Turn stale, leftover slices into a tasty bread and butter pudding

Do you have slices of bread that are starting to go stale, crusts the kids won’t eat, or a few pieces left in the bag that no one really wants for sandwiches?

If so, you don’t have to throw them away.

Instead, you can turn it into a warm, filling bread and butter pudding that costs next to nothing to make.

What you’ll need 

Serves a family of four

• about six to eight slices of bread
• a little butter or spread
• two eggs
• 300ml milk
• two or three tablespoons of sugar

How to make it

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
• Lightly butter each slice of bread.
• Cut the bread into halves or triangles.
• Arrange the pieces in an ovenproof dish, slightly overlapping them.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk and sugar in a bowl.
• Pour the mixture evenly over the bread.
• Leave it to sit for five to ten minutes so the bread soaks up the liquid.
• Bake for about half an hour until golden on top and set in the middle.

Serve warm on its own, or with some custard if you have some.

Spice it up a little

A plain bread and butter pudding is lovely on its own, but if you want to add a bit more flavour, there are countless options.

For example, you could sprinkle a handful of raisins or sultanas over the bread before pouring over the milk and egg mixture, or maybe some leftover fruit or chocolate chips.

Or you could add a light sprinkle of cinnamon or mixed spice on top before putting the dish in the oven.

It’s an easy way to give your pudding a little extra sweetness and warmth, using ingredients you probably already have at home.

And you don’t need to be exact with measurements - just use as much or as little as you like.

Using leftover slices saves you money

The equivalent of 1.3m loaves of bread are thrown away in the UK every day, according to Too Good To Go.

That’s a shocking figure, especially when you consider how so many people are struggling with rising prices in the supermarket and beyond.

By using up those leftover slices that were destined for the bin, you can create a cheap, satisfying dessert for the whole family, and make your shopping and your money go further.