For a fakeaway night with savoury toppings, packaged rye sourdough bread with a clear ingredients list is a good option to check. If a crisp crust is more important because you’ll be eating the bread straight away, consider buying it from the bakery counter. However, the term ‘sourdough’ doesn’t tell you whether the bread contains only rye, so always check the ingredients and allergen information.
If you’re choosing bread to go with spicy dips, cheese or grilled vegetables, check the bread’s name and ingredients list for rye and sourdough. You can decide whether the flavour and shape of the slices will suit your planned toppings by looking at the specific loaf.
If you’re buying bread just before your meal and want a fresh crust, the bakery counter could be a good option. Check the type of bread, as well as the ingredients and allergen information for the product you choose.
If you need to avoid certain ingredients, you’ll need information about the specific loaf, not just the name ‘sourdough’. Rye is a cereal containing gluten; other ingredients and trace warnings vary by product.
A good choice if: You want to compare the types of grain, sourdough content and ingredients on the packaging before fakeaway night.
Bear in mind: Bread described this way may also contain other grains and ingredients; the specific recipe is what matters.
A good choice if: You’re shopping just before your meal and prefer a fresh crust.
Bear in mind: Crusty bread made with natural sourdough isn’t automatically rye sourdough bread. Ask about the name and ingredients of the specific bread at the counter.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Rye and sourdough | Compare the bread’s name and the types of grain; check the type and proportion of sourdough, if stated. | If I’m planning strongly flavoured toppings, I want to choose a bread whose rye and sourdough character suits my meal. Around 44% of consumers would make this their main reason for buying. |
| Freshness on the day you shop | Check the specific type of bread at the counter and its crust if you’ll be eating it straight away. | If I’m shopping just before my meal, a fresh crust matters more to me than buying bread to keep in stock. For around 33% of consumers, freshness would be their top priority. |
| Ingredients, allergens and storage | Check the ingredients and allergen information for the specific product, as well as the storage instructions on the packaging. | If I want to check the ingredients carefully or save some bread for later, I need reliable information about the product I’ve chosen. Around 23% of consumers would make this their main consideration. |
Sourdough bread may contain other grains and ingredients as well as rye. For example, PEMA lists rice, millet, maize and buckwheat products, as well as sweet lupin flour, in its sourdough bread.
Compare the ingredients list for the specific loaf with your preference for rye, and check the allergen and trace information.
Information for another variety doesn’t apply to the bread you’ve chosen. In Germany, allergenic ingredients must also be labelled for loose products, as explained by the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety.
Check the retailer’s allergen information and, if needed, ask specifically about the ingredients in the bread you’ve chosen.
PEMA and REWE give different instructions on refrigerating PEMA sourdough bread after opening. You can’t use these to establish a general rule for the pack you’ve bought.
Follow the storage instructions on your pack and consider when you plan to finish the bread.
PEMA offers specifically labelled packaged breads, making it easier to compare rye, sourdough and ingredients.
ALDI SÜD’s own brand includes a 375-g pack of packaged organic wholemeal rye bread.
Lidl says its in-store bakery products are freshly baked several times a day and includes crusty bread made with natural sourdough in its range.
No, rye is a cereal that contains gluten. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity lists cereals containing gluten among the allergens that must be labelled. Check the other ingredients and trace warnings on every loaf, too.
Allergenic ingredients must also be labelled for loose bread in Germany, as explained by the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety. Check the information provided by the retailer and ask specifically about the variety you’ve chosen.
No, the name ‘sourdough bread’ doesn’t specify all the grains it contains. According to the product information, PEMA sourdough bread contains rice, millet, maize and buckwheat products as well as rye. So check the recipe for the variety you’re interested in.
Follow the instructions on the pack you’ve actually bought. For PEMA sourdough bread, PEMA recommends storing it at room temperature and advises against refrigeration, while REWE recommends keeping it in the fridge if it will take more than three days to use up. So don’t apply either recommendation as a general rule for other breads.