You picked up a loaf at the grocery store, but now it’s gone tough. So, what can you do with stale bread?
This familiar situation is frustrating when you’re craving a sandwich, and it’s also a major waste of both food and money if it ends up in the trash. The USDA estimates that 30 to 40% of the nation’s food supply is wasted, with losses occurring at multiple stages of the food system.
Much of that waste, however, happens at home. We can all improve, so don’t be the one who tosses out stale bread. Convert it into a satisfying meal for the family instead.
15 Ideas for What to Do With Stale Bread
If you’re stuck with stale bread, you don’t have to feed it to the birds. These 15 recipes and ideas will turn that leftover loaf into a tasty, inexpensive dish.
1. Egg in the Hole
This handy egg-and-bread combo goes by many names — Toad in the Hole, Egg in the Nest, or Hole in One.
Whatever you prefer to call it, Egg in the Hole is essentially toasted bread with an egg cooked in the center. Cut a hole in a slightly stale slice, melt butter in a skillet, add the bread, and crack an egg into the cavity. Flip and remove when the yolk reaches your desired doneness — runny, firm, or somewhere in between.
Remember to toast the piece you cut out and enjoy it alongside the main piece. Recipe here.
2. Breadcrumbs
Why buy breadcrumbs when you can make fresh ones from bread you were about to discard?
Any type of leftover loaf works for homemade breadcrumbs. Pulse the stale bread into crumbs in a food processor, then bake until slightly crisp. Store in an airtight jar or freeze for later. Recipe here.
3. Homemade Croutons
Croutons follow the same idea as breadcrumbs: cube the stale bread, spread on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until crisp.
They’re far cheaper than store versions, and you can keep homemade croutons indefinitely in a sealed container. Toss them over salads or drop them into soups. Recipe here.
4. Homemade Bagel Chips
Once you master making bagel chips, you’ll rarely buy them again.
Slice a bagel in half horizontally, then cut into 1/8-inch half-moon slices and bake until crunchy. Serve with dips like hummus or guacamole. Recipe here.
5. Grilled Cheese
Slightly stale bread is ideal for grilled cheese because you want a crisp exterior anyway.
This collection of 50 grilled cheese recipes can help you clear out the fridge, save money, and cut down on food waste.
6. French Toast
Stale, eggy breads like challah, pain de mie, or brioche make excellent French toast.
Slice thickly, soak in a custard of eggs and milk, then pan-fry to a light golden. French toast is versatile — add fruit, nuts, or spices to keep it interesting. Recipe here.
7. French Toast Casserole
This baked version of French toast is perfect for brunches where you’re serving many people. Even better, assemble it the night before and bake in the morning. Recipe here.
8. Savory Bread Pudding
Strata, or savory bread pudding, is great for cleaning out the fridge and works well for a brunch with guests.
Customize this dish by combining cubed bread with vegetables, sausage, cheese, herbs, and an egg-and-dairy custard. Let it soak for at least an hour before baking. It’s also a wonderful option for breakfast-for-dinner. Recipe here.
9. Bread Pudding
Baked bread pudding is one of the coziest ways to repurpose stale bread.
For a rich version, use an eggy loaf like challah or brioche, or a sweet bread such as cinnamon raisin. Mix in dried fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips, and consider serving with ice cream or a homemade caramel sauce. Recipe here.
10. Bruschetta
Bruschetta (broo-SKEH-tuh) is a refreshing summer meal when you don’t want to turn on the oven but ripe tomatoes are everywhere.
Top toasted baguette rounds (crostini) brushed with olive oil with a mix of basil, garlic, and diced tomatoes. Use your older bread for the crostini and pick up the freshest tomatoes at a market. Recipe here.
11. Panzanella (Bread Salad)
This thrifty Italian salad is perfect when your bread has really seen better days. A drizzle of olive oil revives it beautifully.
Combine cubed stale bread (or toasted croutons) with tomatoes, shallots, garlic, basil, and olive oil for a deconstructed bruschetta experience. To prep the bread, toss cubes with oil and bake at 350°F until crisp but not browned, which helps them hold up once dressed. Recipe here.
12. Pan con Tomate
For a Spanish take on bread and tomatoes, try the classic tapas dish pan con tomate.
Toast slices of bread and spread them with a simple topping of grated tomatoes mixed with garlic and olive oil. Recipe here.
13. Stuffing
Many cooks insist that stale bread makes outstanding stuffing. Dried bread is ideal because it soaks up liquid without turning mushy.
Stuffing is flexible — use baguettes, bagels, sandwich bread, or cornbread. Leftover stuffing can even be turned into stuffing waffles in a waffle iron for breakfast. Recipes here.
14. Meatballs
Using homemade breadcrumbs in meatballs is a protein-packed way to use up old bread. The crumbs act as a binder; you can also use a small amount for crab cakes to keep them intact. Recipe here.
15. Ribollita Italian Soup
Ribollita is a substantial Italian soup made with white beans, kale, Parmesan, potatoes, tomatoes, and leftover bread.
Stick to the traditional ingredients or treat it as a fridge-cleanout dish and add any wilted greens, carrots, or other odds and ends. Recipe here.
Tips on Storing Bread
It’s no surprise that fresh bread doesn’t keep long. That artisan loaf from your local bakery will start to lose its charm in a day and almost certainly by the second.
If you slice a baguette to serve with cheese, the leftover portion will likely be stale by morning. Supermarket loaves remain soft for weeks because they’re full of preservatives.
In summer, bread left on the counter can develop mold before you use it. Moldy slices belong in the compost, so do yourself a favor and freeze bread before it spoils.
Plan ahead and freeze any loaf before it becomes too hard. Bread kept in the freezer tastes best within three months, though it remains usable for much longer. Bagels, English muffins, and other baked goods freeze similarly.
For optimal results, slice bread (or bagels) before freezing and wrap each slice in plastic. Place the wrapped slices in a freezer bag and take out what you need when you need it. If you’re prepping for a panzanella or strata, cube the bread before freezing so it’s ready to use.
Also, if you ever worry about the small costs adding up from unpaid tickets while you repurpose leftovers, check out what happens when you dont pay a parking ticket — it’s a helpful reminder to stay on top of household expenses.
Contributor Hannah Riley is a food and lifestyle writer based in the Hudson Valley. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, NextAdvisor, Greatist, and more.
