My kids love croutons – do yours? Sometimes, I think they only agree to eat salad so they can load their bowls with crunchy croutons! I couldn’t believe we had never made our own croutons before. These Parmesan whole wheat croutons are so easy to make, without all of the questionable ingredients in store-bought croutons. Plus, they are oh-so-delicious!

This time of year, we love topping our warm bowls of soup with plenty of croutons. I love how simple these croutons are to make! No fancy bread needed – just plain, ol’ whole wheat sandwich bread works great. In fact, this is a perfect way to use up stale bread. While you are warming the soup or washing the lettuce, your kiddos can be prepping these cheesy croutons.

Parmesan Whole Wheat Croutons

4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread, cubed

2 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or Italian seasoning (optional)

Slice the sandwich bread into cubes, removing the crusts if you like.

Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a spoon or toss with your hands to evenly coat the bread.

Dump the coated bread pieces onto a cookie sheet and spread into a single layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. I checked mine at 10 minutes, gave a stir, and kept a close eye on them until they were done. The croutons will crisp up even more as they cool.

Yum! We gobbled these up without a single one leftover. We’re looking forward to experimenting with some different herbs and spices, and making these again and again. Enjoy!

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Parmesan Whole Wheat Croutons

Ingredients

• 4 slices whole wheat sandwich bread cubed
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or Italian seasoning optional

Instructions

1. Slice the sandwich bread into cubes, removing the crusts if you like.
2. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a spoon or toss with your hands to evenly coat the bread.
3. Dump the coated bread pieces onto a cookie sheet and spread into a single layer.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. The croutons will crisp up even more as they cool. Enjoy!