Sandwich Scrap Sunbutter-PBJ Bread Pudding - Vegan, Nut-Free, Gluten-Free

When planning my fun healthy lunch activity with Z's Kindergarten class, I knew there would be a ton of crust scraps from two dozen Sunbutter and jelly sandwiches going to waste, so when a friend jokingly suggested a PBJ bread pudding, I decided to give it a go! I made it egg- and dairy-free because one of the kids in the class is allergic. And like the sandwiches themselves, I used Sunbutter instead of peanut butter.

I had enough sandwich scraps from the class to make a 9"x13" pan as well as an 8"x8" pan of gluten-bread pudding, and I used a pie tin to make a gluten-free version for us using bread scraps and heels I'd been saving from our bento lunch sandwiches.

Scrappy PBJ Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
4 cups torn sandwich or bread scraps (use vegan and/or gluten-free bread if needed.)
1/2 c creamy nut or nut-free soy or seed butter (I used Sunbutter)
3 c non-dairy milk, divided (unsweetened)
1/4-3/4 c sugar
1/2 c jelly or preserves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F
1. In a blender, whiz together nut or seed butter, sugar, and 1 1/2 cups of the milk. (For the sugar, use 1/4-3/4 cup depending on your sweet tooth, whether your milk was sweetened, and how much jelly was already in the sandwich scraps.) Set aside.
2. Spread bread or sandwich scraps in a greased casserole dish, pie tin, or muffin pans. Pour liquid over scraps. Let liquid soak in and stir to coat until all scraps are soaked. Add up to 1 1/2 cups more milk if needed. Smoosh scrap mixture together lightly to help it stay together after baking.
3. Plop jelly around evenly and smoosh down a bit into bread, or spread lightly across to make a glaze.
4. Bake at 350 F for 30-45 minutes (check every 5 minutes after 30.) You want the tips toasty and the inside moist but not mushy.

Notes: If you're using gluten-free bread and it comes out too soggy, use less milk next time. Or a thicker kind of non-dairy milk. Gluten-free baked goods get soggy fast in dairy-free milk!

Since I did my lunch class on a Thursday, I was able to make this to bring in on Friday as an afternoon snack for all the kids. I cut the large casserole into 18 portions, and the smaller one into 9, so there were 3 portions left if the teacher wanted to try it, or someone wanted seconds.

The Verdict: According to the teacher, the gluten-scrap bread pudding was really good (I noted that she kept the extras for herself for later!) And only a few kids didn't eat all of theirs. The gluten-free one was tasty. I'd make it again. It definitely turned out better than my last several attempts at Bread Scrap French Toast Casserole! I'm sure theirs was more Sunbuttery and jelly-er because the scraps had some on them already, and our gluten-free scraps didn't.