Buying Bread — Bloom RD

Buying bread is just something the majority of people around the world do on a regular basis.

When I read a recent article about the ruling from the courts in Ireland – saying that Subway’s bread isn’t legally bread (refer to my Facebook page on BloomRD to see the link on this article)- I wasn’t really all that surprised. I also question many brands that we buy at the grocery store.

Since in our society making sandwiches is pretty much a staple, especially with packing kids’ lunches, it is important to pick a brand that is generally healthy.

I keep telling myself I am going to just make my own gluten-free bread, but then life happens. Let’s be honest, we all don’t have the time to make our own bread OR can’t always get to our local Farmers Market OR bakery where the bread is made fresh on a regular basis. Bummers right!

With that being said, most of the time we are going to purchase a loaf of bread at the grocery store. So I would like to share some tips when buying bread.

**A few example brands that check most of the boxes above:**
Simple Kneads Sourdough Gluten Free Bread
David’s Killer Bread Whole Wheat Thin Sliced
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
Rudi’s Gluten Free
Arnold Organic Thin-Slice 22 Grains & Seeds
Orrowheat Whole Grains Oatnut Bread

Choose 100% whole grain (i.e. oats, brown rice, quinoa) or 100% whole wheat
- These types of bread contain good sources of fiber, vitamins & minerals.
Check to see if whole wheat/grains and seeds are the first ingredients
- Note: Wheat is not the same thing as whole wheat and really try to avoid breads where the first ingredient says “enriched” flours.
Look at the nutrition label
- Opt for bread that has at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 3 grams of sugar per slice of bread.
- Choose bread that is less than 150 calories per serving.
Look for actual whole grains & pieces in the bread.
- Don’t be fooled by the color.
- Read the ingredient label to see what is in the bread.
Choose breads with minimal ingredients and ones that are whole foods.
- Check the ingredient list.
- Read the ingredient label: is soybean oil, hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, anti-caking or anti-molding agents in the product? Is yes, look to see if another brand has less of these items.
- Are the ingredients organic? (This will be discussed another time – but if bread is something you and your family eat often, you might want to choose organic bread).

Bottom Line:

Make it a point to be selective with bread. I know this can be hard because we all have our favorites. Try at least once a year to make your own homemade bread from scratch (no boxes) and two times a year go to a local bakery or farmers market to buy a fresh loaf. All other times, check those nutrition labels an ingredients to find bread that works best for your and your family!

One Last Tip:

Don’t store bread in the refrigerator, as it will actually go stale faster than it does at room temperature. The best way to keep bread at its best is to keep it at room temperature for a day or two, then wrap it up in a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer. When you thaw it and heat it up, and it will taste freshly baked again!