Italian Seasoned Whole Wheat Croutons

Italian Seasoned Whole Wheat Croutons are light and crisp, deliciously seasoned with Italian herbs, and so much better than store bought versions. They're easy too, and as healthy as you want them to be, based to what type of bread you use! Perfect for soups and salads.

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Croutons are such a lovely addition to so many soups and salads, but those ones that come in a package are questionable in their healthfulness. Our version uses your choice of whole grain bread, so you're in charge of how healthy they are!

You can use your own homemade bread, or try a whole grain, low sodium brand like Sprouted Whole Grain Bread from Dave's Killer Bread, or this Sprouted Grain Low Sodium Bread from Food For Life (affiliate links). There are many other options, but these are some of my favorites. You could even use a non-yeast bread like Irish Wheaten Bread, but you'll need to bake it a bit longer.

Heart Health Benefits of Whole Wheat Croutons

We use overall heart healthy ingredients for these croutons, but these are really more of a condiment. The serving size is small, so the nutrition content is also small. The main heart benefit in these whole wheat croutons is in comparison to commercial and traditionally made croutons.

Croutons are often made with white bread, lots of butter, and salt, none of which will benefit heart health. Not to mention all the "extra" ingredients in commercial varieties to extend shelf life. These options usually have no fiber, are high in saturated fat and sometimes cholesterol, and high in sodium. A triple whammy to your heart.

Our croutons use whole grain bread for fiber content, olive oil for monounsaturated fat (and low saturated fat content), and low sodium bread paired with apple cider vinegar for a low sodium, yet tasty crouton you can feel good about!

Macronutrients

These whole wheat croutons are low in calories and overall fat content, especially low in saturated fat. The whole wheat bread adds fiber to our croutons, and they are overall low in carbohydrates.

Micronutrients and Bioactive Components

Our ingredients are a good source of vitamin E, and both soluble and insoluble fiber.

While the nutrient content will vary depending on what type of bread you use, here's a run down of the bioactive components you might find in these whole wheat croutons:

• Soluble fiber - (in whole wheat bread) a type of fiber that dissolves in water and can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar (1);
• Insoluble fiber - (in whole wheat bread) helps slow blood sugar response and support gut health (2);
• Ferulic acid - (in whole wheat bread) predominant phenolic acid in wheat that may improve blood vessel function, and decrease cholesterol and oxidative stress (3);
• Tocopherols - (in whole wheat bread) isomers of vitamin E and antioxidants that help protect lipids from peroxidation (4);
• Monounsaturated fats - (in olive oil) type of fat molecule that can help lower LDL cholesterol, and provides nutrition to maintain and build you body's cells (5);
• Hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein - (in olive oil) polyphenols that may be preventative against high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack (6);
• Acetic acid - (in apple cider vinegar) byproduct of fermentation that gives vinegar its characteristic odor, and may help modestly improve cholesterol and blood glucose (7); and
• General flavonoids and phenolic acids - (in Italian seasoning) compounds with antioxidant and anti inflammatory activity (8).

Ingredients

Here is what you'll need for this recipe, along with some applicable substitutions and notes.

• Whole grain bread - choose a low sodium bread with 100% whole grain as the first ingredient, and one without nuts or seeds. Your favorite gluten free bread will work for this, too. Save those crusts for making Homemade Breadcrumbs! Or simply leave them on the bread if you don't mind the textural difference.
• Olive oil - avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or canola oil will all work
• Apple cider vinegar
• Italian seasoning - other seasonings you might like are garlic powder, lemon pepper, smoked paprika, taco seasoning, or simply pepper and a little salt

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Check out just how simple it is to make homemade whole wheat croutons at home!

1. Step 1: Cut the crusts off the bread (this is optional and you can leave the crusts on if you don't mind the textural difference).

2. Step 2: Cut the bread into small cubes.

Variations

• Taco croutons - use taco seasoning instead of Italian, and use to garnish chili, tortilla soup, and Mexican inspired salads
• Smoky - add smoked paprika to any of the seasoning blends you use to add a smoky note
• Lemon pepper - use lemon pepper seasoning instead of Italian seasoning
• Garlic - use garlic powder instead of Italian seasoning, or add it to the Italian seasoning
• Cajun - use a mix of ground pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder, with a dusting of cayenne pepper

Equipment

A cutting board and knife are needed for this recipe, along with measuring cups and spoons, and a baking sheet with some sort of liner, like parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Storage

Store the croutons, completely cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If it's particularly humid, you may get less days.

The croutons can also be stored in the refrigerator for a few weeks, but may get soft.

Food safety

These are important safety tips for whole wheat croutons:

• Wash hands before beginning, whenever they are soiled, and after touching face, hair, pets, etc.
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Keep your face back when opening the oven to avoid hot air burns
• Always remove items from the oven with appropriate pot holders or mitts to avoid burns

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.