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How Many Slices Of Bread Are In A Loaf?

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Buying a loaf of bread should be a simple task but it isn’t always as easy as it might seem.

When it comes to figuring out just how much bread you need for a specific time period, it’s always helpful to know just how much bread you’re getting in a loaf of bread, right? 

The problem is that not all loaves are exactly the same. You will find some loaves that have a lot more slices, as well as loaves that have fewer slices.

Specialty loaves typically also have fewer slices than your traditional sandwich bread loaves. Homemade loaves also might have a different number of slices. 

So, how many slices are in a loaf of bread? On average, a storebought loaf of bread will yield between 20-24 slices of bread in a single package. However, how many slices end up coming from a loaf of bread does depend on a host of factors, such as the kind of bread, the manufacturer, and how thick the slices are.

In this guide, we will take you full circle through an explanation of how many slices of bread are in a loaf.

We will discuss average numbers, variations for different types and styles of bread, and even differences you might find with different brands. There is really a lot to know on this subject. 

Stick with us to learn how many slices are in a loaf of bread! 

How Many Slices Are in a Loaf of Bread – The Breakdown

Here’s your average number to get you started but then we will dig much deeper into these details.

When you purchase a standard loaf of sandwich bread, you typically will get anywhere from 20-24 slices.

Again, this is for a standard sandwich loaf so the number can vary. But if you’re just grabbing a loaf of sandwich bread off the shelf, this is a pretty good estimate.

Of course, this number may vary depending on some instances, like thickness of the bread. 

For example, a Texas toast loaf probably will have more like 16 slices, instead of 20-24. 

The reason this number isn’t exact is because not all bread is created the same. Some brands make theirs differently and the slices may also be done differently as well. There are a lot of factors that can go into the number of slices. 

For that reason, we are going to break it down for you and talk about different types of bread as a whole. Keep in mind that these numbers may not be exact but they should get you close at least. 

Homemade Bread

There really isn’t anything better than homemade bread.

Whether you use a bread maker or you make traditional homemade bread, there is just something comforting and delicious—especially if you get to enjoy a slice while it’s still warm. 

It makes our mouths water just thinking about it! 

Homemade bread is a little bit different than purchasing a loaf from the store. This bread is thicker and heavier. You can still certainly use it for sandwiches or whatever you like but you probably won’t get 20-24 slices out of it. 

Homemade bread sizes can vary but the average loaf of homemade bread is about 2 pounds.

Some machines will allow you to make both larger and smaller amounts so it may vary by a couple of slices depending on the size of loaf you made. 

You also can be in control of how thick you cut the slices here so keep in mind that your slicing might also make a difference on how many slices you get in the end. 

On average, you will probably be able to get approximately 12 slices from a 2-pound loaf of homemade bread

In general, slicing homemade bread is a process where you are probably eyeballing it and each slice won’t turn out perfectly the same. That’s ok though, that’s really some of the fun of enjoying homemade bread. 

French Bread

French bread is a bakery specialty and not your traditional loaf. You can also buy other similar loaves from your bakery that are long in design.

These options may come in a variety but just know that if you purchase deli bread that is long, you can probably associate this information to those loaves as well. 

We can’t cover every single type of deli bread here, or else we might be here all day.

While we specifically referred to French bread, we know there are many styles of bread from the deli that are similar lengths so the concept should be the same really. 

In general, it is recommended that you try to slice French bread in slices that are approximately 1-ounce in size. This can be challenging unless you are weighing each slice.

French bread is both long and skinny in nature so they may be slightly thicker slices but they don’t have to be.

Other types of deli bread that are similar in length will probably not be as thin as French bread but the thickness of the slice will be similar, yielding a similar number of slices. 

Traditional Sandwich Loaf

If you’re at the store grabbing your favorite sandwich loaf of white or wheat bread, these are typically just about the same across all of the breads and all of the brands.

You have generic brands, brands like Wonder, Nature’s Own, Sara Lee, and so many more. 

It’s impossible to say that they are all exactly the same but what you can rely on is that your traditional loaf of white or wheat sandwich bread is going to be pretty similar, even among all of the different brands out there. 

When we speak about wheat in these traditional sandwich loaves, we don’t mean whole wheat, those are usually specialty loaves.

We are simply referring to that sleeve of sandwich bread, in which you can choose white or wheat and they are the same lengths typically. 

In these particular loaves of bread, you will find that they have somewhere around 26-28 slices in most cases.

Some experts would tell you they might only have 20-24 but what we’ve found is the simple white sandwich loaf usually has a few more slices in it compared to some alternative types of loaves. 

Most standard sandwich loaves weigh about 20 ounces in total weight.

They typically are not sliced very thickly and they don’t fall apart when sliced as such because the processing and creation of the bread makes it less likely to crumble than some of the other types out there. 

Here are some of the most common sandwich brands you will find out there at the retail grocery chains. 

  • Sara Lee
  • Nature’s Own
  • Wonder
  • Great Value
  • Market Pantry
  • Rudolph’s
  • Dempsters
  • Greenhouse

This honestly just barely touches the surface. If you look into all of the grocery stores and the various brands that they carry, you will find that there are more than 200 brands of sandwich bread in the U.S. alone. 

Now, while the experts out there say that most sandwich loaves have 26-28 slices, we found that very few brands actually have that many. So here are some of the brands we named above here. 

  • Sara Lee – 22 slices
  • Nature’s Own – 22 slices
  • Wonder – 24 slices
  • Great Value – 24 slices
  • Market Pantry – 22 slices
  • Rudolph’s – 24 slices
  • Dempsters – 22 slices
  • Greenhouse – 17 slices

Now, you will notice that each of these, with the exception of Greenhouse falls into the 20-24 range so this number seems far more accurate and reliable. 

Now another thing to consider with sandwich loaves is that some brands have loaf sizes that are slightly smaller as well. These have somewhere around 6-8 slices fewer than your traditional sleeve of sandwich bread. 

Artisan Or Specialty Breads

Now, when you peruse the bread aisle at your grocery store, you will notice some specialty breads or perhaps artisan breads. These are not your traditional loaves like white sandwich bread. 

Brands like Nature’s Own, Sara Lee, Dave’s Killer Bread, and more all have varieties here but you can also find other specialty brands. These particular options sometimes get pretty fancy.

You will find oats, multi-grains, and some other specialties. Sara Lee even has a line of toasting bread that has cinnamon raisin and cinnamon swirl varieties in it. 

These loaves tend to be wider than traditional sandwich bread in the loaf width. The slices of bread are pretty similar overall, maybe just slightly thicker or denser.

What you will find is that these types of loaves are much shorter than your average sandwich loaf. This results in having fewer slices in the loaf. 

For the most part, your artisan and specialty loaves like these will have more like 16-20 slices of bread in them

Here are a few examples. Dave’s Killer Bread is known for making specialty breads and usually healthier breads. Their loaves have 17 slices in them.

If you pick up a Sara Lee or Nature’s Own in this particular category, you’re going to get approximately 17 slices in those as well. 

These will vary but they typically fall into this range so that number at least gives you a reasonable expectation as to what you can consider a loaf to contain. 

Sourdough Bread

Another popular bread option that you can purchase or make is sourdough bread. This is a bit of a specialty bread but it still falls into a different category than the artisan and specialty breads we covered above. 

Because of the way that sourdough bread is made, the slices actually weigh just a little bit more per slice than traditional bread slices.

This is because sourdough has hollow spaces and holes that create space within the bread so your slice will still probably look about the same size. 

Now, another thing to know about sourdough bread is that it can tend to tear or crumble if it isn’t sliced thick enough.

For this reason, you should plan to slice sourdough bread to be about 1/2 an inch per slice. If you’re purchasing sourdough bread, it may already be sliced as such. 

Again, these are sliced slightly thicker to avoid problems with crumbling since the bread is known for hollow spaces and a unique texture.

It just helps to keep the bread intact and ready for action so that it doesn’t just fall apart in your hands. 

Sourdough bread is unique because it goes through a fermentation process, which is really where it gets the name sourdough from. This is what causes those hollow spaces because the bread soaks in carbon dioxide when it is fermenting. 

On average, a regular loaf of sourdough bread will yield approximately 24 slices. This may vary slightly depending on how you make your loaves and how large your loaf is but this is the general expectation.

Again, this is based on a traditional loaf of sourdough, which weighs 36 grams and has slices that are about 1/2 an inch thick per slice

Rye Bread

The last bread we will discuss here is rye bread. It is also a specialty bread but it doesn’t always fit into the artisan and special bread category.

This tends to be a fairly dense bread so it is sliced thinner but the loaf may be short compared to your sandwich loaves. 

With that in mind, rye bread typically will yield about 24 slices from a standard loaf. This is because the bread can be sliced thinly and not fall apart or crumble.

Rye bread is dense and slightly heavy so it holds up well and a little bit goes a long way. 

Related Questions

We hope this guide to understanding how many slices of bread are in a loaf is a valuable resource.

Our goal is that while you may not know the exact count of slices, you have a general estimate based on the type of bread you are making or purchasing. 

Now, we invite you to take a look at the following question and answer section for some additional information that may be useful to you. 

How many English muffins are in a pack? 

When you buy a standard package of English muffins, they don’t have a lot in them. The standard English Muffin package only has 6 English muffins in it.

With that in mind, you can find packages that have 8 or even 12-count of English muffins but the standard count is 6. 

How many bagels are in a pack?

Bagels come in different forms and different amounts as well. If you’re grabbing a bag of bagels from your grocery store shelf, the standard number of bagels you will receive is 6 in a package.

Again this can vary depending on the brand and even where you buy them from. 

For example, there are some brands that you can get a dozen bagels in but this is not typical for a standard bagel. 

On that note, there are also mini bagels out there now and those typically come in a bag of 12 bagels. 

How many buns are in a pack? 

When you are buying hot dog or hamburger buns, these typically have 8 buns to a package. This is the traditional package sizing.

Just like with other bread products, you will find that you can sometimes find larger packs and you may be able to purchase packs of a dozen instead of 8. 

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