What you'll find below:

• Three simple ways to turn stale bread into croutons, crostini, and breadcrumbs

• An oven method for perfect homemade croutons every time

• Our favourite recipes, so you've got something to cook straight away

Turning stale bread into something new is one of the easiest ways to waste less at home, and it makes meal prep for the week that bit easier.

Croutons, crostini, and crumbs all want bread that's on the drier side. It crisps up properly, holds its shape, and soaks up oil, butter, and dressing instead of going soft. So before it heads for the bin, here's how to revive stale bread in three easy ways, plus a recipe for each!How to make croutons

Croutons are the easiest way to breathe new life into old bread. Whether you’re popping them on top of a salad or adding them to your homemade soup during winter, they’re always a welcome addition. Here are two ways to make them. 

How to make croutons in the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C, cut your bread into bite-sized cubes, toss them with olive oil and a good pinch of salt, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Let them cool completely on the tray, because that's when they crisp up properly.

How to make croutons in the air fryer: Toss your cubed bread with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then air fry at 180°C for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. It's faster than the oven and uses less power, so it's an easy option when you've only got a handful of bread to use up.

Which is the best Bakers Delight loaf to use? 

Our Sourdough Vienna is baked on stone, which gives it a thick, crunchy crust and a dense centre, so it holds its shape and gives you croutons with real bite. The Hi-Fibre Lo-GI Wholemeal Block Loaf goes softer in the middle and golden at the edges, which is lovely in soup.

Looking for a full recipe to build around your croutons? Here are three to try.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

Our Marry Me Chicken Soup is a creamy, sun-dried tomato broth finished with croutons cut from the Hi-Fibre Lo-GI Wholemeal Block Loaf. Perfect for a chilly Winter night.

Caesar Salad

For a classic Caesar Salad, toss Sourdough Vienna cubes with olive oil and grated garlic, bake low and slow at 140°C, then scatter over cos lettuce, bacon, and shaved parmesan.

Green Genius Brekky Bowl

Quinoa, feta, and a boiled egg, topped with croutons made from the Hi-Protein Low Carb Wholegrain Block Loaf, is a simple method for our beloved Green Genius Brekky Bowl.  A hearty way to start the day.

Crostini, perfect for entertaining 

Putting on a spread for family and friends? Crostini is your secret weapon, and it's easy to customise with whatever toppings you've got on hand. Slice a White Breadstick into rounds, brush with olive oil, and bake at 180°C for about six minutes until crisp. That's your base sorted. A French Baguette slices up just as well, if you'd rather use that.

Summer Crostini

A Summer Crostini is the perfect addition to the outdoor table on a lovely summer’s day. Spread each round with goat cheese, then top with whatever's in season, from berries and prosciutto to fresh herbs and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Put a board of them out at your next gathering and watch them disappear.

Breadcrumbs, the handiest thing in your kitchen

Breadcrumbs are where stale bread really earns its keep. Blitz any firm loaf into crumbs, freeze them in a bag, and they're ready whenever you need them.

A few ways to put them to work:

• Crumbing chicken schnitzel or fish, rolling Scotch eggs, or scattering over pasta with olive oil and parmesan for crunch

• A traditional stuffing, with onion, herbs, and butter stirred through

• Soaked in a little milk and worked into meatballs or rissoles, which keeps them tender

Butter & Jam Breadcrumb Cookie

If you’re looking for a sweet way to revive your bread, try our Butter & Jam Breadcrumb Cookie. Toast slices of Hi-Fibre Lo-GI White Block Loaf until deeply golden, spread with salted butter and raspberry jam while warm, then blitz the lot into flakes. Some go into the cookie dough with white chocolate, and the rest coat the outside before baking.

A little bread, a lot of possibility

Croutons, crostini, and crumbs prove that a firm loaf still has plenty to give, whether it's sprinkling on top of a bowl of soup, feeding a crowd on a board, or turning into a sweet treat you didn't see coming. Three simple tricks, endless ways to use them, and one loaf that goes further.

Stale bread questions, answered.

How do I revive stale bread?

A quick splash of water on the crust, followed by a few minutes in a hot oven, will bring a firm loaf back to life. It's the easiest fix for how to revive stale bread before it gets anywhere near the bin.

How do I use stale bread?

The three easiest options are croutons, crostini, and breadcrumbs. All three want bread with a bit of age on it, so how to use stale bread comes down to slicing, cubing, or blitzing it, then toasting or baking until crisp. It's a simple way to get another meal out of a loaf that's past its best for sandwiches.

How do I keep my bread fresh for longer?

Bread freezes well for up to four months, so if you know you won't get through a loaf, slice it and freeze it while it's at its freshest. Day-to-day, keep it in its paper or bread bag at room temperature rather than an airtight container, which actually dries bread out faster. And if it does firm up on you, see the tip above for bringing it back to life.

Croutons, crostini, and crumbs all turn a firm loaf into something worth sharing, whether that's a crunchy topping for soup, a board for the weekend, or a sweet treat that stretches a loaf a little further. It's an easy, low-effort way to waste less without anyone noticing the bread wasn't fresh.

Pop into your local Bakers Delight and pick up a loaf. Whether it lands on the table tonight or turns into croutons on the weekend, it won't go to waste.