Choose thin wholemeal melba toast for small, crisp lunch bites with toppings; choose wholemeal bread for toasties if the canteen serves toasties or filled sandwiches. Crispbread and crackers offer a different crunchy base, but they are not the same as melba toast. For each type, compare the serving size, fibre and salt per 100 g, as well as the allergens in both the product and its toppings.
They want to know whether a toast is genuinely wholemeal and compare the fibre per 100 g with the amount in a typical serving. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast and crackers can only be labelled ‘wholemeal’ if they are made entirely from wholemeal flour.
They need to be able to check which allergens are present in each product and topping, and ensure that this information is available when food is served. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains which allergens must be listed on labels.
Filled sandwiches and toasties call for slices of bread rather than small, individual toasts. Albert Heijn lists toasties and club sandwiches as uses for its wholemeal bread for toasties.
First decide whether the canteen will serve small toasts, a substantial crunchy base or bread for toasties. Then compare the packaging and nutritional information for options suited to that lunch occasion.
Best for: small servings with toppings or as a crunchy side.
Consider: an individual toast does not replace a slice of bread; also check the salt content and allergens in your chosen option.
Best for: toppings on a firm or thin crunchy base, when the canteen is not specifically looking for melba toast.
Consider: size and ingredients vary by product; pay particular attention to the allergen information for varieties containing seeds.
Best for: toasties and filled sandwiches that need slices of soft bread.
Consider: soft bread needs to be stored and prepared differently from dry toast.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Check the ‘wholemeal’ label, the ingredients and the fibre per 100 g and per serving. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholemeal toast or crackers must be made entirely from wholemeal flour. | If fibre is my main priority, I want to know what I’m serving per portion eaten, not just what the table says per 100 g. Around 46% of consumers are said to choose wholemeal products and fibre as their main consideration. |
| Shape and serving size | Choose the right size for topped toast, a crunchy lunch base or toasties; also check the pack size and storage instructions. | For a toastie, I need slices of bread, whereas I can serve individual toasts as small bites. Around 36% of consumers are said to prioritise suitability for the planned lunch occasion. |
| Allergens and salt | Read the latest allergen information, including warnings about possible traces, and compare the salt per 100 g in products intended for the same use. | When I serve different toppings, I need to be able to check the allergens in both the base and the toppings; I also want to compare the salt content. For around 18% of consumers, this check is said to be their top priority. |
Colour and seeds do not tell you whether all the flour used is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast and crackers must be made entirely from wholemeal flour to be called ‘wholemeal’.
Use the wholemeal label as your starting point, then check the ingredients and nutritional information.
A vegan label says nothing, in itself, about gluten, sesame or soya. The toast varieties reviewed show that these ingredients and allergens need to be considered separately.
Treat dietary requirements and allergens as separate considerations, and check the latest packaging for each variety.
The salt figures shown vary by product: Jumbo lists 1,9 g of salt per 100 g for Van der Meulen Melba Volkoren Toast; the product information for Jos Poell Volkoren Toast and AH wholemeal bread for toasties lists 1,64 g and 0,9 g per 100 g respectively. The products and serving sizes are not the same.
First compare fibre and salt per 100 g, then consider the serving size and the toppings you choose.
Small, crunchy toasts work differently with toppings from slices of bread for a sandwich or toastie.
Decide what the canteen will serve, then choose the right size and storage method.
These examples show the differences between toast, bread and crispbread. The features mentioned apply to the specific varieties described, not necessarily to every product from each brand.
Melba Toast Volkoren is a thin toast for small servings with toppings; Albert Heijn and Jumbo list it in a 120 g pack.
Volkoren Toast is a crunchy toast option; Albert Heijn describes the listed variety as vegan.
AH Extra lang lekker tostibrood volkoren is soft bread for toasties and club sandwiches, not small toast.
Oerknäck Waldkorn is a crispbread option for anyone looking for a crunchy base rather than traditional toast.
ALDI lists wholemeal crispbread under this brand as an alternative to toast for a lunch with toppings.
These Bolletje products are crispbread and crackers for a lunch with toppings. They offer a crunchy base, but they are not melba toast or soft bread for toasties; choose the format that suits the canteen menu.
No image available
A crispbread option for lunch toppings if you’re looking for a crunchy base rather than thin toast. Pack size: 265 g.
No image available
Crackers for a lunch with toppings when you don’t need soft bread for toasties. Pack size: 190 g.
Yes. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, toast and crackers can only be called ‘wholemeal’ if they are made entirely from wholemeal flour. Don’t assume a product has the same ingredients just because it looks brown or contains seeds.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that baker’s salt is not compulsory when baking bread. To find out which salt is used in a particular toast or bread variety, read the ingredients list; don’t assume that information for one product applies to other varieties.
Check the allergen information for the toast and each type of topping, and make sure it is accessible when food is served. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains the mandatory allergen information on labels for pre-packed foods. For food prepared with toppings or sold unpackaged, you’ll need a suitable way to provide the information when serving it.
