CHOICE MATTERS WHEN CHOOSING BREAD

Choice matters whether party planning around a main course of Vienna Sausage, cheese fondue, or cheesesteak. The right bread is of utmost importance.

It can’t be too dense, too airy, too crusty, too mushy, too dark, too white, too seedy, not seedy enough.

Bread has to be just right when choice matters, especially when you are choosing.

I grew up with one bread and one bread only: Williams Bread in the bright gingham wrapper.

The same slice of Williams bread was a hamburger bun, a hotdog bun, sandwich, milk toast; anything that required bread got the same slice.

At the University of Oregon in Eugene the scent of Williams bakery drifted across campus when the wind was right.

Times changed, so did bread. What you want, you can find. The right bread for the right occasion has never been easier. You can even plan an event based on bread.

You say the event, I’ll add Franz Bread.

When Choice Matters Most

What would you plan for Hawaiian, Dark Sweet, or Buttermilk bread?

Party big with Texas Toast thick sliced, Whole Grain White, or Cracked Wheat bread.

When the going gets tough, the tough choose Cinnamon Swirl, Lemon Creme, or a Sourdough English Muffin.

More Choice Matters To More People

The more educated the bread consumer, the more choices they see. The UofO campus may have been blessed by Williams Bakery nearby, but that wasn’t the bread of choice when I moved into a women’s co-op on campus once they allowed men.

I took my first bite of Oroweat’s Honey Wheat Berry, the best toast in the world until then. Since then the choices have expanded at Oroweat.

Start a dinner party with Crustini Buns, Potato Buns, or Sesame Seeded Buns.

Invite everyone to a Reuben Sandwich party with Jewish Rye, Dark Rye, or Russian Rye.

Hold a meet-up with fitness friends and serve Double Fiber bread, or Health Nut, or Healthy Multi-Grain bread.

Choice Is The Right Thing

When you find what you want, don’t you feel a sense of security just knowing you can get it?

No one tells you what bread to buy, or harasses you from the bread aisle, to the check out, to your car.

When was the last time anyone was shamed for buying the ‘wrong’ bread? It’s as easy to fix as making another run to the store. Besides, you probably forgot something the first time.

Finally, who tells bakers what sort of bread to bake? If a loaf isn’t selling, they don’t make it. Public opinion works that way in the market place. If there’s no demand for a particular bread in a store near you, find a new store to buy bread.

When people agree on what bread they want, that bread is available. The problems start when a minority of potential customers want to limit choice, because if one bread is good enough for them, it should be good enough for everyone.

Now tell me how often you fix hamburgers on hotdog buns, and serve hotdogs on hamburger buns.

How often does the notion of choice matters come up when you look at the mess on your plate?

Going out on a limb here with: EVERY TIME!