Thrifty Uses for Leftover Bread

Have you ever asked yourself what you can do with leftover bread? Here are some quick and easy leftover bread recipes. You know those bread ends no one wants? Mom never wasted bread and would never throw out old bread. She always had a bag of old bread in the freezer.

I understand how rising grocery prices can impact the food budget. I remember one of the leftover bread recipes in particular and used the recipe when money was scarce. It was a simple dessert that I carried into my home when I was raising my children. 

If you have ever looked for ideas for wasted bread, stale bread, or what do do with old bread ends, this post is for you.

 

Here are my mom’s quick and easy leftover bread recipes and her thrifty uses for leftover bread. Keep in mind, these are vintage recipes, so the steps and advice will sound a bit antiquated. 

 

 

 

 

Note: Some of the recipes indicate that you will need to slice your loaf of bread, but of course if your bread is already sliced, you can skip that step.

 

Plain Toast

1. Cut bread into 1/4 inch thick slices.
2. Lay bread slices on broiler rack in broiling pan.
3. Place pan 1-2 inches from flame and toast bread on both sides, turning several times to brown evenly and keep slices from curling. Brown quickly for soft toast and slowly for dry, crisp toast.
4. Butter and serve hot in a folded napkin.

 

Cinnamon Toast

This is my favorite recipe. It is a quick, easy and very thrifty dessert for my kids that I used often. You can follow this recipe or simply top buttered toast bread with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Either method will work, however the method below will give you a crispier coating for more decadent dessert.

1. Cut slices of hot toast into strips or triangles.
2. Spread with softened butter.
3. Sprinkle generously with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar (1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup white sugar).
4. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes to melt sugar.
5. Serve hot for breakfast or afternoon tea.

 

Melba Toast

1. Remove crust from day old bread sliced very thin 1/8 inch – 1/4 inch thick.
2. Cut slices in halves or in narrow strips.
3. Place on shallow pan or cookie sheet in 350 degree oven.
4. Allow to dry and become delicately brown.
5. Turn occasionally so they will brown evenly.
6. Serve unbuttered as an accompaniment to soup or salad.

 

Toasted English Muffins

1. Split English muffins in half.
2. Toast quickly in broiler or on toaster browning on one or both sides as desired.
3. Spread generously with softened butter.
4. Serve hot with marmalade, jelly, or jam.

Note: Toasted muffins can be covered with a creamed meat, fish, or vegetable. Buns and leftover cornbread may be toasted in a similar manner.

 

Milk Toast

1. Use eight slices of toast and two cups medium white sauce (recipe below).
2. Prepare toast. Cut into strips or triangles.
3. Cover slices of toast with white sauce.

 

How to make white sauce:

Medium White Sauce (Basic Recipe)

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
speck of pepper
1 cup milk

1. Melt butter in top of double boiler.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Add to melted butter and stir until smooth.
3. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Cook until cook sauce thickens.
4. Cover and cook over hot water for 10 minutes.

Note: In the preparation of white sauce, it is important to blend the flour and fat to a very smooth paste before adding the liquid. This avoids lumpiness that is so undesirable.

 

What is white sauce?

White sauce can be used to complement food like croquettes, omelets, some vegetable and fish dishes. White sauce is also the base for all cream soups.

 

Cream Toast with Cheese

1. Sprinkle toast with shredded cheese and place in oven until the cheese melts.
2. Pour hot cream or medium white sauce (see recipe above) over top of bread.
3. Serve immediately.

 

French Toast

This recipe for French toast is going to sound very strange to most of you. It is not your typical recipe, but I’m sure you can tweak it to your preference.

What you will need:

2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
speck of pepper
1/2 cup milk
1-2 tablespoons of butter
4-5 slices of bread

1. To slightly beaten eggs, add salt, pepper, and milk. Mix well.
2. Dip one slice of bread at a time into the mixture and allow it to remain in the liquid just long enough to become wet but not soggy.
3. Immediately slip it on a frying pan in which a little bit of butter has been melted.
4. Brown delicately on one side turn and brown the other side.
5. Continue cooking until all slices are fried, using butter to prevent sticking.
6. Serve with butter, syrup, jelly, or marmalade.

 

Croutons

1. Cut bread into 1/4 inch thick slices.
2. Spread slices lightly with softened butter.
3. Cut slices into 1/4 inch strips and then 1/2 or 1/4 inch cubes.
4. Place cubes in shallow pan in oven at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally until they are crisp and golden brown.
5. Serve with soup or salad.

Note: Croutons may be kept in an air tight jar and reheated before using.

 

Some HAMMER & Spoons recipes you might like for leftover bread:

• Stuffed French Toast Casserole
• Capriotada

 

Egg in a Basket

This is one of my favorite childhood breakfasts. I was first introduced to it by my older cousin. We had a sleep over and the next morning, she made us all “egg in a baskets” for breakfast. I was hooked from that day forward. Now, this recipe is one my granddaughter’s favorites.

1. Place one slice of bread flat and use a spoon, a cookie cutter, or the rim of a small glass to cut a hole in the center of the bread.
2. Melt butter in a frying pan. When melted, place bread in pan.
3. Crack one egg into the hole of the bread.
4. Flip over when egg is cooked slightly on the bottom.
5. Cook until desired consistency.
6. Serve immediately.

 

I hope this post has given you some inspiration for saving leftover bread. May it help you spread your next grocery bill and put wasted bread to good use. Enjoy!

 

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