White bread is pure nostalgia. PB&J and grilled cheese have made it a lunchbox legend, however it generally will get a nasty rap because of its inclusion of refined flour and components.
Still, white bread has its time and place — and its versatility extends past sandwiches. Soaked white bread is essential to a custardy bread pudding, fluffy French toast, and moist meatballs. Torn and toasted, it makes excellent home made croutons or breadcrumbs.
With so many choices to select from within the bread aisle, we tasted 9 totally different packaged loaves to find out which of them deserve room in your bread field.
Bread choice
We selected 9 of the most well-liked white breads present in grocery shops. For this take a look at, we completely examined packaged, sliced white sandwich loaves and excluded varieties like complete wheat or rye to maintain an correct side-by-side comparability. We additionally didn’t take a look at any artisan white breads like baguette or ciabatta.
How we examined
Our editors have been unaware of the manufacturers within the combine for this take a look at. We tried every slice plain and in a randomized order to stop any bias. We additionally established particular standards for evaluating the bread’s taste and texture.
For taste, we assessed the wheatiness, yeastiness, and general steadiness of sweetness. Texture performed an unlimited position in how these breads have been rated. We needed the bread to hit a candy spot between comfortable and tender, with slight resistance when pressed. In addition to tasting, editors gently squeezed every slice to gauge its springiness. We additionally thought of the softness of the crumb and the crust. For every class, the editors gave a rating between one and 5, and the scores have been averaged to find out the top-ranked contenders.
In basic, we have been underwhelmed by the choices. Some skewed too candy or left an artificial aftertaste. Others have been flimsy or riddled with too many small holes, which a number of workers mother and father famous can be a large number with children and drippy sandwich fillings. But the three listed beneath rose to the event.
Best general: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White Bread
Food & Wine / PEPPERIDGE FARM INCORPORATED
The rankings have been unanimous: Our editors beloved this bread. Visually, it was a gorgeous slice: medium thickness, a white inside with a faint yellow forged, and a crust evenly dusted with flour for a freshly baked look. When in hand, it was comfortable and pliable, however not overly bouncy. It reminded us of a Japanese milk bread.
“It’s soft and squishy in a good way. You could smash it together to make a sandwich even better,” stated managing editor Caitlin Miller. What propelled Pepperidge Farm to the highest of this record was the harmonious steadiness between the candy notes and the yeastiness of freshly proved dough. A plain slice was a pleasure to eat, and the moist crumb saved us reaching for extra.
This bread is tailored for chilly cuts with a smear of mayonnaise or thick slices of summer time tomatoes. It’s additionally sturdy sufficient for French toast with a drizzle of syrup and a contemporary fruit topping.
Best finances bread: Great Value White Sandwich Bread
Food & Wine / Walmart Inc.
This ethereal, white sandwich bread from Walmart’s non-public label turned out to be a strong alternative. F&W senior recipe tester Anna Theoktisto stated it greatest: “This one tastes like it probably doesn’t cost much, but it’s nice and neutral.” At just below $1.50 for 20 ounces of bread, it’s budget-friendly choice for a family staple. Our solely grievance? The slices have been on the smaller facet, so that you would possibly wish to skip the triple-deckers. Stick to buttered toast, a Japanese fruit sando, or a ham and cheese sandwich. Or dry the slices out and remodel them into crispy breadcrumbs.
Most nostalgic: Arnold Country Style White Bread
Food & Wine / Arnold
Depending on the place you reside, you would possibly know Arnold as Brownberry or Oroweat. Among the loaves we tasted, this was one of many sweeter ones, which sparked sentimentality for some editors. The taste landed someplace between a Hawaiian roll and challah. Texture was extra divisive: One editor likened the denser, barely rubbery crumb to pound cake, whereas one other in contrast it to a memory-foam mattress. Even so, it’s a good selection for recipes the place some sweetness is welcome, similar to a home made summer time pudding or a savory-sweet vacation stuffing.
The full record of contenders, ranked from highest to lowest
- Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White
- Great Value White Sandwich Bread
- Arnold Country Style White Bread
- Bimbo Sandwich White Bread
- Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted White
- Dave’s Killer Bread White Bread Done Right
- 365 Organic Artisan White
- Wonder Classic White
- Sara Lee Classic White Bread
