Sandwich bread is a sensible choice for generous, easy-to-handle bites, but a name such as ‘American Sandwich’ doesn’t tell you how thick the slices are or how well they’ll hold your chosen filling. Check the format and filling with a trial bite, read the ingredients and allergen information for each variety, and match the amount of bread to the rest of your buffet.
If you’re adding several fillings, or anything moist, the slice size and how easy the bread is to handle both matter. EDEKA recommends using a second slice as a lid for generously filled sandwiches, making them easier to eat. Try a bite with your planned filling to see whether a particular loaf is large and sturdy enough.
If you’d like to offer wholemeal bread or a separate gluten-free option, choose each variety individually. Check the ingredients and any may-contain information for each specific product. A label such as ‘wholemeal’ doesn’t automatically answer other dietary questions.
How much bread you need also depends on what else you’re serving and how many guests are likely to want bread. The consumer advice centre recommends offering a wider choice of dishes rather than simply increasing quantities across the board.
First decide how you’d like to serve the bites, then check the bread varieties for any specific dietary requirements. You can only sensibly plan the quantity and when to buy it alongside the rest of the buffet.
| Criteria | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Easy-to-handle, generously filled bites | Compare the slice size and number of slices on the pack. Try your planned filling with a second slice on top. | If I want to serve generously filled bites at a standing buffet, they need to be easy to eat without the filling slipping out. For around 46% of consumers, ease of handling comes first. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and may-contain information for each variety. Check wholemeal, vegan and gluten-free claims separately. | If I’m catering for guests with different dietary requirements, I want to choose suitable bread varieties based on their ingredients. For around 27% of consumers, this is their main concern. |
| Freshness and quantity | Take the other buffet dishes into account and choose pack sizes to suit the amount of bread you’re planning. Follow the storage instructions. | I don’t want to open more bread than guests are likely to eat at the buffet. For around 18% of consumers, planning the quantity and freshness comes first. |
| Serving warm | Test the bread with the appliance and filling you plan to use before toasting or grilling a large number of bites. | If you’re serving lots of warm bites, it’s worth trying out the process beforehand rather than relying on the product name. For around 9% of consumers, preparation matters most. |
The product name describes the type of bread, not a standard size or its suitability for every filling. The actual slice size can make all the difference, particularly for large, moist or loosely layered bites.
Compare the slices on the pack and try a bite with your most challenging planned filling before buying in larger quantities.
These labels refer to different properties. The wholemeal sandwich breads mentioned contain gluten-containing cereals; bread labelled gluten-free may also contain other allergens.
Check the current ingredients list and may-contain information for each variety. Present separate bread options in a way that makes them easy for guests to tell apart.
For a buffet, it’s not just the quantity you buy that matters, but also the condition of the bread when you serve it. The consumer advice centre recommends storing bread at room temperature, somewhere dry and away from light.
Try to shop as close to the event as possible, and only open reserve packs when needed. If bread is visibly mouldy, throw the whole loaf away.
When there are several types of bread and filling on offer, guests may find it difficult to work out which ingredients are in each option. Gluten-free bread isn’t automatically free from other allergens either.
Keep the information from the packs to hand for each type of bread. If you’re using a professional caterer, check in advance how guests will be able to access it.
The product ranges listed here offer different types of bread to help you plan your buffet. Always check the details on the pack you buy, particularly the slice size and ingredients.
REWE sells American sandwich bread under these names in different pack sizes.
EDEKA describes the sandwich toast in this range as American-style wholemeal and spelt varieties.
Golden Toast’s range includes American Sandwich and Vollkorn Sandwich.
Ölz Meisterbäcker offers several toast and sandwich bread ranges, including Riesen Toast and Hotel Toast.
Schär Meisterbäckers Classic is a separate sliced bread option if you need gluten-free bread.
No, the name alone doesn’t specify a standard slice thickness. Check the size on the pack and, for generously filled bites, try a sandwich to see if it’s easy to serve and eat as planned.
For generously filled sandwiches, EDEKA recommends using a second slice as a lid. It makes the sandwich easier to eat and helps stop the filling from falling out. Whether it works for your bites also depends on the size and type of filling.
The consumer advice centre recommends storing bread at room temperature, somewhere dry and away from light. Open packs only when needed, if possible; if bread is visibly mouldy, throw the whole loaf away.
Match the amount of bread to your guests and the other food on offer, rather than simply multiplying the number of sandwich bites. The consumer advice centre recommends offering a variety of dishes instead of increasing quantities across the board.