Reducing food waste is good for your wallet and better for the environment. Here are 10 easy ways to use up leftover bread that might be on the stale side but still perfectly safe to eat.
1 Clever croutons
Cut old bread (try wholegrain), into cubes, spray with olive oil and sprinkle some seasoning (garlic, herbs, etc). Bake in oven until golden. Use in salads and soups.
2 Creative crumbs
Bake torn bread until dry. Process in a food processor with herbs and spices until crumbly. Use to coat schnitzel or top a pasta bake. Store in freezer for two weeks.
3 Simple side dishes
Use leftover baguettes to make garlic bread, herb bread or even bruschetta. Slice, grill until golden, brush on a mixture of olive oil and crushed garlic, and add toppings as desired.
4 Stuff it!
Make stuffing for your next turkey, chicken or shoulder of lamb by mixing together breadcrumbs with onion, garlic, table spread, eggs, parmesan cheese and herbs.
5 French toast
Leftover bread makes for perfect French toast. Serve with cinnamon, fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey.
6 Refreshing salad
Try a new spin on salad by tossing olive oil and apple cider vinegar with lettuce, rocket, onion, tomatoes, parsley, tuna and cubed sourdough bread.
7 Snacktastic
Use old pita bread to make healthy chips! Slice into triangles, brush with a bit of olive oil and bake for up to five minutes. Eat as is or with some dip.
8 Bread sauce
Jazz up a roast with this sauce: put 1 diced onion, 1 1/2 cups skim milk, 1 bay leaf and 2 cloves in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stand for 5 minutes, then strain solids from mixture. Crumb 4 slices of stale bread and add to sauce. Season with pepper.
9 Meatloaf magic
Mix 2 cups of torn old bread with 450g lean beef mince, 2/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 finely diced onion, 1 egg and seasoning. Place into a loaf pan and bake at 180ºC for 60 minutes.
10 Bread pudding
Cut bread into triangles. Layer in a baking dish. Pour over a mixture of egg, skim milk, table spread and brown sugar. Stand for 30 minutes, add chopped fruit, and bake at 180ºC until golden.
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