl lists a product called Rustiek volkoren desembrood and describes it as wholemeal wheat sourdough bread.

  • The product name includes both wholemeal and sourdough.
  • The product is listed as available in store only. Check the latest ingredients, nutritional information and allergen details in store.

Aldi

Aldi lists Bakkersgoud rustiek extra volkoren among its freshly baked bread range.

  • It’s a wholemeal option to look out for in stores with a bakery section.
  • The name of this variety doesn’t confirm that it’s sourdough. Check separately if sourdough is essential for you.

Plus

PLUS Korenlanders Kleintje desembrood volkoren maanzaad is a compact option if you want a loaf sized for a smaller group.

  • PLUS lists a weight of 300 g, 51% wholemeal wheat flour, 8% sourdough and 7,3 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety.
  • The ingredients list several cereals containing gluten. Check the latest allergen information before sharing the bread, too.

Dirk

Dirk lists both wholemeal bread and sourdough in its bread category.

  • You can look for both features in the bread category.
  • A category that includes both types of bread doesn’t confirm that a specific variety is both wholemeal and sourdough. Check the product name and label to be sure.

Related Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Frequently asked questions

Is sourdough automatically wholemeal?

No. Sourdough is a raising agent and doesn’t, by itself, tell you whether bread is wholemeal. To find wholemeal sourdough, check the product name and ingredients.

How can I recognise wholemeal bread?

Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ on the product: according to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the grain ingredient in a product labelled this way must be made entirely from wholemeal flour. A brown colour or ‘multigrain’ name isn’t a substitute for that label.

Where can I find allergen information for sourdough bread?

For pre-packed bread, check the allergen information on the current packaging. If the bread is sold loose, ask about allergens before buying; don’t try to work out the ingredients from the words ‘sourdough’ or ‘wholemeal’.

Does wholemeal sourdough always contain iodised salt?

No, you can’t tell from the type of bread. Albert Heijn lists iodised salt for AH Liefde & Passie Nederlands desem volkoren. If this matters to you, check the ingredients list of the variety you’re buying.

What should I do with bread left over after snack night?

If you won’t use the bread soon, it’s best to freeze it in portions. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises doing this straight after buying it, so you can take out only what you need later.