STOP: Don't throw that stale bread away! There are loads of great stale bread recipes that are surprisingly delicious to experiment with.
Today we're sharing 9 classic things to cook with stale bread plus 6 unconventional uses for this often overlooked food.
Stale bread recipes
1. Croutons
Croutons add a delicious and satisfying crunch to your healthy lunch choice.
Shop-bought bags are surprisingly expensive, especially when you consider they can be made at home for just a couple of pennies.
All you need is some stale bread, oil and seasoning. Head to All Recipes to get the easy tutorial.
2. Bread & butter pudding
Puddings don't get much more comforting than Bread and Butter pudding. It's a classic British dish and something everyone should have in there repertoire.
You'd never guess the creamy, silky, spongey, indulgent taste of B&B could be made with stale bread, but it's one of the most reliable stale bread recipes there is.
Not to mention how easy it is to make - even amateur chefs can handle whipping this one up for Sunday dinner dessert.
You can find a classic, easy-to-follow recipe over at Tesco - save a square for us!
3. Stuffing recipe using stale bread
Stuffing is one of the tastiest stale bread recipes out there.
There are so many different varieties of stuffing to try - you can never have enough breadcrumbs to make them all with.
If you ever have stale bread lying around, blend it up into breadcrumbs and either use to make stuffing straightaway, or freeze and use next time you're cooking a roast.
There's nothing quite like homemade stuffing to give your Sunday Lunch the wow factor.
4. Crunchy bread topping
Speaking of breadcrumbs, there's another way they'll come in handy to jazz up your everyday suppers.
Breadcrumbs can be sprinkled on top of bakes, chicken and even fish to create a neutral, crunchy topping. This adds a unique, sophisticated element to your dishes which is easy yet surprisingly impressive.
Try it next time you have some stale bread knocking about.
5. Use stale bread to make garlic bread
Garlic bread is almost double the price of bread - why pay that when you can make it yourself at home?
It won't just save you money, but also taste much nicer than the processed, store-bought version.
This is particularly great for stale baguettes, which are great for sharing around a table along with a big dish of lasagna.
Check out the tutorial to see how easy it is to make garlic bread using stale bread at home. Once you've tried it, you'll never buy it again.
6. French toast
Looking for something sweet? This stale bread recipe will win you over, that's for sure.
French toast is a deliciously indulgent breakfast treat using eggs, milk and stale bread. It's often seen as a rather fancy start to the day, yet is surprisingly easy - make this if you want to impress your guests!
7. Dumplings
Have you ever tried dumplings? That leftover loaf os stale bread you have lying around is the perfect reason to do so!
Dumplings are an extremely comforting, hearty dish that will give you a warm hug from the inside out.
With less than 10 ingredients, All Recipe's Bavarian dumplings are extremely authentic and will go down a treat mid-week.
8. Crostini
Canapes don't get easier than crostini. Much like a mini Brushette, they can be topped with a variety of different ingredients.
They're fresh, relatively healthy, colourful, and best of all, use up stale bread. Whether you've got a party coming up, a family BBQ or just a family dinner, spruce up your meal with some Crostini.
Delish has a selection of 14 fab crostini recipes - more than enough material to give you some stale-bread inspiration.
9. Meatloaf
If you like meatballs, you'll love meatloaf. Unlike the former, meatloaf is extremely versatile. It can be served hot alongside roasted baby potatoes, but is equally as delicious cold with chutneys and salad.
The key to a great meatloaf? Stale bread. Head to CookUk for an authentic American recipe that packs a real punch of flavour.
Enjoyed our stale bread recipes? Be sure to check out our bonus uses for stale bread below - they're pretty unique!
Alternative uses for stale bread
1. Keep brown sugar soft
Does your brown sugar keep turning rock solid in the cupboard?
There's an easy fix for that: pour the sugar into an airtight container along with a slice of stale bread, and it will prevent the sugar from clumping together.
The same method works for keeping cookies and other homemade bakes fresh. Pop a slice of bread into the tin and it will keep them tastier for longer.
2. Pick up glass using stale bread
Now, this isn't necessarily a stale bread use that's going to come in handy every day, but you never know when you might need it.
If you happen to smash some glass and don't have a dustpan and brush to hand, you can use a slice of stale bread. It will pick up the shards whilst protecting your hands.
3. Skim fat off of soups and stews
Trying to keep the calories down?
An easy way to cut fat in your soups, sauces and stews requires just one piece of stale bread.
The trick? Floating it on top of the liquid. It will absorb the fatty surface layer, leaving you with the lighter liquid underneath.
4. Remove wallpaper marks using stale bread
This is the most unusual of our uses for stale bread, but it may just come in handy for you.
It's somewhat of an old wive's tale, however, even the Wallpaper Warehouse recommend it for removing smudges and marks from your walls.
Try it out for yourself by rubbing a slice of stale bread lightly over the stain. You may want to place a piece of newspaper on the floor below to catch crumbs.
5. Soak up grease using stale bread
If you read our article, 12 things you should never put down the kitchen sink, you'll know that grease and drains don't mix well.
If you don't want to get your hands dirty, and don't have time to wait until the grease solidifies, you can wipe a piece of stale bread around your pots and pans to remove excess oil and fat before washing.
What NOT to do with stale bread
6. Feed the birds
You might find stale bread unappealing, but there are some fluffy friends that certainly won't - the birds.
However, this isn't to say it's any good for them. Despite popular belief, feeding bread to birds and ducks isn't a good idea.
Not only does it have little-to-no nutritional value and can lead to wing deformities, but mouldy bread can make birds sick.
If you do want to feed the birds, stick to seeds.
Do you have any great uses for stale bread you'd like to share with us? Leave your stale bread recipes in the comments below.
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