If you only need a few slices for supper, choose a small pack that you can finish in good time once opened or freeze in portions. The right type of bread depends on what matters to you: the wholemeal description and nutritional information, the flavour you prefer, and the ingredients and allergens are more important than the colour of the bread.
If you live alone or with one other person and only have toast or sandwich bread occasionally, choose a pack size that matches how many slices you actually need. For example, REWE stocks Harry Vollkorn-Toast in a 250 g pack containing ten slices. Even a small pack needs to be stored properly and used in good time once opened.
Check the product description, ingredients list and fibre content per 100 g. The German Nutrition Society points out that the dark colour of bread alone does not prove that it is wholemeal.
If you need gluten-free bread or want to avoid particular allergens, check the information on the specific pack. Gluten-free does not mean free from other allergens: Schär Meisterbäcker Classic lists soya in its product information.
Start with the amount of bread you actually need for supper. Then compare the type of bread and its ingredients. Always check the specific product if you have particular allergen requirements.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and leftovers | Compare the net weight, number of slices and storage advice after opening with how much you usually eat. | If I only need a few slices for one or two people, I don’t want an opened pack left over. Getting the pack size right would be the main concern for around 36% of consumers. |
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and check the ingredients and fibre content per 100 g, rather than judging by the colour of the bread. | For supper, I specifically want wholemeal bread, not just toast that looks dark. This would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Flavour and product type | Choose between sliced bread for toasting, sandwich bread and toast rolls, and check that the ingredients match the flavour you want. | Above all, I want the type of bread to go with my toppings and how I plan to prepare it. Around 21% of consumers would put flavour and product type first. |
| Gluten and other allergens | Check the specific pack for information about gluten, ingredients, other allergens and possible traces. | I need to avoid certain ingredients, so I can’t rely on the words ‘gluten-free’ alone. Checking these requirements would be the priority for around 14% of consumers. |
A smaller pack does not extend the bread’s shelf life. For example, REWE advises that Harry Vollkorn-Toast 250 g should be eaten within three days of opening.
Choose a pack based on how many slices you need and follow the product’s storage advice. According to the consumer advice centre, you can freeze any leftover slices in portions.
You can’t reliably tell what grains bread contains from its colour. According to the German Nutrition Society, the key is an explicit wholemeal description.
Check the description and ingredients list for the variant you choose. The nutritional information per 100 g can help you compare its fibre content with that of another product.
A gluten-free label does not automatically mean that other ingredients are absent. Schär Meisterbäcker Classic lists soya as an allergen in its product information.
Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and possible traces on every pack to make sure it meets your needs.
Harry Vollkorn-Toast 250 g is a small pack of sliced wholemeal bread, giving you a compact option to choose by pack size and type of bread.
The brand sells Butter Toast in 250 g and 500 g packs. The smaller size is an option if you’re looking for white toast.
Meisterbäcker Classic is listed as white gluten-free toast in a 330 g pack.
RUF sells Mestemacher High Protein Toastbrötchen as a portion-sized alternative to a sliced loaf of toast bread.
Lieken’s company history identifies Wendeln as a former distributor of Golden Toast.
Compare the net weight and, if stated, the number of slices with how much you actually eat. REWE lists Harry Vollkorn-Toast 250 g as containing ten slices, and Golden Toast Buttertoast is also available in a 250 g pack. Remember to check the advice on how soon to eat the bread after opening.
Keep bread in a dry, dark place at room temperature and follow the instructions on the packaging. The consumer advice centre recommends freezing leftover slices in portions if you won’t need them straight away.
No. A gluten-free label does not tell you whether the product is suitable for people avoiding other allergens. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack; for example, Schär Meisterbäcker Classic lists soya in its product information.
A best-before date is not the same as a use-by date. The consumer advice centre explains that food which has been stored correctly and remains unopened may still be safe to eat after this date. Check the bread for signs of spoilage; if it is mouldy, throw the whole loaf away.