There's no reason to make or eat croutons, ever. Even a low carb crouton is totally unnecessary. If you want to add some crunch to a salad? ... add some nuts!
However, there is no denying the allure of a crouton. These brown, buttery little cubes make just about any salad extra delightful! How could you make the Italian "Bread Salad" without croutons? You couldn't! What about stuffing for a turkey? Without croutons ... it's just ... STUFF!
Croutons have been around ... literally ... since sliced bread. Since bread has existed, people have been trying to figure out what to do with the old stuff. So, it's been made into croutons, pureed into soups, used in desserts, etc.
So, why are croutons here? Because ... some of you CAN eat them! I do, on occasion! While maintaining my weight, some croutons are an excellent addition to any soup! A big part of this site is dedicated to showing the variety that exists on a low carb diet. While croutons shouldn't be eaten daily, there's no reason not to pop some of these crusty delights on some of your dishes! Company coming over? Take the old
Low Carb Frankenloaf out of the freezer, hack off a chunk and make croutons! Your company will never know you're feeding them ... the dreaded ... DIET FOOD!
Notes: When the croutons are almost done, you can throw some fresh herbs in the pan. Or, throw in some chili flakes and parmesan cheese. Or ... do both! I personally like a big crouton and slightly soft in the middle. Some like tiny crunchy croutons and others like them very dried out. If you like a big dry crouton, you can place the whole pan in the oven at about 225 degrees and let the slowly dry out in the oven.