Uses for Stale Bread

Save yourself a few bucks by turning stale bread into bread crumbs. Just cube your bread; toss it on a cookie sheet; and dry it out in a 300 degree oven, until it feels really dry and crunchy (usually around 10-15 minutes). Then, pulse the bread in a food processor until you reach your desired consistency. Allow your bread crumbs to cool completely; then, store them in an air-tight container in your pantry. They'll keep for several months.

To make Panko bread crumbs, simply pulse the bread for less time, so you're left with bigger crumbs. To make Itailian bread crumbs, just add some Italian seasoning to the food processor before you pulse. Use your homemade bread crumbs in all of you favorite recipes.

Transform your stale bread into homemade croutons to top your salads. They're a cinch to make. Just cube your bread; toss it with a small amount of vegetable oil and your choice of seasonings; and pop them in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they're nice and crispy. Then, allow them to cool, and store them in an air-tight container. They'll keep for months, so go ahead and make a big batch.

Tip: Your bread cubes will shrink some in the oven, so cut them a bit bigger than you want your finished croutons to be.

Use stale bread as an ingredient in classic soups, like Gazpacho or Italian Bread Soup. 

Have big rounds of stale bread? Use them to make bread bowls to serve your favorite soup in.

That old Thanksgiving staple, stuffing, makes excellent use of stale bread, and it's just as good as a sandwich topping, as it is served alongside turkey.

Toast slices of stale French or Italian bread, and use them to make bruschetta. It works well as an appetizer, or as a light meal.

Turn your stale bread into a reason to have dessert. Bread pudding is the perfect comfort food, and it's really easy to pull together. 

Short on time? Then, pop your stale bread in the freezer, and deal with it some other time.

Tip: Know how you plan to use your bread? Go ahead and cut it to the size you'll need, so it'll be ready to go when you pull it out.

Stale bread is ideal for making French toast and breakfast stratas because it doesn't get soggy when you add all the liquids that are called for in the recipe.