There is nothing sadder than craving fresh, crusty bread and it being stale. Even when stored properly, bread only lasts a couple days at room temperature. But do not worry. There is a way to revive your bread when it goes stale. 

WHY DOES BREAD GO STALE IN THE FIRST PLACE

First it is important to understand what happens when bread goes stale. There is a natural process called “staling”. Staling is when the water and scratch molecules in bread are made spongy while baking. This is what gives bread that delicious softness. As time passes, the water molecules move from the inside of the bread to the outside. Eventually they evaporate, leaving the bread with only it’s scratch particles. The starch particles harden creating rock hard breads. 

How to Revive The Uses of Stale Bread

• Heat your oven to 300 degrees F
• Take your bread and run it very quickly under running water just until it is wet on the outside. Avoid wetting the inside of the bread, but don’t worry if it gets a little moist
• Place the bread on a baking sheet and heat it until dry and crusty. Depending on the size and how wet your bread is, it should take around 6-10 minutes.

FINAL TIPS

This only works for breads that are whole or partial loves. This does not work for pre-cut slices. If your pre-cut slices go stale, try looking up recipes to use it. For example, you can make croutons. You should also keep in mind that this does not work for moldy bread. Once your bread begins to mold, you are better off throwing it away.