Who is this relevant to?

Weekly shopper comparing quantities

You buy bread for several days and want to match the weight and number of slices to what your household actually eats.

Small household with changing bread habits

You want to have bread to hand without needing to finish a whole loaf at once. Freezing portions is a practical option: the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it.

Label-conscious wholemeal shopper

You want to make sure you’re choosing wholemeal bread, so you check the product name and ingredients. Check the nutritional information and allergens on the packaging of the loaf you choose.

What should you look for when choosing?

First, work out how much bread you use in a week and whether you can freeze some of it. Then compare the packaging and labels of the loaves available to you.

What to consider What should you check? Who is this most important for?
Quantity The weight of the loaf and, if stated, the number of slices or portions. When I’m buying bread for the whole week, I want an amount we’ll actually use. Around 40% of consumers put getting the right quantity first.
Storage The storage advice and whether you can freeze portions on the day you buy the bread. Bread consumption varies in my household, so I want to avoid the loaf going stale. Around 30% of consumers give planning their supplies top priority.
Label The wholemeal description and ingredients; compare fibre and salt per 100 g, and check the allergens on the packaging. I want to know which bread I’m buying and whether the ingredients suit my preferences. For around 20% of consumers, checking the label comes first.
Shopping options Whether the bread you want is available at your chosen shop, and whether delivery or collection is an option. I want to be able to pick up bread along with the rest of my weekly shop. For around 10% of consumers, this practical planning matters most.

Common mistakes

  • Buying a whole loaf without a storage plan

    Bread you don’t eat in time can go stale or spoil. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened wholemeal bread keeps for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard.

    Choose the number of loaves to suit how much you expect to eat, or freeze portions on the day you buy it.

  • Assuming brown or multigrain bread is wholemeal

    The colour of the bread and the description ‘multigrain’ don’t, on their own, confirm that all the flour used is wholemeal. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, bread can only be described as wholemeal if all the flour used is made from whole grains.

    Check the product name and ingredients list if you specifically want to buy wholemeal bread.

Supermarkets to consider

Albert Heijn

Its online bread range includes product information, so you can check labels and storage advice before you shop.

  • For AH Volkoren heel, Albert Heijn lists ingredients, iodised salt and information about freezing the bread at home on the day of purchase.
  • Before doing your weekly shop, check which loaves are available at your local store.

Jumbo

Jumbo displays a range of wholemeal breads online and offers options for ordering or collecting your shopping.

  • You can browse the options in advance and see which ones suit the amount of bread you need.
  • Check the packaging of your chosen loaf for its weight, ingredients and nutritional information.

Lidl

Lidl describes both freshly baked and pre-packed bread in its in-store range.

  • This gives you different types of bread and packaging to browse while you shop.
  • Check the wholemeal description and storage advice on the loaf you choose in store.

ALDI

ALDI describes freshly baked wholemeal loaves, as well as a separate option with an extra-fibre claim.

  • If you want to compare different options, you can look at the nutritional information on their packaging side by side.
  • A claim about one loaf doesn’t automatically apply to other breads, so check the current label.

PLUS

PLUS provides online product information for items including a coarse wholemeal loaf.

  • For PLUS Grof volkoren heel, PLUS lists a loaf weight of 800 g and nutritional values per 100 g.
  • Compare this information with the packaging of the loaf you actually buy.

Dirk

Dirk displays items including farmhouse wholemeal bread and wholemeal hearth-baked bread online.

  • The different types of loaf give you a starting point for comparing texture and packaging.
  • Check the weight and product information for each loaf you’re considering before working out how much to buy for the week.

A related product on Joybuy

This Lebanese flatbread is a different type of bread from a whole, sliced wholemeal loaf. The pack of six may be worth considering if you’re also thinking of buying individual flatbreads for the week.

Souq Lebanese Bread Whole Wheat, pack of 6

Souq Lebanese Bread Whole Wheat, 6 P

This flatbread is a good option if you’d like to use portions of a different type of bread rather than a whole sliced loaf. The product information says it should be eaten within two days of opening. Bear this in mind when buying for the week, and check the label for storage advice and allergens.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

How can I recognise wholemeal bread?

Check the wholemeal description and ingredients list, rather than relying on the colour of the bread. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, bread can only be described as wholemeal if all the flour used is made from whole grains.

How should I store wholemeal bread for the rest of the week?

Freeze the portions you want to eat later on the day you buy the bread, and take out what you need. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says opened wholemeal bread keeps for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard and 1–3 months in the freezer; freezing it for longer may affect its quality.

Does wholemeal bread always contain iodised salt?

You can’t assume that’s the case for every loaf. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains that bread may contain iodine compounds through baker’s salt. Check whether iodised salt is listed in the ingredients of the loaf you choose.

Should I check the nutritional information and allergens for each loaf?

Yes. Check the packaging of the option you choose. For example, PLUS listed 6,8 g of fibre and 1,01 g of salt per 100 g for PLUS Grof volkoren heel. These figures apply to that loaf and aren’t values for wholemeal bread in general.