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When bread goes on a bit too long, it’s usually consigned to the garbage or compost bin and never thought of again, except to lament the waste of good food and good money. I’ve often asked myself what I can do with bread that’s about to go afoul. Turns out, there are plenty of useful options to get more utility out of bread that’s going stale, which will help you creatively in the kitchen and positively out of your back pocket.

I’ve gone and gathered some valuable secondary uses for the tired family loaf – and some that should be avoided! Now, let’s take a look….

bread
Image by marco aurelio from Pixabay

Why does bread go stale?

sliced bread
Image by BRRT from Pixabay

According to the Real Bread campaign, the staling process is known as retrogradation. The bread’s molecules begin incorporating water, or recrystallizing, in a continual chemical reaction based on starch originally present in the fiber. Depending on what elements the bread is exposed to, and how the other ingredients react with starch re-crystallization, can speed up or slow down the bread’s decline.

There are many factors which contribute to retrogradation. Some causes you’re familiar with, while others may be more of a surprise.

  • When you purchase bread. For example, if you are buying store bought bread on the weekend, it’s likely not as fresh as loaves bought earlier in the week, due to baking schedules, delivery and display, and general availability.
  • The size of your family and your bread intake. With a family of five, my family is rapidly reaching the point where buying bread happens daily! Others may need only a single loaf per week.
  • The atmospheric conditions where you live. If it’s cooler and drier, the bread is more likely to have a slower staling process, which is why it’s recommended that you store in foil or cling wrap away from light and heat.
  • The style of bread you use. Cheaper store bought breads contain more oil and preservatives to last longer than more health conscious brands, while artisanal breads can be bought to last a longer period based on the ingredients used in baking. Those breads that are baked without using oil, such as french bread, stay fresh for the shortest period.

What Can I do With Stale Bread?

Revive It

baguette
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

By reheating your bread you can revive the starchy molecules – you think of it in terms of exercising stiff muscles to be more supple – but for a much shorter period of time. The bread will seem a lot fresher and more enjoyable for a few hours at most. You can do it quickly in the microwave, however the method below from Cooks Illustrated works better for a larger range of bread types:

“Wrap the loaf tightly with aluminum foil, place it on the middle rack of a cold oven, and set the temperature to 300 degrees. After about 30 minutes (15 to 20 minutes for small or narrow loaves like baguettes), remove the foil and return the loaf to the oven for about 5 more minutes to crisp up the crust.”

For crusty loaves, such as a baguette, you can even run them under cold water to revive the loaf (Please don’t do this for sandwich bread, or you’ll have a bad time).

Recipes

Amaretto Bread Pudding Horizontal
Image: 12 Tomatoes

You can use bread in all sorts of different recipes, although my favorite options are in a cheeky Salt and Pepper French Toast, or for luxurious tasting desserts such as Amaretto Bread Pudding. The bread being stale can help in keeping the recipe together, and brings out the best in your other ingredients.

If all else fails, you can always put the bread in the toaster, under the grill, or craft some homemade garlic bread to simply make the most of it before it’s gone.

3. Croutons and Crumbs

croutons
Image by Tomasz Mikołajczyk from Pixabay

Making croutons and bread crumbs is a great way of utilizing stale bread, with a range of uses across a variety of different cuisines. A quality breadcrumb can be used in everything from stuffing bases, to coating fried chicken, and croutons are great for salads and soups.

Storage is simple because all you need is a reliable air tight container to place them each one into. The clip below illustrates the ease with which you can make breadcrumbs and croutons.

4. Crackers

beef crostini canapes
Image by Amanda_Dilnot from Pixabay

You could make the argument that bread crackers are overgrown croutons, however there are so many different ways you could go – nearly every type of stale bread can be crafted into crackers. Crostini, bruschetta, and suhari (a Russian dried bread cracker) are just some of the names for stale bread changed into different forms.

Drying out your stale bread – either in a paper bag or dehydrator – creates fantastic opportunities to make waste free crackers that will taste delicious with cheese, spreads, deli meats or salad items.

Avoid Feeding Bread to Wildlife

feeding ducks
Image by julianuc from Pixabay

In times past, stale bread was popular for feeding wildlife – ducks and fowl in the UK and United States, as well as kangaroos and other marsupials here in Australia.

The knowledge that bread has little nutrient value for other animals means this practice is no longer recommended, although for some larger animals and livestock it can be used to bulk up their other feed.

Conclusion

You have options when your bread starts going stale, and not just for some discarded crusts or ends. Revitalize or convert stale bread into other delicious forms, like croutons or a bread pudding. Doing so will save money and create possibilities to broaden your kitchen repertoire.