Bread loaf size

One of my boyfriend's big complaints about the US is the bread is "tiny." He doesn't feel we have proper-sized loaves and he ends up eating so many sandwiches just to make up the same sandwich size he would have had in England. I just got a Kitchen Aide stand mixer and figured that if I can find a loaf pan that will make loaves as big as he wants them, I'll make some bread at home. We can get exactly what we want and save some money!

He likes the Kingsmill bread loaf size...what size bread pan would I need for that?

Well, Kingsmill make various loaves of differiing sizes! The big one is probably about 4-6 inches deep I guess, but I've never measured one.  Are there reallly no loaves of that size in the US?? Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to when he could just eat two sandwiches instead of one!

One of my boyfriend's big complaints about the US is the bread is "tiny." He doesn't feel we have proper-sized loaves and he ends up eating so many sandwiches just to make up the same sandwich size he would have had in England. I just got a Kitchen Aide stand mixer and figured that if I can find a loaf pan that will make loaves as big as he wants them, I'll make some bread at home. We can get exactly what we want and save some money!

He likes the Kingsmill bread loaf size...what size bread pan would I need for that?

Sorry Belita, but this just seems:          to me! 

How bout if you post the measurements of your slice of bread, and I will post the measurements of mine, and we will compare?  I cant believe there would be enough of a difference for someone to have a 'big complaint' about! 

I remember my grandmother buying tiny bread too actually. I can't remember if it was 'Holsum' or 'Wonder' but it was one of the two. The pieces were a lot small than lets say a slice of British Warburtons Farmhouse.

Yeesh! And here I go out of my way to buy bakery farmhouse bread so I can have nice small dainty slices! 

I would have thought you could get large loaves in the US, though. Have you let him loose in a supermarket and let him choose his own?

There are so many different kinds of bread.....what kind is he eating? I used to LOVE poulsbo bread in the states......and also potato bread. I don't remember those as being really tiny. We make all our own bread now, in a bread machine.....I have a really great recipe for everyday bread. I also discovered a tip, by putting an egg in the recipe, it makes a BIGGER loaf. So we have really big bread every day, the kind that sticks out of the top of the toaster.

I used to LOVE poulsbo bread in the states....

Me too!  I grew up 10 minutes from Poulsbo, and used to love going to the original bakery there.

One of my boyfriend's big complaints about the US is the bread is "tiny." He doesn't feel we have proper-sized loaves and he ends up eating so many sandwiches just to make up the same sandwich size he would have had in England. I just got a Kitchen Aide stand mixer and figured that if I can find a loaf pan that will make loaves as big as he wants them, I'll make some bread at home. We can get exactly what we want and save some money!

He likes the Kingsmill bread loaf size...what size bread pan would I need for that?

Well I'm the opposite of your BF I think the size of most of the kinds of bread slices here in the UK are huge to me. I usually have Nimble bread, WW bread, or Kingsmill 50/50 Crusts Away, mainly because they are smaller slices of bread. to each there own.   

Thanks everyone who has replied so far!

Well I'm the opposite of your BF I think the size of most of the kinds of bread slices here in the UK are huge to me. I usually have Nimble bread, WW bread, or Kingsmill 50/50 Crusts Away, mainly because they are smaller slices of bread. to each there own.   

I feel that way too! I'll probably end up just using one slice of bread and folding it in half, or looking for smaller breads over there!

I would have thought you could get large loaves in the US, though. Have you let him loose in a supermarket and let him choose his own?

Yeah. On the first shopping trip after he moved over, we spend about 1/2 hour just in the bread section. He works in a supermarket and he has found some that are closer in size, but they are Italian loafs, so not always the best flavor for sandwiches.

Sorry Belita, but this just seems:          to me! 

How bout if you post the measurements of your slice of bread, and I will post the measurements of mine, and we will compare?  I cant believe there would be enough of a difference for someone to have a 'big complaint' about! 

When we went there for Christmas, I told him he should buy a loaf or two there, and he said "No, because then it will make me miss proper-sized bread even more."  We're out of bread, but I measured the sandwich Rubbermaid container I have and it will hold about a  4 1/2" x 4 1/2" slice of bread. The bread he likes would definitely not fit in it.

Well, Kingsmill make various loaves of differiing sizes! The big one is probably about 4-6 inches deep I guess, but I've never measured one.  Are there reallly no loaves of that size in the US?? Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to when he could just eat two sandwiches instead of one!

It would be the big one that he misses. It is a bit of trouble, but I like baking and I'm really kind of looking for an excuse to play with my new stand mixer! 

Well I'm the opposite of your BF I think the size of most of the kinds of bread slices here in the UK are huge to me. I usually have Nimble bread, WW bread, or Kingsmill 50/50 Crusts Away, mainly because they are smaller slices of bread. to each there own.   

Wait ... now I'm confused. I thought this was Belita's bf's complaint: That bread in the UK is bigger than in the US.

 

Wait ... now I'm confused. I thought this was Belita's bf's complaint: That bread in the UK is bigger than in the US.

 

Yeah, but he can't get the bigger bread here in the States. He misses the bread in the UK. He thinks the UK bread is "just right"  and shugga thinks it's "papa-bear-sized."   

If you're talking about slice size and not loaf size, you can go to a bakery, get a loaf of unsliced bread and ask the person behind the counter to slice it to the thickness you want. You usually have a good choice of pan and loaf shape as well. I used to do this all the time because different uses would call for different thicknesses.  And I suck at slicing bread.

ETA: I'd recommend a round loaf and have him cut the center ones in half.  I always thought round loafs make perfect large sammich slices.  The only problem is the last two on either end really aren't good for much but dipping in soup or something.

This is honestly something that never would have occurred to me. Interesting. I'll have to ask dh for his opinion next time we're over there. But to be honest I've never really thought the loaves here were overly large. Hmmm.

If you're talking about slice size and not loaf size, you can go to a bakery, get a loaf of unsliced bread and ask the person behind the counter to slice it to the thickness you want. You usually have a good choice of pan and loaf shape as well. I used to do this all the time because different uses would call for different thicknesses.  And I suck at slicing bread.

It's the size of the slice. Cutting it different won't matter because the dimensions are so much bigger over there and he doesn't like the length and height, the width is fine. Our loaf of bread is about a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" dimensions.

This is honestly something that never would have occurred to me. Interesting. I'll have to ask dh for his opinion next time we're over there. But to be honest I've never really thought the loaves here were overly large. Hmmm.

I didn't believe him about the size difference at first, and I'm not sure it would have occurred to me either. DB grew up between the US and UK, so I think he just picked up on it over time. He started mentioning it before my first trip to England. Once I went there and he showed me a "proper-sized" slice of bread, it is quite noticeable.

After re-reading this, I realised how ridiculous my suggestion was.  Sorry.  Have you considered free forming your bread or using baskets to rise them?  Last year I was trying to improve my breadmaking, and I found a really good site on how to make bread, and many of the people from that site never used pans.  I made a few pan free loafs, but I more trying to master pre-ferment and stuff.  If I find that site, I will post it if you're interested.

ETA: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/lessons