My neighbor June, who ran a diner for thirty years, once told me that throwing away stale bread is the same as throwing away money. She made croutons from rolls nobody touched and bread crumbs from the heels that sat in the basket all week.

I thought she was being dramatic. Then I priced a box of plain bread crumbs at the store and changed my mind fast.

Two ways to make them

Food processor method

1. Tear the bread into chunks. Crusts are fine, they add texture.
2. Pulse until you get the size you want. Fine for breading, coarse for topping.
3. Spread on a baking sheet and toast at 300 F for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once.
4. Cool completely before storing or they clump.

No food processor

A box grater works on firmer bread. For softer bread, let it sit out overnight to dry first. Stale bread is actually the goal here, not the problem.

Seasoning makes them yours

Toss the crumbs with olive oil, garlic powder, and dried herbs before toasting. Store-bought crumbs taste like cardboard. Homemade bread crumbs with a little salt and pepper turn a boring casserole into something people ask about.

Storage

Keep them in a jar in the pantry for a couple of weeks, or freeze for months. I freeze mine in a zip bag and grab a handful when a recipe calls for a topping.

What I use them for

Pasta topping, chicken cutlets, meatball binder, mac and cheese crust. One loaf of bread that went stale became three meals worth of crunch.