Never Break A Tooth On A Crouton Again With A Simple Swap

Croutons are a must-have ingredient when trying to level up your salad game. These little pieces of bread can be made from scratch or poured out of a bag. They're often well-seasoned and bursting with flavor, but they do have a downside: If they're too stale, you won't know it until you bite into one and hurt your tooth. The easy solution for crunch and flavor is to reduce those croutons into breadcrumbs, which still add that crunch you crave, without the risk of breaking a tooth.

Besides just adding texture, croutons are also filling. Since lettuce and veggies on their own don't rack up many calories, croutons make a salad more of a meal, contributing extra carbs, calories, and fat from the seasoned bread. Using breadcrumbs as an alternative essentially has the exact same effect nutritionally, just without the risk. But the type of breadcrumbs you use will make a difference in how pleasant your salad is to eat.

You don't want to just use any breadcrumbs. They shouldn't be so fine that they fall right through the slots in your fork (which would render them pretty useless). We recommend making them yourself so you can control the thickness. Coarse crumbs are best here because they'll be easier to eat with your fork and won't feel like sand while you chew.

To make them from scratch, just take a few pieces of fresh bread and drizzle them with olive oil. Season the bread with any seasonings that will pair well with your salad; salt, garlic powder, and onion powder are great options. Then, let them get nice and crispy in the oven before gently processing them into thick crumbs in the food processor. If you have stale bread, you can skip the oven step.

If you plan to save time and buy breadcrumbs, you might want to look for seasoned panko breadcrumbs instead. Panko is a coarser crumb than most store-bought options, so it will give you that texture you're looking for.