💡Can Old Bread Become Something New?

Featuring: Upcycled Sourdough Sandwich Bread 🍞

Author

Cathy Warner
June 01, 2025

Can stale bread lead to a better loaf? That’s the question I asked myself after coming across the growing trend of upcycled bread — a delicious and sustainable way to reduce food waste by repurposing day-old or surplus loaves in new bakes.

I decided to give it a try by making a simple upcycled sourdough sandwich bread using a few slices from a seven-day-old loaf of Pane Incamiciato. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but to my surprise, the results were wonderful — tender, flavorful, and deeply satisfying.

My taste testers (especially the millennials in my life!) loved the idea. My youngest son was so excited he kept giving loaves away before I could even bake the next batch.

🌟Highlights:

  • What Works for Upcycled Baking

  • Tips for Upcycled Baking

  • Featured Recipe: Upcycled Sourdough Sandwich Bread

  • Other Ways to Bake More Sustainably

  • Have you tried something similar?

  • Closing Thought

“The best bakers know: yesterday’s loaf holds the seed of today’s.”

-- Anonymous

🍞 Got Bread to Spare? Here's What Works for Upcycled Baking

Here are some types of bread that work particularly well for upcycling:

  • Hearty artisan loaves (especially sourdough)

  • Whole grain or seeded bread

  • Simple sandwich bread

  • Stale baguettes

  • Plain focaccia or ciabatta

Avoid breads with sweet additions (like raisins or chocolate) unless you’re baking something sweet.

Slices of stale Pane Incamiciato

🛠️ Try It Yourself: Tips for Upcycled Baking

If you want to experiment with upcycled bread at home, here are a few tips to get started:

  • Use stale, not moldy bread — ideally dried or a few days old.

  • Cube the old bread, or blitz to make crumbs.

  • Start by replacing 10–20% of your flour with dried bread.

  • Adjust hydration if needed — old bread absorbs moisture differently.

  • Choose neutral or artisan-style breads without strong flavors or inclusions.

Bread cubes soaked overnight

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📖 Featured Recipe: Upcycled Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Learn how to make upcycled sourdough sandwich bread at home using stale or surplus loaves. Discover tips for circular baking, what breads work best, and where to buy sustainably made bread.

Upcycled Sourdough Sandwich Bread

I’ve documented the process, provided tips, and the recipe for this upcycled sourdough sandwich loaf on the blog.

🌍 Other Ways to Bake More Sustainably

Looking to reduce waste beyond bread? Here are some creative, circular baking strategies to try at home:

♻️ Reuse Surplus Bread
• Turn stale bread into new loaves, breadcrumbs, croutons, or crackers.

🌾 Upcycle Spent Grains
• Use brewing byproducts like spent barley in breads or snacks.

🍎 Repurpose Fruit & Veg Scraps
• Add juicing pulp or overripe fruit to muffins and quick breads.

🥐 Transform Bakery Leftovers
• Reinvent pastries or breads as bread pudding.

🥛 Use Secondary Ingredients
• Incorporate leftover whey, cream, or even rendered fat in doughs.

📦 Choose Earth-Friendly Materials
• Local, whole-milled, or regenerative grains

🔄 Manage Batches Smartly
• Use leftover dough (pâte fermentée style) and bake to demand.

♻️Have you tried something similar? I’d love to hear about it!

💬 Hit reply and tell me about it!

📸 Are baking along? Tag me on Instagram @bread_experience and show off your upcycled creation!

Baking has always been a balance of resourcefulness and creativity. Upcycled bread is just another way to honor both — by turning something old into something nourishing and new. 🧡

Until next time,
Cathy
Bread Experience