Don’t throw away those last few crackers, that end of a loaf of bread that is past it’s prime or that half a bagel no one ate. . . do the frugal thing and turn it into breadcrumbs.
Breadcrumbs are easy and economical to make at home! No matter what your budget, you can make these basically for free.
1. Save it.
Create a bread “catch all” in your freezer. I like to use a large gallon size zippered baggie for this. I just toss in my bread ends and such until the bag is full.
Just toss it all in
Don’t worry about mixing types of bread-as long as you don’t mix sweet and savory you can use just about anything.
Lots of things can become bread crumbs!
Of course bread is the obvious choice, but don’t count out crackers and chips-you know the ones that have just started to go stale but are really still ok.
Don't be afraid to try something different!
You can even use unsweetened cereal and pretzels. Be brave!
2. Toss it.
Just put everything into your handy dandy food processor.
I like to tear the bread into smaller pieces for this part
3. Grind it.
Whee!
Depending on how much you have in your catch all bag, you may need to do this in a couple of batches.
There you have it.
The longer you grind up the bread, the finer the resulting bread crumbs will be. I don’t mind a little bit of irregularity to mine-I’m not looking for bread dust. . .
Up close & personal
4. Store it till you need it.
Since these are fresh, I would not store then at room temperature. I just pop mine back in a bag and toss the completed breadcrumbs into the freezer for storage.
Read to go back in the freezer
Optional Step: If you simply MUST have dry bread crumbs rather than fresh, I have read that you can spread the crumbs in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I’d keep a careful eye on it-you don’t want charcoal crumbs.
So what can you use these homemade bread crumbs for? Anything you would normally use breadcrumbs for! I have used mine to bread schnitzel, as filler in meatloaf, salmon loaf & meatballs, to sprinkle (with melted butter) on top of casseroles. . . just about anything really.
What would you use these homemade breadcrumbs for?
I make breadcrumbs too. I put the bread on a small cookie sheet, and after I’ve finished baking something in the oven, I turn the oven off, put the cookie sheet in the oven, and leave the door slightly open.
I figure I’ve already paid to heat the oven, might as well get the most use out of it, right? I’ve never had anything burn.
Once the bread is toasted, I either put it in the food processor or, if there isn’t really a lot, my son loves to grate the bread on the side of my box grater into a bowl. I have a pretty glass container on my counter to store the crumbs in.
Sounds like a great way to make them. What do you use your breadcrumbs for?
Pretty traditional uses over here. Meatloaf, meatballs, casserole topping, and to bread things like chicken cutlets, eggplant (mmmmm) and zucchini. Oh, and stuffed mushrooms and zucchini boats.
I love making things like this. So much better than spending money for something so simple, and homemade tastes a lot better. Don’t forget you can also season the breadcrumbs. I use poultry seasoning to add a bit of pizzazz to my breadcrumbs, but you can use almost any savory herbs/spices.
Agree with AngelSong – seasoned bread crumbs are yummy! I use Amore food pastes to season mine – the garlic paste is what I use most often.
I’m going to make some lentil burgers. I meant to do so the other night, but hadn’t any breadcrumbs already made. I find it’s easier to make multi-step meals if I’ve done the preparation of things like cooked rice or breadcrumbs in advance. Then I’m closer to convenience food – homemade convenience food (which is also another name for leftovers, right?)
Blend some Ritz Crackes about 3/4 roll (your choice) add to your bread crumbs!!! + a few shakes of your fav seasoning- I also bake the crumbs – Ritz & bread for a 3-5 minutes (350) til browned a little. This adds a lot of flavor! Slow cook on whatever you are “crumbing”! Tastes and looks very professional!
Ritz crackers always add oomph 😉
Just found your site and am wondering if I were to dry the bread crumbs could they be stored out of the freezer? I do not have a lot of extra freezer space
Dolores–If the bread has nothing on it (no butter oil etc) and you dried it completely it should last quite a while in an airtight bag outside of the freezer.