Prep Genrl How do you preserve store bought bread?

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Right now I have several loaves of store bought bread, if the grid goes down, is there anything I can do to preserve the bread?

TIA
 

Pebbles

Veteran Member
Nomifyle, you have made me smile.......you lightened my soul this evening with your question. I don't know how to explain it, your question was just so innocent and frugal and I loved it. (HUG) I have a lot weighing on my mind right now......and somehow, your question just lifted all the worry. Thank you!!!
 

FireDance

TB Fanatic
I throw it out. My household buys only the cheapest bread - so it’s not made to last.

Actually, I don’t throw it out, but won’t eat it because 9 times out of 10, I can smell mold on it after about 3 days. But I do give it to friends who have chickens. (Because otherwise it was a “perfectly good loaf of bread!” Cough, cough.

Summer is right, about all you can do with it is dry it. Make croutons and breadcrumbs.

You could treat yourself and make French Toast. Lol. Not an answer to your question of course.
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
The only thing I could think of Bos breadcrumbs, I don’t use them for any thing though, although maybe the Ezekiel bread crumbs might be be okay for some thing.

It’s all in the freezer right now.

Thanks all.
 

hd5574

Veteran Member
You can tear up bread dry it completely ... vacuum seal it in mason jars.. I do this with small amounts...of leftover bread then use it in Thanksgiving dressing....I just keep adding to the jar until it is full..I save about three gallons of torn bread then make a ton of dressing...then freeze the extra in meal size portions to use during the year.
 

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Bread can be frozen. Seems a waste of freezer space for the nutritional value.

Bread crumbs and crotons are a good start. Stale bread can also be used for French toast, bread pudding, stuffing, Pennsylvania Dutch filling (stuffing pieced out with leftover potatoes, boiled and chunked or mashed). Bread is a good stodge to help fill in the empty places. Dh recently reminded me when we were first married I also saw that sliced bread and butter was on the dinner table, a habit picked up from Mom.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I store my extra loaves of bread in the freezer, but it's only for short term use. In a grid down/long term situation, I would make my own bread. Not necessarily loaf type bread, but biscuits, corn bread, and fry bread.

Also, at Aldi's, you can buy German pumpernickel bread vacuum sealed with a shelf life of one year. Cary loves it.
 

psychgirl

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I used to keep extra loaves in the freezer then realized it was a huge waste of space. I’ve thrown out and wasted too many freezer burned loaves, even when they’re double wrapped in freezer bags.

I’ll keep one or two loaves now, maybe, and only when I know winter is close.

It’s nice knowing ya got some stocked up with snow coming but overall, I would rather save the space for meat.

We don’t eat much sliced bread anymore anyway.
Not much else I can add to the OP except maybe shredding it up and freezing for stuffing, but that takes up space too.
 

Wildwood

Veteran Member
I store my extra loaves of bread in the freezer, but it's only for short term use. In a grid down/long term situation, I would make my own bread. Not necessarily loaf type bread, but biscuits, corn bread, and fry bread.

Also, at Aldi's, you can buy German pumpernickel bread vacuum sealed with a shelf life of one year. Cary loves it.
Where would I find that bread? I've never seen it at the Aldi I shop at but I'm usually in a hurry with a long list of stuff to grab so I probably miss a lot.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I’ll keep one or two loaves now, maybe
I buy 2 loaves, and then put one in the freezer. We go through a lot of bread during the summer eating a lot of sandwiches. Those 2 loaves last us about 3 weeks, so the second loaf isn't in the freezer long enough to get freezer burn.

Since Cary loves the pumpernickel bread from Aldi's with a years' shelf life, I keep a good stock of that on my pantry shelves, too. He loves sandwiches made with it and ham and Swiss cheese.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Where would I find that bread? I've never seen it at the Aldi I shop at but I'm usually in a hurry with a long list of stuff to grab so I probably miss a lot.

At our Aldi's, it's at the far end of the left wall just as you walk in the store. That's where all their bread is kept. Ours is always in a large basket with other European breads. It doesn't look like a regular loaf of bread, either. It's smaller and is vacuum sealed into a brick form. Once opened, it fluffs out and is very moist.
 

Wildwood

Veteran Member
At our Aldi's, it's at the far end of the left wall just as you walk in the store. That's where all their bread is kept. Ours is always in a large basket with other European breads. It doesn't look like a regular loaf of bread, either. It's smaller and is vacuum sealed into a brick form. Once opened, it fluffs out and is very moist.
Thanks for the info! That's where the bread is in the one I shop at...will definitely be picking some up next time I'm in the city. I'm so glad you mentioned it because I overlook so many things at Aldi. Sometimes I watch videos on Youtube where people list their favorite Aldi items for ideas since I usually go in with a list and see how quickly I can get out.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thanks for the info! That's where the bread is in the one I shop at...will definitely be picking some up next time I'm in the city. I'm so glad you mentioned it because I overlook so many things at Aldi. Sometimes I watch videos on Youtube where people list their favorite Aldi items for ideas since I usually go in with a list and see how quickly I can get out.

Just make sure you check the expire date on each loaf. I always buy the loaves that have the furthest expire date, usually a year out. They stack and store really well on a shelf, since they are in solid brick form.
 

FireDance

TB Fanatic
I watch videos on Youtube where people list their favorite Aldi items for ideas since I usually go in with a list and see how quickly I can get out.
That’s Walmart shopping here. We used to have a friend living here and when he and I would go to Walmart, we’d split the list and see how fast we could get out of there.

Aldi is just the opposite to me and I feel like I have to be a spy because they carry so many different types of things at different times. However, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve been to Aldi and l might not feel that way now. But I would be looking for the pumpernickel! Excellent idea for any time!

Going back to the OP - on breadcrumbs we actually use those a lot for adding to casseroles (squash, etc.) and oven frying (chops and MAYBE chicken tenders - but chicken tenders are also verboten in my eyes - too many additives if you buy frozen).

You can add spices to your breadcrumbs and throw them in a food processor to get them super fine. I do the “double egg wash thing” if I want to make something extra crispy.

Vacuum sealing would be your friend except for the freezer space. I had my fill of freezer burned bread because my grandmother would freeze several loaves. And I don’t care how well you package, you have freezer burn.

The only other possible way I might try is four pieces at a time and I think you would spend more than you would save doing it that way. Ezekiel bread would probably keep and be worth it, white bread no. I would not bother.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Here is a link to Aldi's German pumpernickel bread, so you can see the packaging and recognize it. This link shows the German rye bread, but the pumpernickel looks the same.


I checked, and my oldest loaf expires in September of this year.
 

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
I think more along the lines of just not wasting bread. You can always make stuffing to go with any kind of poultry or pork. Bread pudding is a favorite dessert, and uses up a lot of old bread. Use old bread for body in meatloaf and meatballs.

Mom used to make oven dried cinnamon toast (hard stuff!) from old sliced bread, leftover hamburger/hot dog buns, etc. when we were kids. I think she spread thinly with butter, then sprinkled with a cinnamon/sugar mix and it went into the oven on baking sheets at low temp to "dry out" more than toast. Gets hard, crunchy and dry. The stuff is great for snacking, with coffee or hot cocoa in the winter, and it can sit around for a long time in that dried state. Much extended life and something different for very little effort.
 

Taco Salad

Contributing Member
My favorite recipe for using old or dried out bread is Scalloped Peaches. It's like a cross between a bread pudding and a peach cobbler. Delicious with ice cream.
Care to share a recipe?

Also nice to see bread pudding brought up. Beyond the drying mentioned above I don't know how to preserver the bread without power either, but I know how to use it fast. :)
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Care to share a recipe?

Also nice to see bread pudding brought up. Beyond the drying mentioned above I don't know how to preserver the bread without power either, but I know how to use it fast. :)

I'll be glad to share it, but I'll have to find it first. I'm almost ready to leave for a doctor's appointment, so it might be much later.
 

ReneeT

Veteran Member
Mmmmm - bread pudding. One of our favorite desserts. We like to cut apples in to chunks and stew them with a bit of water, cinnamon, and sugar - we use the leftover apples in bread pudding.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Care to share a recipe?

Here is my recipe for using old sliced bread. This recipe works great with pineapple chunks, too.

Scalloped Peaches

1, 20 oz can of sliced peaches or pineapple chunks
3 eggs
2 sticks butter, melted
2 cups sugar
8 slices of old bread

Drain peaches but keep the liquid. Cut peach slices in half. If using pineapple chunks, you just use the chunks. No need to cut up. Pinch up the bread slices and place in a bowl. Add peaches and mix together. Spread out in a 9x13 baking dish. Cream eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix well. Add the reserved liquid and mix. Pour over the bread mixture. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

It's so simple and is a good way to use up old bread. Serve with ice cream.
 

Walrus Whisperer

Hope in chains...
I throw it out. My household buys only the cheapest bread - so it’s not made to last.

Actually, I don’t throw it out, but won’t eat it because 9 times out of 10, I can smell mold on it after about 3 days. But I do give it to friends who have chickens. (Because otherwise it was a “perfectly good loaf of bread!” Cough, cough.

Summer is right, about all you can do with it is dry it. Make croutons and breadcrumbs.

You could treat yourself and make French Toast. Lol. Not an answer to your question of course.
I haven't made french toast in ages. Always delicious.
 

Taco Salad

Contributing Member
Here is my recipe for using old sliced bread. This recipe works great with pineapple chunks, too.

Scalloped Peaches

1, 20 oz can of sliced peaches or pineapple chunks
3 eggs
2 sticks butter, melted
2 cups sugar
8 slices of old bread

Drain peaches but keep the liquid. Cut peach slices in half. If using pineapple chunks, you just use the chunks. No need to cut up. Pinch up the bread slices and place in a bowl. Add peaches and mix together. Spread out in a 9x13 baking dish. Cream eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Mix well. Add the reserved liquid and mix. Pour over the bread mixture. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

It's so simple and is a good way to use up old bread. Serve with ice cream.
Thank you.
 

Old Gray Mare

TB Fanatic
Bread can be used to thicken soups and stews. It doesn't look as pretty as when thickeners like cornstarch or flour are used. In the middle ages bread crumbs were mixed with pan drippings, fat and water, broth (or maybe wine?) to bast spit turned meats.
 
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anna43

Veteran Member
I keep bread in the freezer and take out about six slices at a time. This time of year, I keep those six slices in the fridge. The only bread I've had to throw out in several years was a package of hamburger buns from Walmart that were solid green in three days. I hadn't frozen them because I planned to use them in three days but when I opened the package YUCK.
 
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