# Do you remember grocery stores selling colored bread? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2018, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249 "2018-06-17T04:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/1 "2018-06-17T04:47:21Z")
I’m trying to sort out whether something is a real memory or a figment of my imagination. Did grocery stores used to sometimes sell colored bread? Sandwich bread, specifically? I seem to remember–and these memories would have taken place in the American Midwest in the early '80s–pink and green loaves of bread being sold in the deli section as a specialty item. Possibly it was just green for Saint Patrick’s Day as a gimmick. But was it really a thing at all…? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/2 "2018-06-17T04:50:19Z")
We had a local-ish bakery that did that. Red and green bread at christmas, well it looked pink and pale green. Spring colors around easter. I thought it was just a local phenom. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2018, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/3 "2018-06-17T05:00:37Z")
Previous thread on [rainbow bread.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=817392&highlight=rainbow) ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/4 "2018-06-17T05:02:25Z")
We used to have pink and green bread in Hawaii in the 60’s and 70’s, don’t know beyond that. We had Loves (a local bakery) and Holsum. I know Loves made it (we only bought Loves), not sure about Holsum. I don’t know if it was available year round, but definitely around graduation season because my older sisters used to make sandwiches around that time. Re: Rainbow bread. These were whole loaves the same color. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/5 "2018-06-17T05:04:45Z")
**Beck** , this would have been in Wichita, so not too far afield from you. I’m glad to hear this wasn’t just my imagination. Though I now wonder if **running coach** is silently judging me for not having found that thread ☹ ---
**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:** [June 17, 2018, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/6 "2018-06-17T05:17:50Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > **Beck** , this would have been in Wichita, so not too far afield from you. > > I’m glad to hear this wasn’t just my imagination. Though I now wonder if **running coach** is silently judging me for not having found that thread ☹ Loudly and vociferously. 😃 Nah, I wouldn’t do that. It’s not uncommon for a new thread to call back to previous ones. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/7 "2018-06-17T06:04:30Z")
I sell it where I work. Only at Easter time though. I’m sure it varies from bakery to bakery, the bread we sell, unlike Running Coach’s picture in the other thread isn’t a different color for each slice, but rather a tie dye/swirl type look. Kinda like [this](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hESYfvx_z3o/UG7QIbz26tI/AAAAAAAABh4/0IWQy2oDaNg/s1600/October+4%252C+2012+116.JPG). I have no idea if it’s a midwest thing or not, but FWIW, I’m in Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/8 "2018-06-17T06:30:39Z")
This is I’m (and I believe Sattua) are talking about: [https://greattastebuds.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/pastel-party-sandwiches/](https://greattastebuds.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/pastel-party-sandwiches/) The crust was still brownish so you had to trim them off. I once made green Bisquick muffins on a whim. No one else in the family would eat them and even I found them odd. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/9 "2018-06-17T06:33:22Z")
- Double post - ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/10 "2018-06-17T13:00:42Z")
I had no idea there was even such a thing until a coworker brought in the leftovers from a bridal shower to share. There were little sandwiches and roll ups made from pastel coloured bread - all homemade and part of a family tradition of party foods. They had to custom order the bread from a local bakery, so not widely available in stores, but still possible to obtain. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/11 "2018-06-17T13:36:30Z")
The correct term is African American bread. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/12 "2018-06-17T13:39:42Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > The correct term is African American bread. Chromatically Differed Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/13 "2018-06-17T15:24:35Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > This is I’m (and I believe Sattua) are talking about: [https://greattastebuds.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/pastel-party-sandwiches/](https://greattastebuds.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/pastel-party-sandwiches/) The crust was still brownish so you had to trim them off. That is the very picture that prompted this thread, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/14 "2018-06-17T15:24:49Z")
Whaaa? At least there’s one good thing about growing up where I did; I’ve never even heard of colored bread. We did have a bakery called Rainbow, but their bread was white or brown like the maker intended. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/15 "2018-06-18T20:17:45Z")
We occasionally had green bread when I was a kid, but it wasn’t food coloring. We grew up amazing resistant to bacteria… [sub]That’s a joke, son, a joke I say[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/16 "2018-06-21T16:43:31Z")
Absolutely when I was a kid growing up in the Midwest (let’s say… 30 years ago?) Jewel-Osco had green bread for St Patrick’s Day and pink bread for Valentine’s Day. There may have been others but I very specifically recall those. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-remember-grocery-stores-selling-colored-bread/816249/17 "2018-06-21T19:28:49Z")
There was a grocery store in the town I was living in around '99 that sold rainbow bread. My son loved having his school sandwiches made with it.