# Loafs of bread cut into an odd # of slices **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890 "2007-05-21T04:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/1 "2007-05-21T04:37:05Z")
This is something I’ve been wondering about every since I’ve been on a pretty tight food budget. It seems that every single loaf of sliced bread I buy has been cut into an odd number of slices, so that I always end up with two end pieces and one regular piece. I’m sure that these loafs are baked and cut by machines to mass-produce, so why are they designed to leave you with one extra piece (assuming the average sandwich eater always uses two pieces for each meal)? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/2 "2007-05-21T05:04:24Z")
Presumably it varies from one brand to another. I tend to alternate between buying two different types of bread. One is a thinner sliced loaf and contains 20 slices plus the 2 crusts. The other is a thicker sliced version that contains 17 slices plus the 2 crusts. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/3 "2007-05-21T05:37:11Z")
I believe the piece at each end is referred to as a heel. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/4 "2007-05-21T05:52:59Z")
[:dubious: Some would believe otherwise](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=405580) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/5 "2007-05-21T06:12:50Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] I believe the piece at each end is referred to as a heel. [/QUOTE] Usage varies greatly by location, as [has been previously discussed.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=413674&highlight=bread+crust+heel) ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/6 "2007-05-21T09:56:32Z")
I’ve never heard the end pieces of a loaf of bread called anything but heels. The plural of loaf is loaves, not loafs. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/7 "2007-05-21T15:15:43Z")
Bread is used for quite a bit more than just sandwiches. Quite often I’ll eat a single piece of toast, or make a half-sandwich with just one slice of bread. And then there is cooking. My meatball recipe uses a single slice of bread smushed into the meat. Breadcrumbs, double-decker sandwiches, etc.; there are many reasons one might use an odd number of bread slices. In other words, maybe it is just you who finds it odd to have an odd number of bread slices per loaf. If you want everything to match up evenly, just buy a package of buns. And I call them heels, too, for the record. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loafs-of-bread-cut-into-an-odd-of-slices/404890/8 "2007-05-21T15:45:28Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] [:dubious: Some would believe otherwise](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=405580) [/QUOTE] A link to a thread I OPed! woohoo! 😃