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Making your own whole grain croutons is so easy and takes minutes. With some easy herbs and spices, these croutons are a flavorful addition to any salad, stir fry, or just a fun, crunchy whole grain snack for kids.

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Making whole grain croutons is easier than you think!

If you love buying herbed croutons from the store, you should try making your own.

It’s incredibly easy, tasty, and a healthy addition to so many things, from salads, to stir fries, to just a fiber-rich crunchy snack!

Plus, making homemade whole grain croutons is a great way to reduce food waste, or use bread that is almost stale. And use up those those pesky end pieces, or crusts, that kids don’t love!

Some of my favorite salads to add them to are this arugula cantaloupe salad, spinach chicken strawberry salad and butternut squash and beetroot salad.

Croutons just add a necessary element of crunch and depth to salads, soups, stir fries – you know what I mean?

Why We Love Whole Grain Croutons

So many reasons to love these whole grain croutons!

• Fiber-rich – Since these croutons are made with whole grains, you’re getting a punch of fiber from the grains themselves, as well as some protein. For example, a slice of Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds offers 5 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein and 22 grams of whole grains! So, much of the nutrition will depend on which bread you use.
• Vegan and can be gluten-free – Whether you require gluten-free homemade croutons or not, the process is the same. Just make sure to use gluten-free bread!
• Great for kids – My young kids go crazy over croutons, so I usually add them to their plates at dinner. And now, adding homemade whole wheat croutons is just a normal addition.
• Ready in 20 minutes – This is my favorite part – making your own homemade bread croutons is so incredibly easy and quick! They just need to bake for 10-15 minutes, and that’s all.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need. Simple ingredients that you probably already have!

• whole grain bread – You can also use any type of bread to make tasty herbed croutons (example, homemade rye croutons with rye bread or sourdough croutons with sourdough bread)
• olive oil or other choice of fat (butter, avocado oil) – Stick to a cooking oil for the fat if you want homemade vegan croutons
• herb blend – rosemary, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, salt. Use any blend of your choosing!

You can also make your own herb croutons with any variation of spices! I think using EBTB would be delicious, or cheesy garlic croutons.

How to Make Whole Wheat Croutons

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, cut your bread into square shapes and add to a bowl. They don’t have to all be the same size, but I tend to make them similar sizes so they cook evenly.

Add the oil and seasonings.

Bake for 12-20 minutes. It really depends on your oven and how crispy you like them, so there can be a lot of individualization here.

How to Store Homemade Croutons

You have a few options for how to store homemade croutons.

• In the Fridge – You can store them in the fridge for a couple of days max.
• In the Freezer – Storing your homemade croutons in the freezer will help them last longer, up to 3 months!
• On the Counter – You can keep them at room temperature in an airtight ziplock bag or airtight container. The key to keeping them fresher longer is reducing the moisture as much as possible! So, I like to suck the air out of a ziplock bag using a straw or place a paper towel down in the container to soak up any excess moisture.

FAQ

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Yield: 4 cups

Whole Grain Croutons

Making your own whole grain croutons is so easy and takes minutes. With some easy herbs and spices, these croutons are a flavorful addition to any salad, stir fry, or just a fun, crunchy whole grain snack for kids.

Print

Ingredients

• 5 cups of cubed whole grain bread (About 3/4 loaf)
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cut bread into cube shape and add to bowl.
3. Coat bread cubes with olive oil or butter and add mixture of spices.
4. Bake for 12-30 minutes, turning once or as needed.

Notes

You can use any type of whole grain bread you'd like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 298mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 6g

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