# Do you eat the crusts of a loaf of bread ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592 "2011-12-09T05:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/1 "2011-12-09T05:00:34Z")
Do you like crusts ? I don’t. But I don’t like waste either. I’ll bypass the first crust for slices from the middle of the loaf where the bread is softest. When I get to near the end of the loaf, I might just start a new loaf to avoid the crusts, but keeping the old loaf available. Sometimes the old crusts get too stale. Sometimes I’ll eat them making sure I limit the crust experience to one sandwich with two crusts rather than spreading the less than optimum culinary experience over two sandwiches with one crust each. My wife however keeps forgetting. When she makes my sandwiches she’ll use the crusts first and then feels she’s doing me a favour by minimizing the intensity crust experience by only using one crust per sandwich. How do you deal with crusts ? I’m doing a poll and do my best to include you. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/2 "2011-12-09T05:12:45Z")
Mmmm, crust. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/3 "2011-12-09T05:15:34Z")
I tend to leave them for the breakfast toast. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/4 "2011-12-09T05:32:30Z")
The crust is my favorite part. That said, when I’m eating bread that’s of uniform size and already been sliced, I do not eat the heels until the very end, in order to bookend the interior pieces and keep them fresher tasting. When it’s an oblong loaf-shaped piece of bread, I go for the ends immediately. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/5 "2011-12-09T05:42:30Z")
leaving the crusts can keep the slices moister. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/6 "2011-12-09T06:16:11Z")
I don’t like the crusts, and I no longer feel obliged to eat them. When I was poor, I ate the crusts. We are no longer poor, and can afford to throw away a couple of slices from each loaf. My husband eats the crusts sometimes, but he doesn’t eat as much bread as I do. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/7 "2011-12-09T06:24:32Z")
I love the crusts. Best part. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/8 "2011-12-09T07:07:59Z")
We call it the heel of the loaf. It took me a second to realized you didn’t mean the edges of the bread. I don’t care. Unless I’m making a grilled cheese sandwich, I just eat the heel/crust when I open the new loaf, or if I’m eating the last slice. If it’s homemade bread, I seek out the end pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/9 "2011-12-09T07:26:08Z")
Damn straight. The heel is my favorite part. Crust is yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/10 "2011-12-09T08:08:47Z")
Crust is the best bit - especially on proper bread. I feel the same way about the crispy end slice of the roast, the rind (not the wax) on cheese, the skin on custard, etc. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/11 "2011-12-09T10:28:23Z")
Is this like what people call the heel of the bread, as Rhiannon says? I usually just call it the “ends.” Crust is the stuff that surrounds the slice, and hell yes I eat that. I eat the ends last, mostly under some likely mistaken belief that it keeps the inside parts fresh longer. I usually freeze the bread before too long. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/12 "2011-12-09T10:43:10Z")
Crust always gets eaten last. Partially because it preserves the bread, partially because it doesn’t taste as good. If the bread has gone stale by then, so be it - I bet the ducks down by the wharf would like some snacks. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/13 "2011-12-09T11:21:00Z")
I skip the crust and eat the rest of the loaf, then eat both crusts together at the end. My reasoning is that leaving the crusts intact helps to keep the rest of the loaf from drying out or getting misshapen. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/14 "2011-12-09T14:49:53Z")
My husband loves them so I leave them for him. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/15 "2011-12-09T14:53:49Z")
Homemade or bakery bread, I love the heel and will it it first. Store-bought processed bread, though, the heels get thrown away (or fed to the ducks in the pond nearby). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/16 "2011-12-09T14:54:35Z")
Yeah, I’ve always called it the heel, and although not great for sandwiches the heels make good toast or open-faced grilled cheese. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/17 "2011-12-09T14:58:28Z")
I can’t vote. ☹ I never eat the heels of regular supermarket sliced bread, but if I have a nice fresh loaf of sourdough or Italian they’re the first things I go for. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/18 "2011-12-09T15:06:03Z")
Very rarely (usually only if we’re nearly out of bread). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/19 "2011-12-09T15:44:24Z")
Learn something every day. Heel is a much better word 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592/20 "2011-12-09T16:04:24Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I never eat the heels of regular supermarket sliced bread, but if I have a nice fresh loaf of sourdough or Italian they’re the first things I go for. I’m 100% the same way. The crust of plain white bread, including and especially the heels, isn’t anything particularly delightful. The crust of _real_ bread, on the other hand, is pure delight and I greediily devour it as soon as I can get my hands on it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-eat-the-crusts-of-a-loaf-of-bread/605592.md?page=2)