Households looking for wholemeal bread and fibre
You’d like to offer a wholemeal option instead of white toast at Easter breakfast. The product description and fibre per 100 g matter more than the colour or visible grains.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Anyone planning to serve sandwiches and toast
You need slices for sandwiches or toast. As well as checking that it’s described as wholemeal, see whether the particular bread is pre-sliced and suitable for how you plan to serve it.
Households with specific ingredient requirements
If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, check the ingredients and allergen information on the specific pack. The term wholemeal doesn’t tell you whether a bread is suitable for someone with a gluten intolerance or an allergy.
What should you look for when buying?
For your Easter brunch, first check that the wholemeal option you want comes in the right sliced format. Then use the ingredients, allergens and pack size you need to help you choose a specific product.
| Criterion | What to check when buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal and fibre | Look for the term wholemeal and compare fibre per 100 g. | If wholemeal matters to me at Easter breakfast, I want to compare the fibre content of different breads on the same basis. Around 50% of consumers would make wholemeal and fibre their top purchasing priority. |
| Slice format and how you’ll use it | Check whether it’s pre-sliced and whether it’s suitable for sandwiches or toast, as well as whether the pack size will suit your gathering. | For filled Easter sandwiches, I need slices that are ready to use, rather than having to cut a loaf at the brunch table. Around 30% of consumers would prioritise whether a bread is suitable for sandwiches and toast. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the pack you’re actually buying. | If guests need to avoid certain ingredients, I don’t want to rely on the word wholemeal alone. Around 20% of consumers would prioritise checking ingredients and allergens. |
Common mistakes when buying bread
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Assuming dark or grainy bread is wholemeal
Multigrain, seeds and a dark crumb don’t in themselves prove that a bread has a high wholemeal content. According to the guidance for wholemeal bread and rolls explained by Lebensmittelklarheit, at least 90% of the grain used should be wholemeal.
Look for wholemeal in the product description, then check the ingredients list and fibre per 100 g.
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Confusing wholemeal with gluten-free
A wholemeal sandwich loaf may contain wheat and other declared allergens. The term wholemeal doesn’t mean that a bread is suitable for people with coeliac disease or an allergy.
If you have specific requirements, check each product against its current packaging, including any ‘may contain’ warnings.
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Choosing a pack without a plan for leftover slices
A larger pack may suit a gathering with lots of guests, while a smaller household could have more bread left over after brunch.
Estimate how many slices you’ll need. Verbraucherzentrale recommends storing bread at room temperature; you can freeze leftover slices in portions. If you see mould, the entire loaf should be thrown away.
Brands and product ranges to help you choose
These examples cover different bread formats, as well as an alternative you can bake yourself. Always compare the details of the specific product when shopping.
REWE Beste Wahl / REWE Bio
REWE offers a Beste Wahl wheat wholemeal sandwich loaf in a 750 g pack and an organic wheat wholemeal sandwich loaf in a 375 g pack.
- REWE lists 7.7 g of fibre per 100 g for the Beste Wahl product and 6.4 g for the organic product. As the figures use the same measure, they’re easy to compare.
- Both specific products contain wheat. The Beste Wahl product lists lupin flour, while the organic product may contain traces of soya, milk and lupin. If your guests have allergies, always check the relevant pack.
EDEKA GUT&GÜNSTIG / EDEKA Herzstücke
EDEKA describes its GUT&GÜNSTIG wholemeal sandwich loaf as suitable for sandwiches and toasting, and also lists a Herzstücke wholemeal sandwich loaf.
- EDEKA states that its GUT&GÜNSTIG sandwich toast contains 60% wholemeal wheat flour. This figure applies to this product, not to every bread from these brands.
- EDEKA notes that product information may differ from what’s shown on the packaging. Check the ingredients and allergens on the pack in store.
Lidl Unser Brot
Lidl describes ‘Unser Brot’ as its in-store bakery range. However, a fresh loaf for the table won’t necessarily serve the same purpose as ready-sliced sandwich bread.
- According to Lidl, the range includes wholemeal and multigrain options.
- Multigrain doesn’t automatically mean wholemeal. Check the description, ingredients and allergens of the specific product, as well as whether it comes in the slice format you need.
RUF
RUF is a baking alternative here: its published wholemeal bread recipe uses wholemeal spelt flour, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds.
- When you bake your own, you can choose the ingredients and decide how thick to cut the slices.
- Baking takes preparation and isn’t a substitute for ready-to-use, pre-sliced bread. You’ll need to check the ingredients and allergens yourself.
Bread options at Joybuy
These bread options could suit an Easter brunch with filled sandwiches. Check each specific product to see whether it meets your requirements for wholemeal labelling, pre-sliced bread and toasting.
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Mestemacher Westphalian Pumpernickel, 500 g
If pumpernickel suits the filled sandwiches you’re serving at Easter brunch, you can factor the 500 g pack into your quantity planning.
Check the wholemeal labelling and slice format, and make sure to read the latest allergen information on the pack.
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Mestemacher Classic Wholemeal Protein Bread, 250 g
The 250 g pack could be a good fit if you’re planning a smaller brunch.
If you want to compare fibre or toast the bread, check the nutritional information per 100 g and the serving instructions. If you have specific dietary requirements, check the latest allergen information too.
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Mestemacher Sylt Walnut Wholegrain Bread, 250 g
If walnut bread suits your Easter brunch, this product is available in a 250 g pack to help you plan quantities.
Before buying, check whether the bread is pre-sliced. If you have allergies, read all the information on the pack.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell whether sliced bread is wholemeal?
Look for wholemeal in the product description and check the ingredients list. Lebensmittelklarheit explains that the guidance for wholemeal bread and rolls is that at least 90% of the grain used should be wholemeal. A dark colour or the term multigrain alone doesn’t prove this.
Is wholemeal bread automatically gluten-free?
No. Wholemeal isn’t the same as gluten-free. The EDEKA and REWE wholemeal sandwich products mentioned here contain wheat. If you have coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, check whether a specific product is suitable by looking at its current packaging.
How do I compare fibre in wholemeal sandwich bread?
Compare the fibre information for similar products per 100 g, rather than figures based on different amounts. REWE lists 6.4 g of fibre per 100 g for its organic wheat wholemeal sandwich loaf and 7.7 g for its Beste Wahl wheat wholemeal sandwich loaf. These figures alone don’t tell you whether either product is suitable for your overall diet.
What should I do with sliced bread left over after Easter brunch?
Store bread at room temperature and, if needed, freeze leftover slices in portions. Verbraucherzentrale recommends storing bread at room temperature; if you see mould, the entire loaf should be thrown away.
Is the ingredient information in an online shop enough if you have allergies?
Use online information to help you narrow down your choices, but check the labelling on the pack you actually buy. EDEKA notes that the information shown for its listed wholemeal sandwich loaf may differ from the packaging.