OK, so here’s a tiny kid-and-food question that’s been bugging me for a while.
Almost every supermarket brand of 100% whole wheat bread that I’ve come across contains the preservative calcium propionate, mono and diglycerides, and a bunch of other things I can’t pronounce. As a result, that sort of bread is nice and soft (i.e., kid-friendly) and stays “fresh” for a disturbingly long period of time.
Yet when I’ve purchased all-natural brands — like the Whole Foods 100% whole wheat — the bread is tough and dry even on the day of purchase, and it just goes downhill from there. It also spoils quickly (lacking all the unpronounceable chemicals), so then I have to freeze it, which only makes the texture worse, unless its being served toasted.
Now I can already hear some readers (and I’m thinking especially of those uber-mom/cooks like Bri (of Red, Round or Green), Waverly (Peace and Love in the Kitchen) and Christina (Spoonfed)) politely expressing shock that I’m not baking up my own lovely, whole grain loaves on a weekly basis. But in my world, guys, that’s just not happening.
So, just curious — what do you buy? Keep in mind, I’m not not talking here about the sort of crusty, artisanal loaves I might serve at dinner or for a more special meal. Just a relatively soft, kid-friendly sliced bread to have on hand for PBJ’s and other lunchbox sandwiches. Your thoughts?