It happens to virtually every cook: In the middle of making a meat loaf or breaded chicken recipe, you need bread crumbs, so you grab that box from your well-stocked pantry and pour, only to discover hardly anything is left. Rest easy; you can keep cooking without an urgent grocery store run by using a bread crumb substitute from our list of options.

Or perhaps you're putting together your grocery list and looking for a bread crumb substitute that fits your gluten-free lifestyle; we have swaps for that too. No matter the reason you're seeking a replacement for bread crumbs in a recipe, there's an alternative that's likely already in your kitchen.

Bread Crumb Substitutes

Finding a bread crumb substitute in your pantry is easier than you think! For ¼ cup fine, dry bread crumbs, substitute any of these items:

• ¾ cup soft bread crumbs
• ¼ cup panko
• ¼ cup cracker or pretzel crumbs
• ¼ cup crushed cornflakes or other unsweetened cereals
• ⅔ cup regular rolled oats (Use this only as a substitute for bread crumbs in meat loaf and other meat mixtures, such as burgers. Oats won't crisp up nearly as nicely in casserole toppings and breading.)

Remember, you can always make bread crumbs at home if you've got bread on hand. And if you're seeking a healthy bread crumb substitute, make some from whole wheat or whole grain bread, or use crushed bran flakes cereal.

Gluten-Free Bread Crumb Substitutes

You can certainly still enjoy meat loaf, crunchy toppings, and breaded foods while eating gluten-free. Give these bread crumb substitutes a try.

• Make your own from any gluten-free bread you have on hand. Give this bread crumb-making hack a try.
• Use the rolled oats tip above using gluten-free oats.
• Use equal amounts of any unsweetened crushed gluten-free cereal. Well-known cereals such as Chex and Cheerios make good options, but always check the ingredient list or be sure the cereal is labeled "gluten-free." Cereals such as cornflakes and Rice Krispies often contain barley malt, which means that even though they are made of corn and rice, there's still gluten.
• Use equal amounts of gluten-free cracker crumbs.

Types of Bread Crumbs

There are three common types of bread crumbs (plus cracker and cereal options). Here's what to know about each.

Fine, Dry Bread Crumbs

If a recipe calls for bread crumbs, this is usually the kind it means. If making your own fine, dry bread crumbs, you'd use slightly stale bread and process to a very fine texture. These crumbs are best for adding to ground meat dishes or for breading fried (and oven-fried) foods.

Soft Bread Crumbs

You'll need to make these; there aren't any products to purchase. They're made from fresh bread and will be a bit fluffier (and softer, as the name implies) than the other bread crumbs. Soft bread crumbs are commonly used to top casseroles.

Panko

Panko crumbs are light and crisp with a coarser texture than fine, dry crumbs. These crumbs work as a bread crumb substitute in most recipes that call for bread crumbs: toppings, coatings, and mixing in.

Now that you know what to use in a pinch instead of bread crumbs, you can continue on with that chicken Cordon Bleu wild rice casserole, meatballs, or cheesy chicken casserole.