Organization Expert Shares Brilliant Kitchen Hack That Uses The 'Unwanted' Last Slice of Bread Loaf

Ah! The infamous bread heels. The thicker-cut and dark golden brown end slices devotedly protect the bread and keep it fresh. However, these sad slices in the end are brutally rejected by most householders and cafeterias. While some of them are generous enough to utilize them for making breadcrumbs, grilled cheese toasts, or bread puddings, others just dump them away in the trash along with the plastic packet they came in. Some Britishers even call these end pieces “outsiders,” even though their real names should be “heels,” “butts,” or “crusts.” But Shifrah Combiths, an organizing enthusiast, found a way to cleverly salvage them, as per The Kitchn.

In her article, the decluttering expert reveals why these rejected bread slices can turn out to be so helpful for protecting a batch of cookies and also reducing kitchen waste. “Use the last slice of sandwich bread to keep your cookies fresh and soft,” Combiths explains. It is disappointing, she said, to see a freshly baked batch of cookies become stale and less crisp. These lonesome bread heels, which once protected the middle slices of bread, can now turn to rescue these cookies from getting pilfered by the atmosphere which threatens to steal away their soft texture.

Now comes the question of how to use these heels to protect the cookies. Combiths suggests adding one piece of bread heel to an airtight container that is supposed to carry cookies. Ideally, white sandwich bread is the preferred option, but a regular wheat bread will work just as well. However, breads with strong flavors such as garlic or rosemary are not preferable as they tend to transfer some of their flavor to the cookies. As the cookies are encapsulated and wedged inside the bread heel, they will continuously absorb moisture from the bread and remain soft for longer. 

This prevents the cookies from drying out and also extends their shelf life. There is one thing, however, that Combiths suggests not to do. She says one must remember to use only one slice of the bread. Using too many slices would mean too much moisture, which could easily turn the cookies soggy. Once the perfect amount of moisture is locked inside the cookies, they will remain crisp and tasty. So when one dunks them in a glass of milk or eats them raw, they will taste just as fresh as they did when they came out of the oven for the first time.

Not only this, the bread butts serve another noteworthy function. When kept in a jar or a bag of brown sugar, they can prevent sugar from becoming a rock-solid block which literally requires a hammer to break, according to the “Pantry Goals” series of Food52. Just like the process with cookies, bread ends enable the sugar crystals to absorb moisture, which keeps them soft, less crumbly, and fresh for longer. Now, it's time to rethink whether that last slice should be ditched or leveraged for its surprising potential.