Households keeping an eye on their food budget
You buy bread regularly and want to know how much you get in each pack. The weight and number of loaves or slices help you compare packs.
Who is this relevant to?
Shoppers comparing wholemeal bread and fibre
You’re looking for bread labelled as wholemeal and comparing the fibre content per 100 g across different products. This lets you compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis.
Shoppers keeping an eye on salt or iodine
You want to check the salt content per 100 g or see whether the bread contains baker’s salt or another type of iodised salt. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers do not always use baker’s salt.
What should you look for when choosing?
When shopping on a budget, check both the pack contents and whether the bread is labelled wholemeal. Then use the nutritional information and ingredients list to compare the differences that matter to you.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack contents | Compare the weight and the number of loaves or slices. Also check whether you can use or store the contents in time. | If I’m buying bread for several days, I want to know how much I’m taking home and what I can store; around 42% of shoppers prioritise the pack contents. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the wholemeal label and compare the fibre content per 100 g across products. | I don’t want to judge by the dark colour of the bread; I want to choose a wholemeal product whose fibre content I can compare. This is the main consideration for around 33% of shoppers. |
| Salt and ingredients | Compare salt per 100 g. If iodine is a concern, check whether baker’s salt or iodised salt is listed in the ingredients. | If iodine from bread or the amount of salt matters to me, I want to read the label of the product I choose; around 25% of shoppers prioritise this check. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking brown or multigrain bread for wholemeal
A dark colour, seeds or the word multigrain do not, on their own, prove that bread is wholemeal. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that bread labelled wholemeal must have a grain ingredient made entirely from wholemeal flour.
Look for the wholemeal label on the product and check the ingredients list if you’re unsure.
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Assuming all bread contains baker’s salt
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers do not always use baker’s salt. So the wholemeal label does not tell you which type of salt has been used in the bread.
Read the ingredients list if iodine from bread is relevant to you. If there is no label available, ask which salt has been used.
Brands and shops to consider
Albert Heijn
The online range includes simple wholemeal bread, as well as hearth-baked, tiger and organic varieties.
- There are several types of bread to compare.
- Check the weight and nutritional information of each bread individually.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists basic wholemeal bread and other types of wholemeal bread; nutritional values and ingredients are also provided for Fijn Volkoren.
- For Fijn Volkoren, Jumbo lists 7,6 g of fibre and 1,00 g of salt per 100 g.
- These values apply to that product, not to every wholemeal bread from Jumbo.
Lidl
Lidl lists products such as Tijgervolkoren heel vloerbrood in its shops.
- A specific bread variety gives you a product name to look out for in store.
- Check whether the variety is available at your local shop when you visit.
ALDI
ALDI lists both Fijn volkoren heel and a separate variety called Extra vezelrijk volkorenbrood.
- You can look specifically for a basic variety or one marketed as high in fibre.
- For a nutritional comparison, read the label of the variety you choose; product names are no substitute for values per 100 g.
PLUS
PLUS provides nutritional values and storage instructions for Boeren volkoren heel.
- For this bread, PLUS lists 6,7 g of fibre and 1,03 g of salt per 100 g.
- The storage instructions and nutritional values apply to this specific bread; check other varieties separately.
Dirk
Dirk lists several Bakker van der Akker wholemeal varieties, including farmhouse, round and tin loaves.
- The different types of bread give you a choice of shape to suit your needs.
- If fibre, salt or allergens influence your choice, use the label for the specific variety.
Bread options on Joybuy
These products suit different ways of enjoying bread: flatbreads, rye bread and wholemeal wheat bread to bake at home. Compare the type of bread and pack contents with what you’re looking for in your everyday shop. Rye bread is not necessarily the same choice as bread labelled wholemeal.
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Souq Lebanese Bread Whole Wheat, 6 pieces
An option if you’re looking for flatbread rather than a regular whole loaf. The pack contains six pieces; compare the nutritional information on the label if fibre or salt will influence your choice.
If iodine is a concern, check which type of salt is listed in the ingredients.
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TastyBasics Rye Bread, 9 pieces
An option if you’re specifically looking for rye bread. The pack contains nine pieces; don’t assume from the reference to whole grains alone that this product is labelled as Dutch wholemeal bread.
Check the nutritional information per 100 g and the ingredients if fibre, salt or iodised salt matters to you.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread, 550 g × 2
For anyone who wants to bake wholemeal wheat bread at home and can use or store two 550 g loaves. This frozen bread needs time to defrost, bake and cool.
Check the pack for cooking instructions, nutritional values and the type of salt used.
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Lekhaven Bakkerij Whole Wheat Country Round Bread, 550 g
For anyone who wants to bake wholemeal wheat bread at home and is looking for a single 550 g loaf. Allow time for defrosting, baking and cooling before you can use the bread.
Read the pack for cooking instructions, and only compare nutritional values once you’ve checked whether they’re given per 100 g or per serving.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if bread is genuinely wholemeal?
Check whether the bread is labelled wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the grain ingredient in a product with this label must consist entirely of wholemeal flour; a brown colour or the word multigrain is not enough on its own.
Does all bread contain iodine-rich baker’s salt?
No, don’t assume that it does. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, bakers do not always use baker’s salt. For labelled bread, check the ingredients list for baker’s salt or iodised salt, or ask the baker which type of salt has been used.
Can I freeze wholemeal bread to use later?
Follow the storage instructions for the bread you buy. For Boeren volkoren heel, PLUS says you can freeze it at home on the day of purchase and use it within one month; don’t assume the same instructions apply to another product without checking.