How stale bread can save you money

When you’ve got half a loaf of bread that’s gone a bit hard or crusts that your kids won’t eat, it can be easy to just chuck it in the bin.

Yes, bread might be one of the cheaper items in your shopping trolley.

But throwing it away is still a waste of money.

Bread that’s slightly past its best can still be put to good use, and help you stretch your budget a bit further.

5 things you can do with stale bread

It’s really easy to transform stale bread into something tasty instead of wasting it.

1. Make your own breadcrumbs

Instead of buying breadcrumbs from the shop, make your own with slices that were otherwise heading for the bin.

Simply tear the stale bread into pieces and either blitz it with a food blender or grate by hand.

And if you want some extra flavour, chuck in a few herbs or spices before blitzing.

If you don’t need to use the breadcrumbs straight away, either store them in an airtight container or put them in the freezer.

2. Homemade chicken nuggets

If your kids won’t eat crusts, you can guarantee that they’ll eat them if you turn them into breadcrumbs and coat them on some chicken pieces.

You’ve then got tasty chicken nuggets that are cheaper and healthier than shop-bought frozen nuggets, made with ingredients you probably already had in.

And if you fancy mixing it up a bit, do the same with some white fish and make your own fish fingers.

3. Crispy topping for pasta bakes and mac and cheese

If you’re making a simple pasta bake, you can take it to the next level with a crunchy topping.

Just mix your breadcrumbs in with some herbs or garlic and sprinkle them over the dish before it goes in the oven.

Not only does it use up stale bread, it also means you can use less cheese, so that block you’ve got in the fridge goes a bit further too.

4. Croutons 

Cut stale bread into cubes and toss with a little oil and seasoning, then bake until crisp.

You’ve then got perfect croutons that you can throw into soup or salad that cost you next to nothing.

5. French toast

Stale bread is perfect for French toast - or eggy bread - because it soaks up the egg mixture really well.

Just mix up a few eggs with some milk, cheese and a few herbs, dip the bread in the mixture and fry it up.

You’ve then got the perfect breakfast, lunch or quick dinner, using just a few basic ingredients.

Don’t rush to throw things away

If you find yourself about to throw some food away, take a moment and think about what else you could do with it.

Making something out of nothing is one of the most satisfying experiences you can have in the kitchen, and if you get in the habit, you’ll see the savings quickly mount up.