Ah, bread. Hands down one of my favorite foods items of all time. We obviously all know and love bread as the carb-filled slices of goodness that make up our sandwiches. (The greatness of a sandwich hangs on whether or not the bread is up to par…I think we all know that’s true.) But that isn’t all bread can do. Oh no, bread is capable of recipes FAR more delicious than your average PB&J. To honor the versatility of our favorite carb, we’re going to share 15 delicious recipes that can be made with bread that go above and beyond. Move over sandwiches.

 

1. French Toast Bake

   A classic…made in bulk. Because who ever said, “No, that’s too much French toast for me, thanks”? NO ONE EVER. Make this bake overnight with your old bread (don’t you DARE throw it out), and wake up in the morning with enough cinnamon goodness to feed a crowd.

2. French Toast Sticks

   How does french toast get better? Making it in stick-form! These bite-sized french toast sticks are perfect for dunking into some sweet maple syrup. Ideal for kids and adults, too! It can’t get better than that, right? Wait…it can?

3. Bacon-Wrapped French Toast Sticks

   THAT’S RIGHT IT CAN. French toast becomes instantly more craveable in stick-form, but then wrap that fried cinnamon bread around some savory bacon? French toast will never be the same.

4. Bruschetta 

   This classic Italian appetizer is the perfect way to use up all of your day-old bread. Slice up your loaves into small piece and cover them with delicious toppings. Traditional bruschetta has sliced tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, and balsamic vinegar on top, but you can also customize this app to your families preferences!

5. Heart-Shaped Toast

   Toast seems like an obvious not-sandwich way to use bread, but regular old toast? Yawn. Upgrade your toast with this cute little addition: a heart-shaped cutout in the center. And how will you fill this empty heart? The way you fill all empty hearts. With a heart-shaped egg, of course! Most adorable breakfast ever.

6. Garlic-Herb Croutons

   Let’s face it, veggies are all well and good, but the croutons are the real champions of salad. Now you can make your OWN croutons right at home! Use your old bread to make these crunchy pieces of deliciousness and be GENEROUS with your seasonings.

7. Pizza Roll-Ups

   Is there anything kids love more than pizza roll-ups? The answer is a definitive no – this is the ULTIMATE snack to make your kids for after school or for when they have friends coming over. Don’t worry, you don’t have to rely on the frozen boxed stuff if you don’t want to. Now you can make your very own right in your kitchen. Your kids are going to be your biggest fans.

8. Baked Mac n’ Cheese

   If you’re looking at this mouthwatering baked mac n’ cheese thinking, “where’s the bread…”, look closer. The best part of baked mac n’ cheese is, of course, the crunchy breadcrumb topping! And how do you think you make that breadcrumb topping? Now you’re getting there. This recipe for homemade breadcrumbs is super easy and the best use of old bread you can possibly imagine. Not only can you use these crumbs on this decadent mac and cheese, but you can also make meatballs, fish and chips, and a million other recipes!

9. Pizza Fondue

   Do you fondue? You’ll want to now. A classy (and very simple) way to entertain is with some boiling-hot fondue, which is traditionally just warm cheese that you can dip bread or veggies into. But why settle for “just cheese”? This pizza fondue is a totally unique twist on the dish and will go down as the best use of bread pieces ever.

10. Thanksgiving Stuffing Bundt

    Bread is crucial on Thanksgiving – it makes my favorite part of the meal! Stuffing, naturally. Looking to take your stuffing to the next level come November? Try this beautiful stuffing bundt to really blow your guests away. (Also, it doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving to enjoy some amazing stuffing, just saying.)

11. French Onion Soup

    Nothing warms the soul like a nice hot bowl of soup. And nothing warms the stomach like a bowl of extra-cheesy, bread-covered French onion soup. You can make your very own French onion soup with your Crockpot, which means…you’ll be needing a whole lot of leftover bread. French onion soup without bread on top is like watching a Star Wars movie that isn’t in space. Nonsense.

12. Butternut, Squash, and Kale Strata

    Strata is a bread, egg, and veggie-based breakfast dish that you can easily make overnight. The bread HAS to be a few days old for the strata to come out its best, so it’s the perfect excuse to use any loaf that’s been sitting around. Strata is the perfect classy addition to your brunch spread. And no slice of bread could ask for a more glorious send off than brunch.

13. Bread Pudding 

Now for some sweet talk. Leftover bread is perfect for your sweet tooth when it’s made into an indulgent bread pudding. Bread pudding is the perfect “blank slate” dessert, meaning you can turn it into whatever you’d like. Our personal favorite? This sweet blueberry bread pudding. Yum.

14. Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread

Ever heard of monkey bread? Of course you have. Layers of doughy bread chunks covered in gooey cinnamon sugar? Ringing a bell? For cheese-fanatics, this cheese version of monkey bread will blow your mind. Introducing: cheesy pull-apart bread. You are so welcome.

15. Bacon and Cheese Roll-Ups

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, appetizers, or snacks, these roll-ups take the cake. They’re simple to make and beloved by both kids and adults! All you have to do is layer a simple piece of bread, cheese, and bacon. Roll that bad boy up, keep it together with a toothpick, and cook. Does deliciousness get any more simple than that? We think not.

 

Safe to say, I’m going to go eat some bread now. In the meantime, share your creative bread recipes with us in the comments section below…because there can never be too much bread.