Whereas recent bread is way extra scrumptious than something that is offered in a plastic bag, it nearly all the time goes stale after a day or two. Not solely is that this so annoying, nevertheless it’s additionally a complete waste!

(Choose up some more healthy habits, weight reduction suggestions, clear recipes and extra by signing up for Prevention‘s FREE newsletters!)

Your first inclination might be to toss it into the rubbish, compost it, or head to the park and feed the geese, however this is a greater concept: Breathe new life into your loaf with these eight scrumptious makes use of for stale bread. (You may also do that genius trick that may convey your stale bread again to life.) 

Make home made croutons.

Westend61/Getty Photographs

Even after they’re made with stale bread, home made croutons will nonetheless style more energizing and extra flavorful than most of what you will discover on the retailer. And making them could not be less complicated: Begin by slicing bread into cubes, drizzle them with olive oil, and toss with no matter herbs or spices you want. (Dried rosemary, oregano, or thyme are particularly tasty.) Unfold the bread cubes out on a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for quarter-hour, or till the bread is browned and toasty. (Add them to one in all these 12 hunger-fighting energy salads for a scrumptious and wholesome meal.) 

Fry up some French toast.

DebbiSmirnoff/Getty Photographs

Whereas it could appear a bit counterintuitive, subsequent time you make French toast attempt utilizing stale bread as an alternative of recent. Dry bread that is a number of days outdated will sop up extra of the egg and milk combination, so your French toast could have a creamier, extra custard-like coating. (For much more methods to make over your favourite morning meal, attempt making our pineapple-stuffed French toast or strawberry-banana topped French toast.)  

PREVENTION PREMIUM: 5 “Wholesome” Consuming Habits That Aren’t Almost As Good As You Suppose They Are 

Attempt DIY bread crumbs.

YelenaYemchuk/Getty Photographs

Bread crumbs are imagined to be dry and crunchy, which makes stale bread the right base ingredient for a home made batch. Begin by slicing your bread into cubes, then run them by the meals processor till the feel is ok and crumbly. Use them as is in any recipe that requires plain bread crumbs (like this beef tenderloin), or add recent or dried herbs, lemon zest, and grated Parmesan to make them Italian-style. 

Here is how one can make your individual natural bread at house:

​

​

Cook dinner a batch of bread soup.

ALLEKO/Getty Photographs

Ribollita, or Tuscan bread soup, is actually simply pasta e fagiole that makes use of stale bread as an alternative of macaroni. Like most vegetable soups, there are about one million variations on the market. However the fundamental technique is similar: About quarter-hour earlier than your soup is completed cooking, stir in your stale bread cubes. The bread will absorb among the flavorful broth, act as a thickener, and customarily make your soup extra scrumptious.

MORE: 8 Genius Methods To Use Up Leftover Broth

Whip up some romesco sauce.

ajafoto/Getty Photographs

Romesco, the traditional Spanish pink pepper sauce, simply so occurs to make use of dry bread cubes or bread crumbs as a thickener. To make it, purée a jar of roasted pink peppers in a meals processor with toasted almonds, garlic, pink wine vinegar, olive oil, smoked paprika, and off bread cubes to type a thick, chunky sauce. (The consistency needs to be much like a chunky marinara sauce.) Use it as a dip for uncooked veggies, unfold it on a sandwich, or pour some on pasta rather than tomato sauce.

MORE: 10 Pasta Recipes That Will not Depart You Bloated

Bake a greater strata.

Zoryanchik/Getty Photographs

Add some stale bread cubes to your favourite frittata or crustless quiche recipe earlier than baking, and viola! You’ve got strata, an egg casserole that is historically made with day-old bread. Now, there is no must serve brunch with a aspect of toast or potatoes—the carbs are baked proper into the principle dish. (On the lookout for extra breakfast recipes? You may make these seven breakfast casseroles in your gradual cooker.) 

Create pizza toast.

DeYongBin/Getty Photographs

Unfold tomato sauce on one aspect of your bread, add some shredded mozzarella cheese, and high along with your favourite pizza toppings—like sliced olives, sautéed mushrooms, or chopped and steamed broccoli florets. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or till the cheese is melty, and you have got lunch or a hearty snack. Not like recent bread, the crispy, stale form will not get soggy beneath layers of pizza toppings. (Talking of pizza, if you have not tried these wholesome pizza toppings but, you should ASAP.) 

Attempt a better method to make stuffing.

Yvonne Duivenvoorden/Getty Photographs

Now’s your likelihood to make everybody’s favourite turkey aspect dish on a day that is not Thanksgiving. Most stuffing and dressing recipes instruct you to toast the bread cubes till they’re dry and crumbly anyway. While you use stale bread as an alternative of recent, you possibly can contemplate that step taken care of.