1. Freshen up

Put stale bread in the microwave for 10 seconds for a quick refresh.

2. Re-hydrate

Sprinkle a little water over stale bagels or pittas, and pop in the oven at 180°C for a few minutes to be delicious once more.

3. Prep packed lunches

Prepare a whole loaf-load of sandwiches for the family in one go, and freeze in individual freezer bags or containers. Trust us, it’s a huge time-saver! Most fillings can be frozen, apart from salad and tomatoes.

4. Breadcrumbs are your friend

Turn stale bread and leftover crusts into breadcrumbs by whizzing them up in a food processor. And we mean any type of bread! Bagels, rolls, or pittas work great, as well as the ends of your normal loaf.

You can use breadcrumbs as crumble toppings, stuffing, thickenings for sauces, and breaded coatings for meat, fish or vegetables by mixing the breadcrumbs with an egg. You can even freeze breadcrumbs to use them straight from frozen later.

5. Pizza is the answer

Isn’t it always?!

Pizza can be made with baguettes, ciabattas, pitta, or good old-fashioned toast… get creative! Simply slice and spread with any leftover pesto, tinned tomatoes or tomato puree, then sprinkle with grated cheese and whatever toppings you fancy from your fridge or freezer. Pop in the oven for 10 mins or under the grill until cooked through.

KEEP BREAD FRESH

Granary bread, white bread, wholemeal bread, flat bread, naan, sourdough, rye, gluten-free, baguettes, homemade, bread rolls, breadcrumbs, bread crusts and everything in between.

None of it needs to be wasted.

How to store bread

The bread bin or cupboard?

Keep your bread fresher for longer by keeping it in the original packaging and storing in a cool, dark and dry place, like a bread bin or cupboard.

After you’ve opened a loaf, fasten the bag with the ‘best before’ tag or a bag clip (a clothes peg does the trick, too!)

Keep the end crust in place on top of the loaf slices to keep the next slice fresh.

Clean your bread bin or cupboard regularly to get rid of mould spores that may affect your bread.

Bread has a ‘best before’ date on the packaging. This only refers to the quality – bread can still be eaten after this date, it just might not be at its best. 

You can freeze bread!

Yes, you can freeze bread at any time. Simply place it in its original packaging, an airtight container, or wrap it tightly in freezer bags or cling film before freezing. This keeps it from drying out.

It’s a great way to take advantage of multi-buys on rolls or flat breads. Freeze a few on the day you buy them, or any time up until their best before date. Separate before they go in the freezer so they don’t get stuck together.

From freezer, to toaster

Freeze your new full loaf as soon as you get home and you’ll never waste a slice or run out of bread for toast! Give the loaf a little tap on a hard surface to separate the slices then place in the freezer.

To make toast, simply put the frozen slices straight into the toaster.

• Click for recipes from Love Food Hare Waste Our best toast toppings

From freezer, to sandwich

For sandwiches, take the slices you need from the freezer and defrost in the microwave using the ‘defrost’ setting. Make sure there are no frozen lumps or cold spots in the middle.

Make packed lunches simple. Take your slices from the freezer, add your favourite sandwich fillings, wrap up or pop in your lunchbox. The bread will defrost slowly over the morning, just in time for lunch. Just make sure the sandwiches are fully thawed out before eating.

Don’t keep bread in the fridge

Bread lasts longer at room temperature or in the freezer. Only store your bread in the fridge if the weather is really hot. Take it out of the fridge about an hour before you use it, so it softens again.

What else can I do?

Buy only what bread you’ll eat, store your bread in the best way to keep it fresher for longer, and enjoy eating every slice.

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