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Instead of chucking out old bread, why not put it to good use and save some money in the process? Snacks, dinner and even dessert can be made with slightly stale loaves and slices. Elizabeth Mayhew of Real Simple magazine was invited on "Today" to share ideas and recipes.

Lebanese Bread Salad
Hands-on time: 30 minutes; total time: 40 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 stale 7-inch pitas, split open
1 cucumber, quartered and thinly sliced
14 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, cored and diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint
1/2 bunch roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Store-bought hummus (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pita rounds on a baking sheet and toast in oven until crisp and light brown, about 10 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces and set aside. Toss together the cucumber, tomatoes, scallions, fennel, celery, mint, and parsley. Cover and chill. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt, and pepper. Combine the vegetables and dressing, and fold in the pita pieces. Serve with hummus, if desired.

Cheese, Onion and Bread Soufflé
Hands-on time: 30 minutes; total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the dish
10 slices (about 10 ounces) stale soft white or sourdough bread, crusts removed and torn into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups hot milk
1 small onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
4 eggs, separated
7 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Preheat over to 400 degrees F. Butter a 2- to 2-1/2-quart soufflé or baking dish; set aside. Place the bread in a shallow bowl and pour the milk over it. Set aside until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat. 

Mash the bread with your hands or a spoon, and stir in the onions. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cheese, salt pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne.  Pour the mixture over the bread, stirring until well combined.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the bread mixture in 3 additions.  Transfer to the soufflé dish and bake in oven until golden and firm, 45 to 50 minutes.  Serve with salad greens and shredded carrots.

Ribollita
Hands-on time: 40 minutes; total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings

4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 large onion, cut into a 1/2-inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into a small dice
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
2 bunches Swiss chard, stemmed and roughly chopped
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 slices (about 10 ounces) stale crusty bread, torn into large bite-size pieces
6 teaspoons prepared pesto (optional)

Place a Dutch oven or a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the oil and onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add the celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the potato and cook until it has started to soften, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, wine, broth, beans and 2 cups of water.  Place the Swiss chard on top, cover and bring to a boil.  Uncover, stir to combine, and simmer gently for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat. Stir in the salt and pepper gently to combine. (At this point, the soup can be chilled for serving the next day.)  Divide the bread among serving bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the bread and finish with a drizzle of olive oil or pesto, if desired.

Warm Bread With Tomato and Ham
Hands-on time: 5 minutes; total time: 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings

12 thick slices (about 12 ounces) stale crusty bread
2 cloves garlic, halved
2 medium tomatoes, halved crosswise
12 thin slices Serrano ham or prosciutto
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Remove and immediately rub each slice with the garlic, then with the tomatoes, smearing the pulp into the bread.  Top each piece of bread with a slice of the ham, a sprinkle of the salt and a drizzle of the olive oil.

Chocolate Bread Pudding
Hands-on time: 20 minutes; total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces (1/2 loaf) stale baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat six 5-ounce ramekins with the butter. Place the bread in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, and vanilla, and warm over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, just until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips, whisking until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar. Slowly whisk in a small amount of hot chocolate cream, then whisk the egg mixture into the cream until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture over the bread, stir, and press firmly with a spatula, making sure all the bread is soaked. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature. (It can soak in the refrigerator for up to a day.)

Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Remove the plastic wrap and divide the chocolate bread into the prepared ramekins. Press down gently and ladle any remaining liquid evenly among the ramekins, then place them in a large roasting pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and fill with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake until the pudding is set, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at least 5 minutes in the water. Dust each ramekin with the cocoa. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This recipe can also be made using an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Increase the cooking time to 40 minutes or bake until the pudding is set.

Apple Pan Charlotte
Hands-on time: 1 hour, 5 minutes; total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes. Makes 6 servings

4 pounds (about 8) apples, such as Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, quartered, and roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
12 slices (1/2-inch thick) stale soft white bread, each cut in half
2 egg whites
Whipped cream

Place the apples, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir to coat. Place in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar and continue cooking until the mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the remaining butter. Brush each bread slice generously on both sides with the butter.  Press a third of the bread into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with a heaping tablespoon of sugar. Top with half the apple mixture.  Repeat the process, pressing to compress, and ending with buttered bread.  Whisk together the egg whites and the remaining sugar.  Pour over the top of the dish and bake until golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.  Serve warm with whipped cream.