Budget-conscious families
If you’re planning several sandwiches or slices of toast for a meal, consider the price per kg, pack size and whether you’ll use the remaining slices. A larger pack won’t help much if a significant amount goes uneaten.
Who is this choice relevant for?
Families looking for wholemeal options
If you’re looking for wholemeal toast or wholemeal sandwich bread, compare the stated wholemeal content and fibre per 100 g. These figures apply to the specific product, not every variety from a particular brand.
Households needing gluten-free options
If someone in your family needs gluten-free sliced bread, check the labelling and ingredients on the specific pack, as well as any possible traces. You may also need to prepare it separately in the kitchen.
What should you look for when buying?
To narrow down the options for a family meal, first work out how much you need, then check the type of bread, ingredients and storage instructions. A low pack price alone won’t tell you whether there’s enough bread for everyone or whether you’ll use up the leftovers.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and price per kg | Compare the price per kg, pack weight and number of slices needed for the meal. | If I’m feeding several people, I want a pack that’s big enough without leaving too much over. Around 42% of consumers might prioritise getting the right amount while keeping costs manageable. |
| Type of bread and wholemeal content | Check the product name, stated wholemeal content and fibre per 100 g for the specific variety. | For our sandwiches, I want to choose wholemeal rather than white wheat toast. This type of bread is likely to be the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Allergens and storage | Check the highlighted allergens and possible traces on the pack, and plan how to store any leftovers. | If someone at the table needs to avoid certain ingredients, or we’ll only use a few slices, that will determine my choice. Around 25% of consumers might put ingredient suitability or how to handle leftovers first. |
For wholemeal products, check exactly what the percentage refers to: EDEKA states that GUT&GÜNSTIG wholemeal sandwich bread contains 60% wholemeal wheat flour; Golden Toast says its Vollkorn Toast contains 90% wholemeal flour as a proportion of the total flour content. These differently worded product claims are no substitute for checking the ingredients list or comparing the other nutritional information.
Common mistakes when buying bread
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Looking only at the pack price
Different pack sizes make it difficult to compare products by the price on the shelf alone. A small pack may not be enough for a family meal, while with a large pack you’ll need to think about when you’ll eat the remaining slices.
Compare the price per kg and pack weight on the day you shop. Also plan how many slices you’ll actually need for the meal and afterwards.
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Confusing wholemeal with gluten-free
Wholemeal toast and wholemeal sandwich bread may contain wheat. So the wholemeal content doesn’t tell you whether a bread is suitable for someone who needs to avoid gluten or has certain allergies.
Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and possible traces on the specific pack. If you need a gluten-free diet, don’t rely on the word “wholemeal” alone.
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Buying more bread than you’ll use
Verbraucherzentrale notes that breads with a high proportion of rye, wholemeal flour or coarsely milled grain generally stay fresh for longer. However, this isn’t a guarantee of how long an opened pack will keep. If you see mould, discard the entire affected loaf.
Buy an amount that suits how much you plan to use. You can freeze any leftover slices in portions. Bread you’ll eat soon should be stored at room temperature, somewhere dry and away from light.
Brands to consider
The brands below offer different types of toast and sliced bread. The specific product is what matters: ingredients, pack size and availability can vary between varieties and places to shop.
Grafschafter
Lidl sells sandwich bread under the Grafschafter brand, among other products. If you’re planning a budget-conscious meal, check the current price per kg and pack weight of the variety on offer.
- One wheat sandwich bread from the brand is an option for families looking for sandwich slices.
- Details about one product at a previous point of sale shouldn’t be taken as its current price or as a feature of the entire range.
GUT&GÜNSTIG
EDEKA positions its own-label brand as a budget option and also sells toast products under the label.
- According to EDEKA, the wholemeal sandwich bread listed contains 60% wholemeal wheat flour and comes in a 750-g pack.
- EDEKA says this product may contain traces of soya, milk, mustard and lupin. It also notes that the product may not be available in every store.
REWE Beste Wahl
REWE’s own-label range includes rye toast and butter toast, among other products. The product names alone don’t tell you enough about the ingredients.
- For the rye toast listed, REWE states that it contains 5% rye flour; according to its product page, the butter toast contains 3.5% butterfat.
- The rye toast also contains wheat flour. Butter toast made with butterfat isn’t vegan; always check the labelling on the pack you buy.
Golden Toast
Golden Toast offers a range of toast and sandwich bread varieties. The brand can be a useful starting point if you’re looking for a particular type of bread for a family meal.
- For Golden Toast Vollkorn Toast, the brand states that 90% of the total flour content is wholemeal flour, and that it contains 6.6 g of fibre per 100 g.
- These details apply to this variety. It contains wheat and, according to the product information, may contain traces of soya, milk, mustard and lupin.
Schär Meisterbäckers
Schär Meisterbäckers is a sliced bread range for households that need a specifically labelled gluten-free option.
- Schär describes Meisterbäckers Classic as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free; a 330-g pack is listed for Germany.
- The product contains soya protein and may contain lupin and mustard. Gluten-free doesn’t mean it meets every other allergy requirement.
Matching products at Joybuy
Matching products coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is ordinary wheat toast suitable for a gluten-free diet?
Toast made with wheat or other gluten-containing grains isn’t suitable. If you need gluten-free bread, check the labelling and ingredients on the specific pack: Schär describes Meisterbäckers Classic as gluten-free and wheat-free, but notes that it may contain traces of lupin and mustard.
Do I need to check for allergens if only one person at the table is affected?
Yes. The ingredients and possible traces in the bread matter for that person too. According to Lebensmittelverband Deutschland, allergenic ingredients are highlighted in the ingredients list; a separate ‘may contain’ statement refers to possible accidental presence. Which labelling is relevant depends on the individual’s needs.
How should I store leftover toast or sandwich bread?
Bread you’ll eat soon should be stored at room temperature, somewhere dry and away from light. You can freeze any extra slices in portions. Verbraucherzentrale advises against routinely storing bread in the fridge, as it goes stale more quickly there. If you can see mould on the bread, discard the whole loaf.
Can I still use bread after its best-before date?
As Lebensmittelverband Deutschland explains, the best-before date isn’t an automatic ‘throw it away’ date. Once it has passed, check the smell, colour and texture. If you can see mould, discard the whole affected loaf, even if there’s only one visible spot.