Households keeping an eye on fibre
You’re looking for a wholemeal base for your St Nicholas’ Eve snack board. A brown colour or the name ‘multigrain’ isn’t enough; check the product name and compare the fibre content on the label.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts checking allergens
You’re serving toast to several people and want to know which ingredients and possible traces they need to be aware of. Check the pack of the product you actually buy, even if you’ve already looked online.
Shoppers planning individual bites
You want to match the size and number of pieces of toast to your guests and toppings. A pack of small pieces is arranged differently from a pack of thin Melba toast, so also check whether the product you’ve chosen is available.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with the word ‘wholemeal’ in the product name. Then compare the nutritional information and allergens for specific products, and only then decide which size will work best for your snack board.
| What to look for | What to check | Most relevant to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for ‘wholemeal’ on the pack and compare fibre per 100 g; for different sizes, also check the amount per piece. | If fibre is my main reason for choosing toast, I don’t want to rely on a dark colour. Around 42% of consumers put wholemeal and fibre first. |
| Allergens and salt | Read the allergen information, possible traces and salt content for the exact product; compare salt per 100 g. | When serving guests with food allergies, I need to know what’s in their toast; the salt in both the toast and the toppings also influences my choice. For around 33% of consumers, checking the label is the top priority. |
| Size and availability | Compare the number of pieces, net weight and size; check the retailer’s stock status if you want to buy a specific product. | For a board with a variety of bites, I want to work out how many pieces of toast I’ll need and whether my choice is available to buy. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking ‘multigrain’ or brown toast for wholemeal
Dark toast doesn’t automatically meet your needs if you’re looking for a wholemeal option. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a product can only be labelled ‘wholemeal’ if it is made using 100% wholemeal flour.
Check the product name first, then read the ingredients and fibre content.
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Comparing fibre content alone
When you’re serving guests, allergens can be a deciding factor. Jumbo’s product information for Van der Meulen Melba Volkoren Toast lists wheat, barley, rye, sesame and soya, among other ingredients; the toast also contains salt, quite apart from the toppings.
Check the allergen information on each pack and compare salt per 100 g before pairing the toast with toppings.
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Assuming a product page means the product is currently available
A product page may still show nutritional information even when the retailer says the item is no longer stocked. The pages viewed on Jumbo and Albert Heijn show Jos Poell Volkoren Toast as no longer in the range.
Check the retailer’s stock status when you shop, and choose an alternative if needed based on its current label.
Brands and where to shop
Van der Meulen Melba
The Melba Volkoren Toast reviewed is a thin toast, sold in a 120 g pack.
- Jumbo lists 9,7 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety.
- The same product information lists 1,9 g of salt per 100 g and allergens including wheat, barley, rye, sesame and soya. These values apply to the variety reviewed.
Jos Poell
The Volkoren Toast reviewed consists of small pieces of toast; Albert Heijn lists 27 pieces in a 90 g pack.
- Jumbo lists 10 g of fibre per 100 g for this variety.
- The Jumbo and Albert Heijn pages viewed mark the product as no longer in the range. Albert Heijn also lists possible traces of egg, milk, soya and sesame.
Bolletje
Bolletje also makes rusks and crackers, which could be used as alternatives for a snack board.
- Bolletje describes its Oerknäck Waldkorn as 100% wholemeal.
- Oerknäck is crispbread, not a directly comparable wholemeal toast; check which type you want to serve for each product.
Lidl
Lidl lists both a wholemeal cracker product and a separate Melba toast product.
- You can browse different types of crunchy bases for a snack board while you shop.
- Don’t assume the crackers and Melba toast have the same ingredients or nutritional values; compare the packs of the products you find.
ALDI
ALDI lists wholemeal toast alongside other types of toast in its product range overview.
- The overview gives you a starting point for looking for wholemeal toast when you shop.
- Check the nutritional information, allergens and size on the current pack of the variety you choose.
Related products on Joybuy
Related products will be available soon.
Frequently asked questions
How can I identify wholemeal toast?
Look for ‘wholemeal’ in the product name. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, a product can only be called wholemeal if it is made from 100% wholemeal flour; ‘multigrain’ or a brown colour alone doesn’t mean it is wholemeal.
How do I compare the salt content of large and small pieces of toast?
First compare salt per 100 g, so the size doesn’t skew the comparison. Then check the weight or nutritional information per piece to work out what suits the number of bites you want to serve.
Is online allergen information enough for toast I’m serving to guests?
Use a product page to narrow down your options, but also read the pack of the toast you buy. Check both the listed allergens and any possible traces before serving.
Can toast contain iodine?
Iodine can be present in bakery products through baker’s salt, but that doesn’t mean all toast contains iodine. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority describes this use in bread, bread substitutes and other bakery products. Check the label or ask the manufacturer about a specific product.