Has something changed in grocery store bread recently?

August 9, 2023 3:45 AM

I'm finding that I really don't like the taste of any bagged grocery store whole wheat bread lately and I am wondering if it just me. I'm finding it really bland and dry. I've been a toast at breakfast guy for my entire life and never felt this way before. Has there been some recent across the board ingredient change or something?

I've tried all kinds of brands and styles and none are working for me. I've been feeling this way for a couple of months now. I still like my own sourdough when I make it.

posted by srboisvert to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

Best answer: I've not noticed this with bread (I've been baking my own so long all grocery store bread tastes too sweet) but have noticed some other products I've eaten for years now suddenly taste bad to me.

Oreo cookies used to be a real guilty pleasure, but the cookies are so thin now, less dense. The creme filling tastes "fake" and wrong on the tongue. Plus there are fewer of them in a box for way more money these days.

Cost cutting, I assume. Switching to cheaper oils and ingredients. Discovering new ways to trick the consumer into eating more.

Late capitalism comes for breads, that's my guess.
posted by dazedandconfused at 5:28 AM on August 9, 2023 [8 favorites]

Best answer: I don't know that this would explain what you're experiencing, but I suppose it might: as previously discussed on MeFi, many bread companies have started adding sesame flour to everything this year due to some new labelling requirements. Might be worth seeking out a brand without it, if possible, to see if that tastes any different to you?
posted by Stacey at 5:29 AM on August 9, 2023 [4 favorites]

I, too, think most commercial whole wheat breads are too sweet. I've been eating Food For Life (ezekial) bread. It's not too sweet, makes good toast. I get it frozen at Kroger and some other stores.
posted by H21 at 6:28 AM on August 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have been a long time fan of Ezekiel bread, but Costco stopped carrying it and it's otherwise just more expensive than I want to be paying for grocery store bag bread. But then I started shopping at Aldi and they've got a bread called "Simply Nature Organic Seedtastic Jam Packed With Seeds Bread" and it makes really good toast. I think. I'm happy with it as a near dupe for my previously beloved Ezekiel.
posted by phunniemee at 7:05 AM on August 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

National brands like Orowheat/brown berry/Pepperidge farm have been on a downward spiral for twenty years, but I think it did accelerate over the past few, it went from a rare buy to never for me. Yes more sweeteners but also more air, and more preservatives.

I also like the line of Ezekiel breads and the seedtastic stuff from Aldi, I'll add Dave's Killer Bread as another good mass market option. It also supports a good cause, though it's almost as expensive as my local fresh bakery bread (which is really always going to be the best if you can swing it).
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:33 AM on August 9, 2023 [10 favorites]

I ended up trying a lot of different whole wheat breads, and they all toasted badly (and many are too sweet). Trader Joe’s makes an OK one and Whole Foods (non-organic) whole wheat loaves toast up well, the rest I’ve tried end up… dusty and brittle? Not appealing, at any rate.
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:28 AM on August 9, 2023

I've been liking the Dave's Killer Bread company product line recently, though I usually get one of the seeded loaves.
posted by gudrun at 8:48 AM on August 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

Has your diet changed otherwise? I've found that when I eat healthier and cut out some crap from my diet that my tastes change in other areas too. Like foods I used to enjoy now taste chemically. This isn't necessarily a "bland and dry" thing, but maybe related?
posted by hydra77 at 9:52 AM on August 9, 2023 [4 favorites]

On a related note that didn’t seem to warrant its own post, have bread slices gotten thicker? I swear it’s hard to find anything less than 3/4” slabs nowadays.
posted by gottabefunky at 8:43 PM on August 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

What brands of bread? As in most industries in the US there have been some mergers and acquisitions among the larger bakery companies and so your bread might be being baked in a different factory somewhere
posted by TimHare at 10:29 PM on August 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

gottabefunky: I use Brownberry's small slice whole wheat. I find it makes the perfect size sandwich for me.
posted by kathrynm at 6:27 AM on August 10, 2023

Response by poster: Any chance you've had COVID recently?

Last November and despite having a rough ride and long covid (that now seems to be mostly over) I never lost my sense of taste or smell. This change is just in the past few months.

What brands of bread?

I've worked my way through the Mariano's bread shelf (its a Kroger's sub-brand now). I have also had some TJ's bread but I've always disliked their bread (Chocolate Babka excluded which I like too much and which is also really a cake).

I might try the Aldi's bread people are recommending though it is an extra hike for me.
posted by srboisvert at 1:30 PM on August 10, 2023

I've been liking the Dave's Killer Bread company product line recently, though I usually get one of the seeded loaves.

Dave's is my go-to, as well. If you can't taste Dave's you might want to see a doctor.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:29 PM on August 11, 2023 [2 favorites]