America...your bread sucks.

[jojo_gee 8]

Why America, why? Your bread tastes like cake and lasts a ridiculously long time in my cupboard without going green. Lots of my food time is spent dreaming of white bread cheese sandwiches or white bread bacon butties with butter and HP sauce. Warburtons blue packet usually. I spend wasteful dollars on all these different kinds hoping one will taste normal. I don't fall for your 12/8/6 grain, wholewheat, bran nonsense anymore because I know they all taste of sugar and ruin my toast and sandwich experience. The list of ingredients are enough to send the health board into a spin.

It's not normal and it hurts.

JoJo - a bread lover from the UK.

[Krikit 1,164]

I feel your pain.

The closest bread I've found to normal is the Arnold's Natural Breads but they have since stopped selling it in my area.

Whole Foods and Fresh Market have normal breads in the bakery section. Also check out any British pubs in your area. The one close to me sells real British bread, among other things, on the side.

I also like making my own now.

[MissStacey 1]

Agreed! Bread here is ####### and most have high fructose corn syrup in them.

I am gluten free now so I have started buying gluten free breads from Whole Foods.

[britbird 4]

Investing in a bread making machine could help alleviate your bread woes.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Hmm - can't make your own?

I do - so does Umit...

Here is a good receipe for those who do not have a bread machine (which I do not have) - Bread without a machine

whatcha complaining about?

[jojo_gee 8]

Yes, I could make my own but it still wouldn't be the same and they are half the size. When I go to Safeway or Whole Pay Check, I want to buy a loaf along with all my other groceries. Anyway, it's pointless. I just don't understand how America gets away with pumping their bread full of #######. Makes you more aware about what might be going on with the rest of it. There are some frozen pizza's that taste sugary too. Just odd.

[Krikit 1,164]

Definitely odd. No idea why they like it so sugary here. I found a great German bakery close by with lovely bread. Unfortunately, they also make the most fabulous pastries I've ever eaten. Darn them!

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I have to agree.

The bread here is terrible.

I don't get why they have to put HFCS in everything here, it just destroys the taste of stuff.

I need to get a bread maker.

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Sugar + Yeast = fluffy bread....

(or so I'm told)

(I prefer beer in my bread )

[Wyld Blu 35]

You could always find a local baker that makes all kinds of loaves. There are many kinds to choose from.

-Blu-

[Dave and Helena 0]

Yeah, the bread in the stores here generally sucks though I did see some ciabatta the other day which looked good. Bread in restaurants is usually really tasty. Unfortunately I am on a low carb diet right now so no bread for me. If I weren't I might consider baking but I am a little bit worried about the yeast. I'm used to fresh yeast and I'm not sure how easy that is to find here.

[MRStee 19]

Definitely odd. No idea why they like it so sugary here. I found a great German bakery close by with lovely bread. Unfortunately, they also make the most fabulous pastries I've ever eaten. Darn them!

[CherilynandDamion 1]

I totally agree. The bread is so sugary because they add so many additives to it to make it last as long as possible in the cupboard. If I want good bread I will make it myself which is time consuming, but so worth it

I also have an issue with the stuff they call cream in cakes. lol. I want a good fresh cream eclair. lol.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I'm with all of you on this. I would LOVE a good piece of black Russian bread! I used to have a bakery back home where I would buy home made bread as needed - oh it was wonderful.

I have found you can find somewhat decent bread by reading labels very carefully. The fewer the ingredients the better the bread - and definitely reject anything that has High Fructose Con Syrup! Anything that has sugar or honey high up on the ingredients list can also get put back on the shelf.

Look for artisan types of bread - they cost more (go figure, they have less ingredients but maybe they have to use more flour that way!) but they are a tasty slice. Costco bakeries make a nice artisan bread.

We generally make our own a lot. We invested in a bread machine so I can get other stuff done while going through the rise, punch down cyles and you can get some great breads if you are willing to experiment.

The addition of High Fructose Corn Syrup to so many foods that don't need it is one of the reasons so many Americans have problem with their weight. They are getting extra, hidden unnecessary calories. I remember overhearing a woman in the dairy aisle complain about the taste of milk and tell a friend that there was only one brand of milk she found that tasted good. When they left I went over and looked at the milk - and read the label. The milk contained high fructose corn syrup! Milk! I have also noticed that some brands of cream and half and half also contain HFCS. Tomato soup contains HFCS! It's disgusting - everything tastes sweet and the real taste of the food gets hidden by the sweetness.

And don't get me started on American cheese . . . (ok, that is another thread, hehehe!)

Edited January 20, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Sweets85 0]

I've only been here a year and a half.. I gave up on good bread within a few months and started making my own. I am a Pastry chef though so making a few loaves of bread at home doesn't bother me. Even the little bakery I work at puts so much salt and sugar in the bread it's ridiculous and just plain unnecessary! I'm trying to convert my husband now, he's slowly learning to appreciate bread without all that nonsense in it, and realising how sweet the American bread is!

If anyone wants a couple of good bread recipes I can pass some along.