White bread is pure nostalgia. PB&J and grilled cheese have made it a lunchbox legend, but it sometimes gets a bad rap due to its inclusion of refined flour and additives.
Still, white bread has its time and place — and its versatility extends beyond sandwiches. Soaked white bread is key to a custardy bread pudding, fluffy French toast, and moist meatballs. Torn and toasted, it makes superb homemade croutons or breadcrumbs.
With so many options to choose from in the bread aisle, we tasted nine different packaged loaves to determine which ones deserve room in your bread box.
Bread selection
We chose nine of the most popular white breads found in grocery stores. For this test, we exclusively tested packaged, sliced white sandwich loaves and excluded varieties like whole wheat or rye to keep an accurate side-by-side comparison. We also did not test any artisan white breads like baguette or ciabatta.
How we tested
Our editors were unaware of the brands in the mix for this test. We tried each slice plain and in a randomized order to prevent any bias. We also established specific criteria for evaluating the bread’s flavor and texture.
For flavor, we assessed the wheatiness, yeastiness, and overall balance of sweetness. Texture played an enormous role in how these breads were rated. We wanted the bread to hit a sweet spot between soft and tender, with slight resistance when pressed. In addition to tasting, editors gently squeezed each slice to gauge its springiness. We also considered the softness of the crumb and the crust. For each category, the editors gave a score between one and five, and the scores were averaged to determine the top-ranked contenders.
In general, we were underwhelmed by the options. Some skewed too sweet or left a synthetic aftertaste. Others were flimsy or riddled with too many small holes, which several staff parents noted would be a mess with kids and drippy sandwich fillings. But the three listed below rose to the occasion.
Best overall: Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White Bread
Food & Wine / PEPPERIDGE FARM INCORPORATED
The ratings were unanimous: Our editors loved this bread. Visually, it was an attractive slice: medium thickness, a white interior with a faint yellow cast, and a crust lightly dusted with flour for a freshly baked look. When in hand, it was soft and pliable, but not overly bouncy. It reminded us of a Japanese milk bread.
“It’s soft and squishy in a good way. You could smash it together to make a sandwich even better,” said managing editor Caitlin Miller. What propelled Pepperidge Farm to the top of this list was the harmonious balance between the sweet notes and the yeastiness of freshly proved dough. A plain slice was a pleasure to eat, and the moist crumb kept us reaching for more.
This bread is tailor-made for cold cuts with a smear of mayonnaise or thick slices of summer tomatoes. It’s also sturdy enough for French toast with a drizzle of syrup and a fresh fruit topping.
Best budget bread: Great Value White Sandwich Bread
Food & Wine / Walmart Inc.
This airy, white sandwich bread from Walmart’s private label turned out to be a solid choice. F&W senior recipe tester Anna Theoktisto said it best: “This one tastes like it probably doesn’t cost much, but it’s nice and neutral.” At just under $1.50 for 20 ounces of bread, it’s a good budget-friendly option for a household staple. Our only complaint? The slices were on the smaller side, so you might want to skip the triple-deckers. Stick to buttered toast, a Japanese fruit sando, or a ham and cheese sandwich. Or dry the slices out and transform them into crispy breadcrumbs.
Most nostalgic: Arnold Country Style White Bread
Food & Wine / Arnold
Depending on where you live, you might know Arnold as Brownberry or Oroweat. Among the loaves we tasted, this was one of the sweeter ones, which sparked sentimentality for some editors. The flavor landed somewhere between a Hawaiian roll and challah. Texture was more divisive: One editor likened the denser, slightly rubbery crumb to pound cake, while another compared it to a memory-foam mattress. Even so, it’s a good choice for recipes where some sweetness is welcome, such as a homemade summer pudding or a savory-sweet holiday stuffing.
The full list of contenders, ranked from highest to lowest
- Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White
- Great Value White Sandwich Bread
- Arnold Country Style White Bread
- Bimbo Sandwich White Bread
- Nature’s Own Perfectly Crafted White
- Dave’s Killer Bread White Bread Done Right
- 365 Organic Artisan White
- Wonder Classic White
- Sara Lee Classic White Bread
