The Dave's Killer Bread Variety We Don't Leave The Store Without

Walk into any well-stocked grocery store these days and you can't miss the loaves of Dave's Killer Bread. Originally created in the Portland, Oregon area, these sliced loaves are not only organic and made with healthy grains, the company also works with folks who have served time in prison — just like the company's founder, Dave Dahl. The real secret to the success of Dave's Killer Bread, however, is that it tastes great, especially the 100% Whole Wheat, which we don't leave the store without. In a 2023 Daily Meal ranking of Dave's Killer Bread varieties, whole wheat came out on top, beating out other fan favorites we recommend like Righteous Rye and White Bread Done Right.

While the competition between Dave's many varieties of bread was stiff, ultimately the best loaf ended up being one of the simplest despite the brand's reputation for packing multiple ingredients into its slices. In a side-by-side tasting of nine different types of Dave's Killer Bread, it all came down to the rich taste, proper texture, and basic wholesome ingredients in Dave's basic whole wheat bread.

When it comes to choosing sandwich bread, Americans have almost too many choices. It's not easy to narrow down the best loaf when most supermarkets devote an entire aisle to the stuff, which makes the popularity of Dave's Killer Bread an even more interesting story. The company was founded by Dave Dahl, who spent several years in prison before getting a second chance at life working at his family's commercial bakery mixing ingredients. After perfecting a few select flavors, Dahl launched his own loaves at the Portland Farmers Market Summer Loaves Festival in 2005, which was the start of what would become an international success story.

Each loaf of Dave's Killer Bread, including the 100% Whole Wheat, is made with organic, whole grains and other natural ingredients, which perhaps gives this loaf the edge over other wheat breads. Our taster at Daily Meal found that it has, "a rich wheat taste with a hint of molasses and a pleasant texture," and reviewers across the internet agree. "I absolutely love this bread," said one reviewer on the Kroger website. "I was never a bread eater until I had Dave's bread. I normally will just eat the bread plain, that's how much I love the taste and texture." Another added, "Excellent texture, flavor and size. I have irritable bowel and this is the only market wheat bread that my stomach doesn't have a fit with. NO hidden nasties like corn syrup."

Dave's Killer Bread 100% Whole Wheat Bread isn't just our top pick amongst the loaves within the brand, we think it's also one of the best loaves of whole wheat bread overall (although Pepperidge Farm is our ultimate pick). It weighs in at 100 calories per slice, with 3 grams of dietary fiber, and 4 grams of protein, and it is considerably less sweet tasting than many other comparable brands. Dave's also offers its whole wheat in regular and thin slices.

"Dave's thin slices are very good for a low carb diet, very flavorful, nutty tasting, soft and delicious," said one Amazon reviewer. "I also like that they are whole grain and much lower calories than most breads. Makes great avocado toast. The nutty flavor comes through due to the toasting. Very, very flavorful." Another added, "It's not easy finding healthy whole wheat loaves of bread that don't have 10-15 additives. This bread fit our needs, and the taste was great."

Not only does Dave's Killer Bread taste great, the company also give back to the community by offering jobs to people who have served time in prison. Although Dahl sold the company in 2015, the parent brand, Flowers Foods, still maintains the same hiring practices, so you can feel extra good about eating a great-tasting slice of organic, whole wheat bread any day of the week.