For your work lunch, start by choosing bread that is clearly labelled wholemeal: sourdough describes the raising agent, not necessarily the flour used, according to the Voedingscentrum. Choose fresh shop-bought bread if you want to use it without any preparation; bake-at-home bread is a good fit if you have time to prepare portions at home. Whichever you choose, check the ingredients, allergens and salt content, and look for a mention of iodised salt or baker’s salt on the packaging.
You want to know whether the bread you use for your daily sandwiches is genuinely wholemeal, rather than simply dark in colour. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
You want to be able to prepare or freeze bread for each working day, so you don’t have to use a whole fresh loaf at once. For part-baked rolls, check the preparation and storage instructions; the Voedingscentrum’s general advice is that wholemeal bread can be frozen for one to three months.
You want to see which grains and allergens the bread contains, and how much salt is in it, before you buy. Compare the current labels on individual products, even within the same range.
Start by checking that it is labelled wholemeal. Then decide whether you need bread that’s ready to take with you, or have time to prepare it at home.
| 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 in the nutritional information. | I want to be sure my sandwiches are wholemeal, not just dark in colour. For around 33% of shoppers, this reassurance matters most. |
| Ready to take with you | Check whether the bread is ready to eat and whether you need to go to the shop to get it. | I prepare my lunch without having time to bake bread at home. Being ready to use is the deciding factor for around 27% of shoppers. |
| Planning ahead | Check the pack size and the instructions for baking, storage and freezing. | If I’m preparing bread for several days at the office, I don’t want to be left with a whole fresh loaf. Planning portions comes first for around 20% of shoppers. |
| Ingredients and salt | Read the allergen statement, the salt content per 100 g and the ingredients list to check for iodised salt or baker’s salt. | I want to know which grains and allergens the bread contains, and what type of salt it uses, before I buy. For around 20% of shoppers, checking the label is the top priority. |
The colour, a rustic name and a sourdough label don’t confirm that the bread is wholemeal. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour.
Check for the wholemeal label first, then compare any other features that matter to you for lunch.
A sourdough recipe may also contain baker’s yeast. The grains and allergens used vary between the wholemeal sourdough products described here.
Check both the ingredients and the allergen statement on the current packaging every time you buy.
If you only take bread to work on a few days, you may have some of a whole fresh loaf left over. The Voedingscentrum’s general advice for storing wholemeal bread is two to four days in a kitchen cupboard or one to three months in the freezer.
Freeze portions in good time or choose a smaller pack if it better suits your working week.
Wholemeal and sourdough don’t tell you what type of salt is used in an individual loaf. The Voedingscentrum identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands.
Check the ingredients for iodised salt or baker’s salt, and ask the shop or baker for up-to-date product information if necessary.
Albert Heijn describes its AH Liefde & Passie Dutch sourdough wholemeal bread as a 600 g wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
Jumbo includes a wholemeal sourdough loaf with pumpkin among its rustic in-store bakery products.
Lidl lists a rustic wholemeal wheat sourdough loaf.
ALDI is an option if ordinary wholemeal bread is also suitable for your lunch.
PLUS lists products including a small wholemeal sourdough loaf with poppy seeds and organic wholemeal sourdough rolls.
Dirk lists both wholemeal bread and sourdough in its bread range.
These round wholemeal loaves are suited to a work lunch that you can prepare at home in advance. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling; check the ingredients if sourdough is a must for you.
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A pack of two loaves for anyone who wants to prepare lunch portions in advance. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before packing the bread.
Check the packaging for the ingredients, allergens, nutritional information per 100 g and the type of salt used.
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A single loaf for anyone looking for a smaller pack and able to prepare lunch in advance. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before use.
Check the current label for the ingredients, allergens, nutritional information per 100 g and whether iodised salt is listed.
No. According to the Voedingscentrum, wholemeal bread is made from 100% wholemeal flour, while sourdough refers to the raising agent. Check both separately on the packaging.
Yes. Yeast is also listed in the ingredients for the PLUS wholemeal sourdough products described here. Check the current label if the preparation method matters to you.
According to the Voedingscentrum, the general advice is to store it for two to four days in a kitchen cupboard or for one to three months in the freezer. Bread dries out more quickly in the fridge; for part-baked products, follow the specific instructions on the packaging too.
Check the ingredients list for iodised salt or baker’s salt. The Voedingscentrum identifies bread made with iodised baker’s salt as an important source of iodine in the Netherlands, but the words wholemeal and sourdough don’t tell you what type of salt is used in an individual loaf.
Read the allergen statement for the specific loaf. The products described list various gluten-containing grains, including wheat, rye, barley and spelt; also check the current packaging for any warnings about other allergens.
