The best whole wheat bread shouldn’t feel like a punishment for people who’ve sworn off white bread. In fact, the best tasting wheat bread is a lot like white bread—it’s soft, moist, and it toasts to a nice golden brown. We get it. In the great wheat bread vs white bread debate, white bread usually comes out on top, but we think this ranking of the best wheat bread will change some minds.
See, sliced wheat bread deserves a place in your pantry, not because it’s considered to be the healthier option by virtue of containing more whole grains and fiber, but because it has a unique flavor profile that lends itself perfectly to all sorts of meals. Sorry, but tuna melts are just better on whole wheat bread—don’t @ us! For this updated ranking, the Sporked team sat down to taste (and retaste) a slew of wheat breads in search of loaves that will suit a variety of uses, from simple buttered toast to crispy whole wheat croutons. We were looking for whole wheat bread with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor, soft texture, and ideally, grains adorning the crust—and we found nine loaves we think deserve to be on this list of the best whole wheat bread at the grocery store.
- Stater Bros. Heartland Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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If you want the best whole wheat bread for dividing a room, then grab a loaf of Stater Bros Heartland Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread. This loaf is dense—but some people like a sturdy wheat bread. But even people who like squish will like that Stater Bros.’s whole wheat loaf has a great overall flavor—it’s semi-sweet, not too wheaty, and very reminiscent of toasted white bread. The loaf’s tightly packed consistency makes this the best wheat bread for extra gooey grilled cheese sandwiches or toast topped with egg whites and other soggy ingredients. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread has all the benefits of whole wheat bread with many of the beloved qualities of white bread. First of all, it looks like white bread. And, like white bread, it doesn’t have a strong oaty flavor. Sporked editor-In-chief Justine Sterling liked that this bread has a nice elasticity that would allow you to ”ball it up” the way children do. Why do children smash slices of bread into tight little balls? I have no clue, but they seem to absolutely love doing it, and this bread is eminently squishable. It’s the best whole wheat bread if you’re feeding a family—and you don’t mind your kids playing with their food. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Powerseed Sandwich Bread
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If you’re looking for the best tasting whole wheat bread that isn’t sweet, Dave’s Killer Bread is the bread for you! This whole wheat loaf packs oaty, seedy, whole-grain savory goodness in every bite. The slices are nice and big, perfect for smearing with jam or holding the contents of a tuna melt from oven to plate. And let’s not forget Dave’s Killer Bread is a company with a mission. They employ people who were previously incarcerated and may not be able to get jobs elsewhere. We love a company that’s doing good—especially when they happen to make some of the best wheat bread at the grocery store. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- First Street Enriched Wheat Sandwich Bread
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This bread from First Street, Smart & Final’s house brand, is the best whole wheat bread if you want a perfect, classic loaf of wheat bread. The slices are a good goldilocks size, the sweetness is mild, and the whole grain essence is subtle. Toast it up and slather it with butter and orange marmalade. Top it with some smashed avocado and drizzle it with sriracha. Sandwich a burger patty, thousand island dressing, and grilled onions between two slices, and toss the whole thing into a panini press to make a sensational patty melt. This bread is cheap and can be used for just about anything. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread has the softness of a cloud and the sweetness of, well… the cold hard truth. It’s a tad bitter, is what I’m saying. But if you think the best whole wheat bread should be light, airy, and dissolve on the tongue, this one’s for you. (Or maybe you’re just into breadfacing and think this makes for a great cheek pillow, I don’t know.) —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Bimbo 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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Bimbo (pronounced beem-bo) knows bread, and the brand’s 100% Whole Wheat Bread is no exception. Their hot dog buns snagged the coveted #2 spot on our list of the best hot dog buns, and their sandwich bread is just as good. This is among the best whole wheat bread we tasted because it has a subtle flavor and won’t distract from more delicate fillings like egg salad or the lettuce-and-tomato part of a BLT. This bread is soft without being too spongy and still has a definite sturdiness. It’s the best wheat bread if you want a delicious bread that doesn’t feel the need to be the star of the show. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Western Hearth 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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Western Hearth’s 100% Whole Wheat Bread has a soft, spongy texture, but it’s crusted with tightly packed grains along the top of the loaf to give it extra texture. The wheat flavor is incredibly balanced; it’s the best tasting whole wheat bread to eat straight from the bag, untoasted, with nothing but a schmear of butter or cream cheese. This 100% whole wheat bread is 100% hard to fault, but it’s a little on the denser side—so if you prefer a fluffier bread, you’ll love our top two. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Alfaro’s Artesano Golden Wheat Bakery Bread
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Alfaro’s Artesano Golden Wheat Bakery Bread is the potato bread of wheat breads. It’s thick and a little bit sweet, so we consider this the best wheat breadt for French toast. Its sweetness will pair nicely with a hearty glub of maple syrup and a side of crispy bacon. But don’t worry, this bread isn’t too sweet to use for other purposes. Pile this with smoked turkey, provolone, and honey mustard, and it’s still some of the best whole wheat bread you can buy at the grocery store. –-Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Nature’s Harvest Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat Bread
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White bread who? If you’re still up in the air when it comes to wheat bread vs white bread, Nature’s Harvest will make you forget other types of bread exist. After tasting it, I can’t imagine why you’d ever want to make a sandwich on anything else. It’s pleasantly squishy but still has enough structural integrity to be stacked with all sorts of sandwich fixings, from meats to spreads to veggies. This bread’s best quality is a pleasant sweetness—that adds something most other breads do not have. It’s the best whole wheat bread to use in a sweet preparation, like PB&J, but it would also complement contrasting flavors if it were used as a vehicle for something savory like a Reuben. TLDR:This is the best wheat bread we tried in two separate taste tests. –-Jordan Myrick
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best for Grilled Cheese
Best for School Lunch
Best Seeded
Best Budget
Best Soft
Best White Bread Substitute
Best for Bread & Butter
Best for Breakfast
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Oroweat Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Great Value 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Sara Lee Whole Wheat Bread, Signature Kitchens 100% Whole Wheat, Value Corner Enriched Wheat Bread, 365 Whole Wheat Bread, Trader Joe’s Soft Whole Wheat Bread, Simple Truth Whole Wheat, Kroger 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Sprouts Plant Based Wheat Bread, Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Market Pantry 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
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