When stocking up, pack size isn’t the only thing to consider: buy only as much bread as you can use according to the storage instructions, or freeze in portions before it goes stale. Seeded toast and wholemeal toast differ in their seeds and wholemeal flour content, but neither is automatically gluten-free. If you need to avoid gluten, check the other ingredients and allergen information on any bread labelled gluten-free, including multigrain varieties.
If you buy several packs, you’ll need a plan for using them and you’ll want to avoid throwing away bread once a pack has been opened. The Verbraucherzentrale recommends storing bread at room temperature; freezing it in portions can be a useful way to stock up.
If you want seeds and flakes in your toast, you’ll need to check different information from someone who is looking for a particular wholemeal flour content. The ingredients list and nutritional information can help you compare specific products.
For them, it’s the explicit gluten-free label that matters, not the word ‘multigrain’. The other ingredients and allergen information are important even on gluten-free bread: Schär lists soya among the ingredients in Meisterbäckers Mehrkorn and warns that it may contain traces of other allergens.
First, work out how much bread you’ll actually use before and after opening a pack. Then you can choose seeded toast, toast with a stated wholemeal flour content, gluten-free multigrain bread or pre-portioned multigrain toast rolls, depending on the ingredients and portion format you need.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness and portioning | Best-before date, storage instructions, how quickly to use the bread after opening, and space to freeze it in portions. | If I buy several packs, I want to open only as much bread as I can use soon. For around 36% of shoppers, keeping bread fresh and easy to plan around is the main priority when stocking up. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Gluten-free labelling, ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack itself. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients, I want to know which grains and other allergens are in seeded bread, too. Around 29% of shoppers put these checks first. |
| Seeds and wholemeal | Seeds and flakes in the ingredients list, stated wholemeal flour content and fibre per 100 g. | I’m looking either for a noticeable seeded texture or a stated wholemeal content, and I don’t want to confuse the two. This type of bread is the priority for around 21% of shoppers. |
| Pack size | Weight, number of pieces and whether the portions suit the meals you have planned; check availability where you’re shopping. | For individual toast meals, I want packs that are easy to divide up and buy. Around 14% of shoppers prioritise pack size and availability. |
A large pack won’t stay fresh indefinitely once it’s open. The Verbraucherzentrale points out that how long bread stays fresh also depends on the type of bread and storage conditions.
Choose an amount that suits your usual consumption and follow the instructions on the pack. Freeze portions early if you won’t need them soon.
Conventional seeded toast may contain wheat and other grains that contain gluten. According to its manufacturer, Schär Meisterbäckers Mehrkorn is gluten-free, but it contains soya and may contain traces of lupin, mustard and sesame.
If gluten or another allergen affects your choice, check the labelling, ingredients and allergen information on every pack.
EDEKA notes that the information for its multigrain toast rolls may differ from what’s on the packaging. When choosing the product you’re actually buying, go by its ingredients and storage instructions.
When shopping, compare the pack with your requirements and check the weight and best-before date.
The Verbraucherzentrale says that mould may have spread through the bread beyond the part you can see.
Throw away the whole loaf if it’s mouldy, and clean your bread bin regularly.
Meisterbäckers Mehrkorn is a sliced multigrain bread for people who specifically need a gluten-free product.
Körner Toast and Vollkorn Toast cater for two different preferences: seeds and flakes, or wholemeal flour content.
Multigrain toast rolls are a pre-portioned option for households planning individual toast meals.
EDEKA sells multigrain toast rolls as a pre-portioned alternative to toast slices.
This wholemeal protein bread is an alternative to consider if you’re looking for bread to stock up on, rather than traditional seeded toast. Whether the pack suits you depends in particular on how much you’ll use and the storage instructions.
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If you’d like to stock up on wholemeal protein bread instead of seeded toast, consider whether 250 g per pack is the right amount for you. Before buying, check the best-before date, storage instructions, ingredients and allergens on the pack.
Store bread according to the instructions on the relevant pack; the Verbraucherzentrale generally recommends keeping it at room temperature. If you won’t use a pack soon, freezing it in portions can be a practical way to stock up. For Schär Meisterbäckers Mehrkorn, the manufacturer recommends resealing the pack after opening and eating the bread within a few days or freezing it straight away.
No. The Verbraucherzentrale advises throwing away the whole loaf if it’s mouldy, as the mould may have spread beyond the part you can see.
No. According to the manufacturer, Golden Toast Körner Toast contains wheat as well as oat and rye ingredients. An explicitly gluten-free multigrain bread such as Schär Meisterbäckers Mehrkorn is a different type of product; check the pack for other allergens, too.
Check the information on the actual pack when you shop. EDEKA notes that online information for its multigrain toast rolls may differ from the packaging.