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Never throw out stale bread again: Bread hacks to know

Never throw out stale bread again: Bread hacks to know

This week, POPSUGAR offered a solution to a very common food headache: stale artisanal and homemade bread.

(I don’t know about you, but my homemade bread is usually rock-hard by the end of day two.)

Instead of throwing the whole loaf into the freezer, POPSUGAR’s Nicole Perry suggests slicing up the still-fresh leftover loaf — within the first 24 hours of first cutting into it — and arranging those slicing on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Freeze the bread, uncovered, until it’s frozen solid. Once frozen, transfer the break slices to an air-tight resealable freezer bag.

Whenever you need a slice or two of bread, take what you need from the freezer and let it thaw, or just toast them from frozen. The bread will be almost as good as if it was fresh — and certainly better than dry second-day bread.

POPSUGAR’s helpful hack got us thinking: what other bread hacks do we need in our carb-loving arsenal?

Bread hack: Revive stale bread with ice cubes

This trick from Real Simple promises to save bread even after it has started going stale.

Simply rib an ice cube on unsliced bread, making the crust damp. Then pop the loaf in the oven at 370° F for 12 minutes and you’re bread is (almost) as good as new.

(The Kitchn offers a similar hack using a damp towel and the microwave.)

Bread Hack: Refresh stale bread with celery

Finally, a creative use for celery!

According to Chef Michelle Karam of DishesbyMichelle.com, tossing a rib of celery into a bread’s plastic bag and leaving it overnight can help refresh a going-stale loaf of bread.

Bread hack: Turn stale or leftover bread into breadcrumbs! Croutons! Bread pudding!

Instead of tossing those bread ends, turn them into better-than-storebought croutons and breadcrumbs. The number of recipes calling for day-old and/or stale bread appears to be endless.

For breadcrumbs, bake your stale bread on low heat in the oven until it’s dry and brittle. Then pulse those crispy pieces in a blender or food processor until you’re left with crumbs. Wisebread suggests adding herbs and salt to the mix before freezing the crumbs in an airtight container until you need them.

For croutons, tossed cubed bread in olive oil and spices, then toast in the oven at a low temperature until golden brown. Sustainable America advises storing the croutons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four weeks.

(A trick from my kitchen: If you’re going to use the croutons right away, you can toss the cubed bread in oil and garlic powder in a frying pan over medium heat until slightly crispy and golden, then immediately top your salad with them. Your Caesar salads will never be the same.)

Thicken soup with a slice of bread.

Make French toast. Soak stale pieces and impress guests with your incredible bread pudding.

Bread hack: Keep veggies fresh

Celery might refresh bread, but bread can also keep vegetables fresh. Place a slice or stale bread in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer to absorb moisture and extend the life of your veggies.

(A slice of bread in a bag of stale marshmallows also does restorative wonders.)

Find other unexpected uses for stale bread here and here.

What do you do with stale bread?