It’s easy to salvage stale bread. You may toast it to add a nice crunch or wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven to restore its softness. Because it absorbs liquids without being mushy, slightly firm bread works well for a variety of recipes, including bread pudding, stuffing, croutons, and French toast.
Think of stale bread as a multipurpose culinary ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes, such as panzanella or bread pudding, or pulsed into breadcrumbs or cubed for croutons. Because of its solid firmness, it absorbs sauces, broths, and dressings well without crumbling.
However, moldy bread is a serious health hazard.
