Sandwich bread is changing

[Caslon]

Both the size and texture of sandwich bread has changed. Giants like Bimbo Bakeries and just a few others now control the entire bread industry having bought out every brand you can think of.

Two major changes that have occurred are size and texture of sandwich breads. Today's manufactured breads now have the soft texture of foam. This is to stretch the product and increase profits. In order to fool the public about this, they print on the packages the the bread is now "smoother and richer". Actually, it's spongier and mushier.

Another thing is that while the weight is the same, the individual slices themselves have shrunk in height. This is in keeping with the cheapening of the overall product.

Starting in 1998, Bimbo Bakeries started gobbling up US bakeries en masse to become the largest bakery company in the world (they've had antitrust lawsuits thrown at them).

About 10 years ago, you could fit a slice of Oscar Mayer bologna or ham onto a slice of bread. A slice of bread that had good texture to it too.

Look at the pictures below. Notice how the meat slices don't fit sandwich bread anymore like they used to. The bread package WAS NOT CRUSHED during transport. Also notice the bag packaging . Notice how the packaging has remained the same but the bread has shrunk in relation to the breads packaging.

Store bought sandwich bread has forever changed, for the worse.

 

[GLC]

Seems to be right. I see complaints about the quality of classic Texas brand, Mrs. Baird's, since they sold out to Bimbo.

Doesn't really affect me much, as I don't buy any of it. I've pretty much serve none but what I made myself for many years now. On the rare occasions that I do buy sandwich bread, it's Pepperidge Farms (division of Campbells) who grain or the local stores brand equivalent.

One Mrs. Baird's customer said he discovered change when he tried to wrap a slice around a weenie, and it broke in the middle.

 

[Katie H]

Didn't have any clue this was happening since I've always made all our bread products. I feel bad for the purchasing-public.

 

[Kayelle]

I don't bake, and I also don't buy inexpensive sandwich bread like I once did for making sandwiches for children. "Sandwich bread" has always been sub standard way back to the 60's and the Wonder Bread era. Nothing has really changed.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I haven't eaten "sandwich bread" since my Dad retired from delivering Ward Foods Tip-Top Bread...back in 1974. Since I rarely make my own bread, my idea of a loaf of sandwich bread is Panera's all-natural white bread. Makes the best grilled cheese. And PB&J. And tuna or egg salad. AND now I have to go buy a loaf! Tomorrow. Afraid they might not let me in even if I knock on the door - since they're probably starting bread for Tuesday morning's crowd.

 

[Caslon]

How about a few more righteous "I never buy sandwich bread" replies.

 

[BoracayB]

I'm surprised the meat companies didn't catch on right away
and shrink the size of their meats.
Store bought white bread is my PBJ bread of choice. Guess I need to eat 3
instead of 2 now.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I hear ya!

I still haven't recovered from Hellman's Real Mayonnaise changing its recipe back in 2006.

It's no fun being enhanced!

I wish they would leave things alone and just raise the prices or come up with a new product instead of slowly destroying a product that we have come to know and enjoy.

 

[CWS4322]

I don't eat bread very often, and when I do, it is homemade ww bread, a rather dense bread. I hadn't noticed. My tenant buys Wonder Bread. (She also buys KD and eats hot dogs raw...how do I end up with tenants who eat as if they were still in university???). I'll have to ask her if she's noticed a change (I cringe when I see it, but the girls like it...).

 

[Aunt Bea]

Penalties for selling adulterated bread, just a thought!

Bread Laws | Better Off Bread

 

[callmaker60]

What get's me is the so called Italian bread, it just regular white bread, with the name Italian bread name on it, it sure not the Italian bread I make.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Penalties for selling adulterated bread, just a thought!

Bread Laws | Better Off Bread

I like it!

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[chiklitmanfan]

Well here's someone who does buy commercial bread but not the traditional sandwich loaf. We like the "sandwich rounds" in multi grain for sandwiches because there is less bread and seemingly more of what's inside.

Normally, we will make sandwiches out of our home-baked whole wheat (recipe elsewhere on this forum)

I remember as a kid rolling up slices of that Wonder Bread into tight dough balls that would bounce off of walls. Fun to play with but no redeeming food value at all.

 

[lyndalou]

Bimbo Breads, really?????

 

[taxlady]

...
I remember as a kid rolling up slices of that Wonder Bread into tight dough balls that would bounce off of walls. Fun to play with but no redeeming food value at all.

As a kid, we ate mostly Wonder whole wheat. We got our neighbour to steal slices of the white Wonder Bread from her house so we could roll up the slices. If you took the crust off first, the little dough balls were only about 1/4 inch in diameter.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I hear ya!

I still haven't recovered from Hellman's Real Mayonnaise changing its recipe back in 2006.

It's no fun being enhanced!

I wish they would leave things alone and just raise the prices or come up with a new product instead of slowly destroying a product that we have come to know and enjoy.

I never knew they changed the recipe for Hellman"s?

 

[Caslon]

Penalties for selling adulterated bread, just a thought!

Bread Laws | Better Off Bread

Well ya! No wonder. During roman times, bread WAS the staple for roman soldiers. It's a fact that each soldier ate 6 lbs. of bread a day ! There were probably harsh penalties for messing with it way back then too. Like death!

Also, years ago, sandwich bread had somewhat a more course texture which I liked and how it should be. Today's sandwich bread is super mushy spongy. Now, because of giant bakery corporations like Bimbo who've swallowed up every brand name bread we're used to, there ain't a damn thing we can do about it.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I did a bit fo research. Bimbo owns some brands that I would never have thought they own, brands I purchase, such as Brownberry, and other w/w and multi-grain breads. And since Bimbo (pronounced beembo) is a Mexican Corporation, when I now eat bread, I'm eating Mexican food.

We humans will wipe out our own species in the quest for the almighty dollar. Quality, it no longer matters. Decrease quality, increase profits, and use advertisers to convince the masses that they are getting a better deal. And it seems to be getting worse, faster and faster. I'll continue cooking from scratch, whenever possible, thank you.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[mmyap]

I buy something called Shokupan (Japanese style sandwich bread.) It's widely available here. It's basically a Pullman loaf style, looks like a cube with barely any crust on it. It has a milky, soft texture and it has a nice taste and texture to it. When I'm in the mood for fluffy, soft bread this is my go to.

 

[CraigC]

Been buying Martin's potato bread and rolls for years. Haven't noticed any shrinkage.