Last Updated on April 12, 2022
Bread is a versatile and delicious food, however, it can go stale quickly. So, you may wonder, can you eat stale bread? Though it may not be the tastiest, it is generally alright to eat stale bread.
Though it may not be great to eat plain, there are several uses for your stale bread. As long as it has not gone bad, you do not need to throw it out as you can repurpose it. There are many tasty ways you can incorporate stale bread into your meals.
Can You Eat Stale Bread?
In most cases, stale bread is safe to eat. However, if the stale bread has an off smell, taste, appearance, or is growing mold, you should throw it out. Mold is not safe to eat and if you consume it, it can make you ill.
Though stale bread might not taste the best on its own, you can still eat it. However, there are some great uses for stale bread that can result in some delicious recipes.
How To Prevent Bread From Going Stale Quickly
If you leave bread out uncovered, it will go stale within a few hours, so it is important you properly store it. It is best to store your bread in a bread box, plastic wrap, paper bag, airtight container, or a Ziploc bag. It is important that no matter what you store it in, it is airtight, as air will quickly dry out bread.
Store your bread in a cool, dry location that is out of the sunlight. Warm, humid conditions are the perfect environment for growing mold, so be sure to store your bread somewhere 72 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler for best results. Homemade bread will generally only keep for around two to three days at room temperature.
Storing your bread in the fridge can help prevent mold growth, but it can also dry out your bread quicker. If you won't be able to eat your bread within a few days, the best option is to freeze it.
To freeze your bread, wrap it in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or Ziploc bags. When ready to eat, you can thaw your bread at room temperature for thirty minutes to two hours or overnight in the fridge. You can also heat your bread in the oven or microwave.
Uses For Stale Bread
Just because your bread is stale, does not mean you need to throw it out. There are many delicious ways you can repurpose bread that has gone stale into something new and delicious. These are some delicious uses you can put your stale bread to.
Revive it
If your bread is stale and you would still like to eat it as is, you can revive it. To revive your stale bread, lightly spritz the crust with some water. Then, wrap the bread in aluminum foil and bake it at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for five to 10 minutes.
French toast
French toast makes a delicious, flavorful meal to serve at breakfast. It is a great way to use up stale bread, as when you place it in the egg, milk, and cinnamon, it will soak it up. Then, as you cook the French toast on the stovetop, it will have a wonderfully crispy exterior and fluffy middle.
Bread crumbs
Bread crumbs have many uses. You can use them to coat chicken, make meatballs, and on top of pasta dishes. To make your own breadcrumbs, allow your bread to become very stale and then grind it into small pieces in a food processor or coffee bean grinder.
Stuffing
Stuffing is a wonderful dish to serve at Thanksgiving or anytime you roast a chicken or turkey. Your stale bread will work great with your favorite stuffing recipe.
Croutons
Croutons are a great addition to your favorite salads. You can keep them plain, or top them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Simply break your stale bread into pieces and bake it in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bread pudding
Bread pudding makes a delicious dessert that everyone is sure to enjoy. Bread pudding is generally a combination of pieces of bread, milk, cream, egg, sugar, and cinnamon that is baked in the oven to create a warm, sticky delicious dessert. It is best made using bread that is stale.
Panzanella
Panzanella is a type of Italian bread salad that uses stale bread. It also generally contains tomatoes, peppers, herbs, cucumbers, onion, and cheese.
Using Your Stale Bread
Bread can easily go stale, especially when it is not stored right. For best results, store your bread in a bread box, plastic wrap, paper bag, airtight container, or a Ziploc bag. You can also freeze it as well, as this will keep your bread from going bad quickly.
If your bread does go stale, you do not need to throw it out unless it has mold on it. You can use it to make dishes such as bread crumbs, croutons, Panzanella, French toast, bread pudding, and stuffing.
Do you have any questions regarding can you eat stale bread? If so, please ask any questions regarding what to do with stale bread in the comment section below.
FAQs
What is Stale Bread Good For?
Stale bread is good for many different dishes. You can use it to make bread crumbs, croutons, Panzanella, French toast, bread pudding and stuffing.
How Do You Make Stale Bread Good Again?
To revive your stale bread, lightly spritz it with some water. Then, wrap it in aluminum foil and bake it in the oven at 300 degrees Farenheit for five to 10 minutes.
What Does Bread Smell Like When it Goes Bad?
When bread goes bad, it may develop a moldy, musty odor. If you notice an unpleasant smell in your bread, then you should throw it out.
Is Stale Bread Safe to Eat?
Stale bread is safe to eat as long as it doesn't have any mold on it. Stale bread may not taste the best on its own, but there are many delicious recipes you can use it for so you don't have to throw it out.
Ever since she was a young girl, Anna has been a lover of desserts. As an adult, she enjoys
baking a variety of desserts from cakes, cookies, brownies, bread, and more from scratch. She
enjoys sharing her passion for baking with others who also have a sweet tooth. From properly
measuring ingredients to making sure they are the correct temperature, Anna knows the
importance small details can make in baking. She wants to share her experience with others in
hopes they can make the most delicious baked goods. When she’s not busy blogging, Anna
enjoys trying new recipes in the kitchen.
