How do you choose a loaf?

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Mar 10th 2008 @ 3:05PM

Last spring, I volunteered to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kids' table at a church potluck. Knowing that not all kids like the dark, nutty whole wheat bread I grew up on, I bought a loaf of plain country white at my local Trader Joe's. As I stood in line, waiting to pay for my purchases, I wanted to shout out to all the people standing around me, "The white bread isn't for me! I swear I don't eat this stuff!" I was sweating by the time the loaf was tucked into my handled brown paper bag.

Bread is one of those staples most households like to keep around. Over at UrbanMamas, they are having an interesting conversation about how you pick the sliced bread that you buy for your family. I thought it would be an fun question to bring over here. What guides your choices when it comes to the regular loaves you keep on your counter or in your fridge (we were always bread in fridge people in my family)? Do you read labels or have a regular brand? Do you feel the same sense of shame that I have when you buy white bread, or do you wave your white bread flag proudly? Do tell, inquiring minds would like to know.

Source

Filed Under: On the Blogs, Food Quest, Ingredients, Bakeries
Tags: family, Food Quest, grains, sliced bread, SlicedBread, staple foods, urbanmamas, white bread, whole wheat

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 2 of 2)

3-11-2008 @6:58PM Mike said... There is nothing more delightful that a great sourdough. I like bread simple: unbleached, but white, flour, water, yeast (or starter) and salt. I'm surprised at the preponderance of preference for the kitchen sink styles of bread. Sure white flour lacks the fiber, but it also lacks the fat. Because it's not bitter, it doesn't require the sugar that appears in nearly any whole wheat loaf I see. Baking at home is my preferred course, or any of the La Brea breads from Costco are great too. I don't really care for American style sandwich bread, but Trader Joe's does have a couple of very good loaves of white bread that do have fiber. Absolutely no shame in that.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

3-12-2008 @3:59AM thecoolestliz said... I have two types of bread I buy trader joes fat free organic whole wheat and their wheat bread that looks like white bread, it is soo good. I know what you mean I feel guilty even passing by the wonder bread in the grocery store. I wonder why exactly its come to this???
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

3-13-2008 @9:33AM Bernie B said... "German Dark" when I can find it for general sandwich needs. I also like Challa for making French Toast.

The problem I have with French Toast is it's nearly impossible to find syrup that isn't loaded up with High Fructose Corn Syrup. Yeah, I know Maple is there but I don't like pure maple on my French Toast/Pancakes. Lately I've just been making my own simple syrup and doctoring it up, but who wants the hassle of doing that every time you get a craving.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

3-13-2008 @3:05AM JohnN said... I love Trader Joes, but it is the last place I will buy bread. TJ's bread department is their weak point IMO, racks full of unpalatable bread, yuck--it always tastes stale to me--so opposite of the rest of their formula. Double yuck on "Milton's" bread.
"100% Whole Wheat bread" is best bought at any local grocer IMO, just give it a *little* squeeze, it should feel soft and spring right back.

Reply

Vote upVote downReport

3-13-2008 @9:35AM Marisa McClellan said... Bernie, you should try something like Lyle's Golden Syrup. It's a syrup made from cane sugar, with no high fructose corn syrup in sight. It isn't easy to find at your local grocery store, but you can buy it online (I got mine at Amazon) and it isn't too expensive.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

3-16-2008 @7:52PM Ellie O'Byrne said...
I own a small bakery specialising in handmade organic bread with no artificial additives, so with us it's no bread or real bread; I am comfortable with the occasional white bread, but i either make it myself or bring it from work. Most of what's on offer in most supermarkets (white or wholemeal) is made from bad quality flour, hydrogenated veg fat, gm soya flour and so called "flour improvers", plus a list of enzymes, often animal derived, which do not have to be listed because they don't appear in sufficient quantities in the finished product. If I ever end up in a situation where I've bought a sandwich for my kids on that stuff, or we somehow end up eating it, than yes, I do guilt myself out! Once you know just how crappy it is, it's very hard to turn a blind eye...often we won't have bread at home for days because I forget to bring it home and refuse to buy it in the local shop!
Reply