We're firm believers that no bread should ever be wasted. That concept just got a little easier when Amanda Weiss (@dishingitwithamanda) shared a TikTok on how to transform rock-hard, stale bread into delicious croutons.
The scoop
As Amanda so eloquently describes it in her video, "Croutons are just bread with a little Botox and makeup."
🗣️ What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste?
🔘 Not buying food I don't need 🧐
🔘 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊
🔘 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲
🔘 Composting my food scraps 🌱
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Turns out that Botox and makeup are just olive oil, seasoning, and an air fryer. Amanda begins by showing off just how stale bread can be and still be transformed into delicious croutons.
"I have this leftover bread that is literally rock solid, so let's make some croutons out of it," she says, cutting the bread into bite-size chunks.
Those chunks are then tossed in a small container and mixed with olive oil and seasoning. On screen, she suggests air frying at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven minutes.
She then shows off the perfectly golden, delicious-looking result.
"The croutons are croutoning," she sums up.
@dishingitwithamanda Croutons are just bread with a little botox and makeup #croutons #airfryer #foodhacks ♬ Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home) - Usher
How it's helping
First and foremost, this hack saves you money. Bread, especially from a bakery (like Amanda's from Bouchon Bakery), can be pretty pricey and you definitely don't want to waste that deliciousness. "Recycling" your bread also means you don't have to pick up a bag of croutons at the grocery store.
But it doesn't just help you — it also helps out the environment. This hack is a great way to reduce food waste in your kitchen. Whether it's using the last of the peanut butter in the jar, giving old garlic new life, or even turning leftovers into healthy treats for your pup, all of these tricks help cut down the 119 billion pounds of food that is thrown away each year in the U.S. And that waste accounts for up to 10% of global planet-warming pollution, according to a UN report.
What everyone's saying
Who doesn't love an easy way to save some bread (both literally and figuratively)? Commenters loved Amanda's quick tutorial and even had some stellar suggestions of their own.
"You could totally add Parmesan cheese or herbs for even more flavorrrr," one commenter said.
"Next time you can just run it under water and bake for 10 minutes at 350 and it'll be perfectly fresh bread again!" another wrote. "Although croutons are delicious."
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