The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
The bread aisle is one of my favourite spots at any Canadian grocery store because the options are nearly limitless. There are all kinds of buns, loaves, rolls and flatbreads to be found, and any one of these options comes in many different varieties.
From basic white or whole wheat bread to healthier options like 12 grain, rye and fancier bakery fare, choosing the right bread at your grocery store can take a lot of time and effort.
Sometimes, buying a loaf of bread can vary according to your needs. For example, when making avocado toast, you might want a loaf with some extra texture and flavour, whereas you'll reach for something more bland when you're making grilled cheese.
But which brand offers the best basic slice of white bread? And which of these actually tastes good when you toast it and try it with something on top?
I decided to find out.
White bread from Canadian grocery stores.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Most white bread is made with the same ingredients: flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes milk. However, each company has its own way of making bread, so it's hard to find two brands that have the exact same taste.
And so, to make your life at the grocery store easier, I compared four different kinds of white bread to find out which is the best option.
For each one, I tried the bread right out of the bag, immediately after toasting it and then with softened butter on top.
I bought D'Italiano, Villaggio, Wonder and no name loaves of white bread from my nearest Loblaws and here's how I rank them from worst to best.
Wonder
Wonder bread not toasted VS toasted.
Wonder Bread was the first one I tried in this competition, and I thought it had the nicest and most attractive packaging. The colours are bright and it states right at the front that it's white bread.
The packaging also states that it has no artificial flavours, colours or high fructose corn syrup, which, for a conscientious eater, is good to know.
Still, I wasn't a fan of the loaf. Some of the slices of bread from the back were stale and it wasn't so soft when I squished it.
The bread was really chewy and doughy when eaten straight from the bag, in my opinion, and I didn't enjoy that it got stuck in my teeth.
After I toasted the bread and spread butter across it, the slice broke apart, which didn't happen with any other loaf.
So, for these reasons, I wouldn't choose Wonder again.
Price: $4.70
Score: 4/10
no name
no name white bread not toasted VS toasted.
No name's white bread packaging describes it as "original" and the image on the bag depicts a beautiful-looking sandwich, which I appreciated.
The slices themselves are tall and slim, which I prefer, but it still wasn't my favourite loaf.
I picked up a potent plastic smell when I opened the bag and I'm unsure where it came from. Also, the bread was bright white, which made it feel a little fake.
When it comes to taste, this bread reminded me of the kind you get at a diner, though that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The no name original loaf was soft and moist when taken from the bag. However, it turned into a dough ball in my mouth and felt unnatural when I chewed it, which is why it lost points for me.
After being toasted, it was the most perfectly brown slice, with the colour evenly distributed. The butter spreadability was also perfect and it soaked into the slice at a reasonable rate.
Overall, it had a good crunch but was too chewy and bland. However, this would undoubtedly be the most affordable option if you need to buy a bunch of bread loaves.
Price: $2.50
Score: 5/10
D'Italiano
D'Italiano white bread not toasted VS toasted.
This was a tough one. At first, I thought D'Italiano would be my favourite because it's the one I usually buy when I go grocery shopping. I still really enjoy it but after this taste test, it's now my No. 2.
The Italian-style bread is delicious and has a pleasant smell. The crust's colour is a lovely brown shade and the white part isn't too bright. The bread has a hint of olive oil, which I enjoyed because it made each bite more flavourful. Also, unlike the rest, the bread was super thick but perfectly soft.
I'd say D'Italiano's white bread is perfect for French toast or bread stuffing recipes because of its thickness, which can soak in all the flavours.
However, it didn't toast as nicely as the others and I had a rough time spreading butter across it. Toasting was the real deciding factor between D'Italiano and the eventual winner of this test.
Price: $4.35
Score: 8/10
Villaggio
Villagio white bread with a not toasted VS toasted.
What makes good bread, in your opinion?
For me, it's about the crispy to soft consistency when toasted, the flavour, the colour, texture and how well it would look in a picture after making a bomb-ass sandwich.
Villaggio's white bread ticked all these boxes for me.
The slices, similar to D'Italiano, are thick and wide, making them great for various recipes. But let's talk about the bread that's perfect for sandwiches.
The crust is a perfect brown with hints of white from the sprinkled flour, making it look more like homemade bread.
The white part of the bread isn't too bright and is slightly off-white, which isn't bad.
Additionally, it was pillowy, soft and squishy before toasting, and after being toasted, there were hardly any crumbs falling off it when I spread the softened butter.
When toasted, it created this perfect soft-to-crunchy ratio that immediately got me wanting to make a grilled cheese because I was imagining cheesy goodness between two perfectly toasted slices. Yum!
Overall, Villaggio has the perfect white bread and although it's one of the pricier options, I'd say it's worth it.
Price: $4.29
Score: 10/10
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