Think of stale bread as a multipurpose culinary ingredient that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes, such as panzanella or bread pudding, or pulsed into breadcrumbs or cubed for croutons. Because of its solid firmness, it absorbs sauces, broths, and dressings well without crumbling.
However, moldy bread is a serious health hazard.
The entire loaf should be thrown out if there is even a tiny patch of green or black mold. Because bread is porous, mold can grow there covertly, and eating it might result in allergic reactions or other health problems because of chemicals called mycotoxins.
