Homemade Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

If you've checked out any of the recipes on Skinnytaste.com that have been a great inspiration for me in the last few months, you'll see that she often uses whole wheat bread crumbs in place of the typical bread crumbs you find in the store. I converted to Panko bread crumbs about a year ago, but I'm now being converted to whole wheat bread crumbs (and you can still do them Panko-style)! However, I could never find them in any store in my area. My mom even hunted around the local natural food store with no success. Well, doing a bit of online research lead to the creation of a quick, easy, and homemade recipe for whole wheat bread crumbs! Being the foodie that I am, this has needless to say brought me great joy in the kitchen! :)

What you need:

1 bag of store bought whole wheat bread, sliced
(you could always make your own whole wheat bread and slice it for this, but this makes it super simple. As a side note-if you want organic ww bread crumbs, just get organic whole wheat bread...simple as that!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes; turning slices half-way through baking.

Once the bread is browned nicely and crispy. Process slices in a food processor or blender; course grind for Panko-style bread crumbs or fine for regular. If you use a blender like I did, you'll probably want to brake the slices into big chunks first and only do 2 at a time.


If your crumbs are still soft, you can slip them back into the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or so on the same baking sheet. Let cool before you store in an airtight container in your pantry. From what I can tell from my research, they will keep forever...within reason. If they get stale, you can always baking them up a bit more...or make some more!Too easy, right? I haven't done it yet, but for Italian bread crumbs, just add some Italian seasoning to the crumbs.

I've really found it amazing how many things you can easily make yourself, for way cheaper than buying them. You could buy an organic loaf of bread or make your own for around $3-$4 (or less if you make your own). I have a feeling organic ww bread crumbs would be a lot more in the store-if you could even find them! :)

So, you have homemade whole wheat bread crumbs. What should you make with them?
Thanks for asking...

Tilapia Parmesan