# Do you buy specialty bread or plain white bread? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2014, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726 "2014-01-26T04:07:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/21 "2014-01-26T13:17:27Z")
We buy plain white bread occasionally for retro versions of french toast, grilled cheese, and BLTs. Otherwise we get specialty breads. For general purposes we’ll get multi-grained. We got 5 grain bread, then 7 grain, then 10 grain, 12 grain, and finally a 15 grain bread. But in that last one I think sawdust and bird seed were a couple of the grains, so it’s usually just 7 or 10 now. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/22 "2014-01-26T13:21:11Z")
All of the above. I bake, I but white sometimes, bakery bread, and whole wheat or other breads from store. We bought whole wheat from the store as a kid (from the 1970s on) as well as rye and pumpernickel, so it was definitely available. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/23 "2014-01-26T13:34:51Z")
I’ve never eaten store-bought white bread with any regularity. I grew up with either Roman Meal, or my Dad’s homemade bread. He started baking bread when I was a kid (heck, maybe even before I was around) and I’d say at least 60-70% of the time we had his bread. It was generally white bread, but homemade American-style white bread. I’m sure it’s not great nutritionally, but it’s heads and shoulders better tasting than store-bought. He still bakes, though he’s in his late 70s. Just last week we had a loaf of his bread; this time he cut it with some whole-wheat flour. Delicious. When I’m not eating his bread, it’s either bread from our local European-style bakery, or the Brownberry that **zoid** linked. I completely agree that’s the best store-bought bread, hands down. I started buying it when I was looking for lower-carb bread, and keep eating it because it’s so damn good that there’s no reason to go back to what I was buying previously. Really high quality bread and available in every grocery store in my area. ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/24 "2014-01-26T13:48:08Z")
Sounds delish! Im gluten free so I dont eat bread per se, but I like quinoa as a side instead. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/25 "2014-01-26T14:52:12Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I get my bread from the bakery, but a lot of it is a convenience issue for me - I walk right by a fantastic bakery daily, it’s at the end of my street on my way to the subway. The grocery store is farther out of my way, so buying bread on my way home from work means one fewer thing to carry home from grocery shopping at the supermarket. > > I even buy a lot of white bread there – it’s good quality but it’s essentially regular old white bread with a chewier crust, and I like that I slice it myself to make thicker slices for things like French toast and garlic bread. +1 - when I first got to the NYC area, I realized it was a great bread town. Lots of local Italian bakeries. When you can have Zurro’s rounds at your grocery store fresh every morning (they sell out early), or local bakeries a few minutes away, it’s a good thing. What’s hilarious is that once in a blue moon we’ll end up with big-brand bread - some multi-grain attempt. It can be in our bread shelf for weeks and still be fine, whereas the Zurro’s is good for a couple of days… So - I guess I am an opportunistic bread snob. It’s good, it’s close by - yay. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/26 "2014-01-26T15:00:22Z")
I look for the whole grain breads, pepperidge farms i usually buy. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/27 "2014-01-26T15:17:20Z")
I buy the store brand white. I don’t eat enough bread to be picky about it. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/28 "2014-01-26T15:29:10Z")
I don’t usually buy much bread, but when I go on a sandwich or toast binge, I get one of the multigrain varieties without HFCS. Whatever is on sale - I don’t have any sort of brand loyalty. I _prefer_ the fresher stuff from the store’s own bakery, but it’s a lot more expensive, so I keep it for fancy occasions or a treat for myself. I bake my own sometimes but I haven’t progressed past the no-knead, dutch-oven bread. I find bread baking intimidating. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/29 "2014-01-26T15:29:24Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > The best grocery bread is [Brownberry Natural Wheat with the Catherine Clark original recipe.](http://brownberry.com/products/sliced-breads/natural/natural-wheat) > > Panera bakes bread daily and sells whole loves at a really good price. > I think baguettes and sourdough boules are like $3.00 and the quality is quite good. We buy a large Panera sourdough loaf about once a week. Apart from quality homemade bread it makes the best buttered toast I’ve had. $4.40. The asiago cheese loaf – toasted and spread with salmon cream cheese – is exceptional, if you love savory stuff. However, the Panera breads are only prime for two or three days so we usually have a backup loaf grocery bread. Often, Brownberry Oatnut. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/30 "2014-01-26T15:36:04Z")
I don’t make a lot of sandwiches, so I don’t buy loaves of bread. But I do eat a tortilla or pita with hummus for lunch. Usually whole wheat. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/31 "2014-01-26T15:42:28Z")
There’s a bakery one block from my house, so I buy our bread there. It depends on what I’m hungry for, but I usually choose either campagnola (a multigrain) or sourdough. They also have croissants for a change of pace. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/32 "2014-01-26T15:56:53Z")
I bake Julia Child’s sandwich bread white loaves. Just walked my sister through it yesterday. Easy, cheap, smells good and tastes better. StG ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/33 "2014-01-26T16:00:10Z")
Bread is one of the few non-whole foods that I eat and, at that, on average one slice a day (I make a fold-over sandwich when I’m on the run). So I almost always buy the cheap store-brand 100% whole-wheat or multi-grain. Not picky about flavor, and I don’t care to bake. ---
**Author:** ![ktribe808](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@ktribe808](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ktribe808)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/34 "2014-01-26T16:10:11Z")
I use my bread machine all the time. It takes about 5 minutes to load the ingredients, turn on the machine, and 5 minutes later you check the consistency of the dough, and 3 hours later you have amazing homemade bread. Bread machines are dirt cheap in the thrift shops - get the largest one you can find. My last loaf was bean bread and it is **amazing**. My herb-green onion, oatmeal, and beer breads are family favorites. I also make doughs using the dough setting for pizza dough and rolls. My butter-rosemary rolls are to die for. The bean bread I just made will be served with the venison stew that is simmering in the crockpot. Really people, homemade bread ROCKS. Plus the smell of baking bread is an aphrodisiac! Just saying… ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/35 "2014-01-26T16:20:07Z")
I like Arnold specialty breads. My wife eats Nature’s Own Double Fiber – it has half as many Weight Watchers points, presumably because one craps it out twice as fast. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/36 "2014-01-26T16:26:58Z")
I usually buy Brownberry Oatnut. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/37 "2014-01-26T17:00:54Z")
Other. It entirely depends on what we need at the moment. We have several very good local bakeries for bagels and baguettes, the local farm stand for semi-local specialty loaves like Jalapeno Shepherd’s bread or garlic and cheese French loaves, and the local grocery if we need a loaf of Roamn Meal or the like. There is also a tortilleria a block from home. I also bake when I feel like it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/38 "2014-01-26T17:21:19Z")
I buy both. My wife liked white, and I find it good for certain things where the flavor of the bread might overpower other flavors. I also love rye for sandwiches, Italian to go with pasta, and Joseph’s Flax Pita Bread if I’m watching carbs. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/39 "2014-01-26T17:24:28Z")
If you get Dave’s Killer Bread in your area, give it a try. It’s whole seed bread, in large part. We used to buy the 21 seed bread, which was excellent. It’s got a bit of sweetness to it, probably from molasses or honey. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726/40 "2014-01-26T17:41:54Z")
Mostly as grainy as possible (or bake our own). While multi-grains are tasty and can work for some comfort-food staples, some things call out for white bread—grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and creamcheese and jelly are ideal when served on Wonder. Then there’s Mother Goose Liverwurst, a slutty delight that’s home on both white bread with mayo or a robust dark bread with mustard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-specialty-bread-or-plain-white-bread/679726.md?page=3)