Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Stale Bread

Straight out of the oven, I can gobble bread right down plain. Once it starts getting a bit older, bread appeals to me less and less and I tend to let it sit around until it becomes so inedible that it ends up feeding the trash. I've put together a list of things to do with stale bread to help avoid wasting this food, as food in the trash is money in the trash.

Top Ten Uses for Stale Bread


1. Revive the Bread
Wrap the stale bread in either a wet paper bag or a wet cloth and heat it in the microwave or oven. It should be back to new in no time.
2. Make Bread Crumbs
This is the standard thing to do with stale bread, only I make mine the extreme frugal way, which I'll be sharing with you this Friday.
3. Toast It!
Once toasted, even the stalest of bread tastes delicious. I prefer sandwiches with toasted bread anyhow, so this is a sure hit in my house.
4. French Toast It!
Dipped in milk, egg, cinnamon and vanilla before being fried, this delicious treat is great for breakfast, lunch, or any time.
5. French Onion Soup
Made entirely from cheap ingredients you probably have around the house, this recipe is made even better by the fact that it specifically calls for stale bread. Stale bread also goes well with many other soups.
6. Garlic Bread
Spread with butter and smother in thinly sliced garlic, this baked or toasted bread is one of my favorites.
7. Bread Pudding
So versatile in flavor, yet so easy to make. Chop up bread into little pieces and soak them in water. Squeeze out the water and add eggs and flavorings. I prefer made with sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, but sometimes I make a salty version with garlic and paprika instead.
8. Stuffing
This delicious dish is not just for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Take your cubed bread, carrot chunks, diced onions, and celery ribs and season it with your favorite herb blend. I usually go with sage, rosemary and thyme- homemade poultry seasoning. Stuff it in your chicken or simply pour on some in chicken broth, then bake. Your family will be begging for extra helpings.
9. Patties
Wet stale bread chunks work as the perfect base for patties. Add lentils, beans or tuna, shredded vegetables, and eggs. Either fry or bake, these are the perfect take along meal.
10. Feed to Your Pets
Owning animals is not usually a thrifty move. If you do have them, you can feed them left over bread occasionally, just make sure that it is in addition to their usual food instead replacing it.

Google has lots of other great recipes of things to do with your old, stale bread. Here are two I'd like to try- Kale and Onion Panade and Apple Pan Charlotte

Whatever you do, when you see stale bread in the back of the fridge, don't throw that out yet!

What do you do with your stale bread? Any more ideas to share?


If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy more posts in the "Don't Throw That Out Yet" series:
Watermelon Rind Seitan Curry
Recycled Shopping Bags Turned Dish Scrubbies
Chicken Scrap Soup
Spoiled Milk Pancakes





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