How Many Slices in a Loaf of Bread? Slices and Sandwiches by Loaf

Baking Resources Editorial · Reviewed by Joan Ramos · Updated October 2026 · 9 min read

A standard 20-ounce loaf of store-bought sandwich bread has about 20 to 22 slices, including the 2 heels on the ends. That's enough for about 9 to 10 sandwiches. A homemade loaf baked in a 9x5 pan gives about 16 to 18 slices at a regular 1/2 inch thickness, and a round sourdough loaf gives a few less full-size slices because the ends are small.

The real answer depends on two things: how long the loaf is, and how thick you cut. Pick your loaf type and slice thickness in the calculator below, and it tells you how many slices to expect and how many sandwiches that makes, so you can plan lunches, French toast, or holiday stuffing without guessing.

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Slices per loaf at a glance

Here are the typical counts for the loaves most people buy or bake. Numbers include the heels. "Regular" means about 1/2 inch thick, which is close to how most packaged bread is sliced.

These are good planning numbers, not exact promises. Two loaves of the same brand can differ by a slice or two, and every homemade loaf rises a little differently.

The simple math behind the count

You can figure out any loaf yourself with one quick sum: divide the length of the loaf by the thickness of each slice.

A typical store loaf is about 11 inches long. Cut into 1/2 inch slices, that's 11 divided by 1/2, or 22 slices. Cut into 3/4 inch slices, it's about 14 or 15. A loaf from a 9x5 pan is about 9 inches long, so 1/2 inch slices give about 18. Bread knives take a sliver as they go and the ends round off, so real counts land a slice or two under the math.

The pan size changes the shape of the loaf, which changes the count. An 8.5x4.5 pan makes a shorter, taller loaf than a 9x5 pan using the same dough. You get fewer slices, but each one is bigger. If you're choosing a pan, our guide to loaf pan sizes compares them, and for small gift loaves see mini loaf pan sizes.

Baking guideLoaf Pan Sizes: Standard, Large and Bread Tin DimensionsFind my pan size →

Baking guideMini Loaf Pan Sizes and Yields: Batter and Bake TimesGet the measurements →

Slices to sandwiches

Each sandwich uses 2 slices. Most people skip the heels, though they're perfectly good for toast, croutons, or bread crumbs. So the quick rule is: full slices divided by 2.

Packing lunches for a family of four, five days a week? That's 20 sandwiches, or about two standard loaves. If you bake at home, three 9x5 loaves cover the week with a few slices to spare.

How big is a slice?

A regular slice of store-bought sandwich bread weighs about 1 ounce, or 25 to 30 grams. A thick slice of homemade bread can weigh 1 1/2 to 2 ounces. That's handy if a recipe calls for bread by weight instead of slices, which many bread pudding and stuffing recipes do. Our grams to ounces converter helps when a recipe lists one and your scale shows the other.

Free toolGrams to Ounces Converter (1 oz = 28.3495 g)Use the free tool →

For a quick estimate, divide the loaf's weight by the number of slices. A 20-ounce loaf with 20 slices means about 1 ounce each. A 24-ounce loaf with 24 slices works out the same.

Round loaves and baguettes

Sourdough and other boules

Round loaves are the hardest to count, because the slices get smaller toward each end. A 2-pound boule about 9 inches across gives around 16 to 18 slices at 1/2 inch, but only 12 to 14 of those are big enough for a sandwich. The rest are fine for toast, dipping, or croutons.

Here's a tip for more even slices. Cut the boule in half through the middle first. Lay each half cut side down and slice from the center outward. Now your biggest slices come first, and the shape is easier to hold steady. If you bake your own, our guide on how to bake bread in a Dutch oven covers the classic round loaf from start to finish.

Baking guideHow to Bake Bread in a Dutch Oven: Temps, Times and TipsSee how it's done →

Baguettes

Baguettes are usually sliced on a slight angle, which gives a longer, prettier slice. A 24-inch baguette makes about 40 to 45 regular slices, or 50 to 60 thin ones for crostini. For sandwiches, skip slicing and cut it into 4 lengths of about 6 inches, then split each one open.

Quick breads and other loaves

Banana bread, pumpkin bread, and other quick breads are softer and more crumbly than yeast bread, so they're usually cut thicker, about 3/4 inch. A 9x5 quick bread gives about 10 to 12 slices that way. Rich breads like brioche and challah slice well at 1/2 to 3/4 inch, and rye or whole wheat sandwich loaves count about the same as white sandwich bread of the same size. For a tour of the different loaves and how they're made, see our guide to types of bread. If you're baking quick breads as gifts, check the right banana bread pan size so your slices come out tall and even.

Baking guideTypes of Bread: A Baker's Guide to the Main StylesLearn more →

Baking guideWhat Size Pan for Banana Bread? 8x4 vs 9x5 Loaf PansSee the sizes →

Worked example: French toast and stuffing for a holiday weekend

Say you're hosting 8 people for Thanksgiving weekend. You want French toast on Friday morning and you're making stuffing for Thursday.

1. French toast. Plan on 2 thick slices per person, so 16 thick slices. A homemade 9x5 loaf gives about 12 thick slices, so you'd need 2 loaves. A large 24-ounce sandwich loaf cut thick gives about 16, so one large loaf just covers it.
2. Stuffing. Say your stuffing recipe calls for about 1 1/2 pounds of bread, cut into cubes. A pound of sandwich bread makes roughly 8 cups of 3/4 inch cubes, so 1 1/2 pounds is about 12 cups. That's one 24-ounce loaf, or a 20-ounce loaf plus the heels and ends from the French toast loaves.
3. Dry the cubes. Spread the cubes on sheet pans and leave them out overnight, or toast them at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once, until dry but not brown.

If your stuffing recipe was written for a different number of guests, our recipe converter scales every ingredient at once.

Free toolRecipe Converter: Halve, Double or Scale Any RecipeWork out my amount →

Slicing mistakes that cost you slices

Cutting bread while it's hot

This is the big one with homemade bread. A hot loaf is still finishing its bake inside, and cutting it squashes the soft crumb into a gummy, uneven slice. You also lose slices to crumbs and tears. Let a sandwich loaf cool for at least 1 hour, and a large round loaf for 2. If your slices are still sticky inside, read why bread turns out gummy.

Baking guideWhy Is My Bread Gummy Inside? Causes and Real FixesSee what went wrong →

Using the wrong knife

A long serrated bread knife cuts cleanly with a gentle sawing motion. A smooth chef's knife squashes soft bread and slips on crusty bread. Let the knife do the work and don't press down hard.

Slices that wedge

If your slices come out thick on top and thin on the bottom, your knife is tilting. Watch the side of the blade, not the top, and keep it straight up and down. A bread slicing guide helps if you slice a lot of homemade bread.

Fighting a hard crust

Very crusty loaves can shatter when you cut them. Turn the loaf on its side and cut through the softer side crust first. If the crust is always too tough, our page on why bread crust gets too hard has fixes.

Baking guideBread Crust Too Hard? Causes and Fixes for a Softer CrustFind out why →

Keeping the rest of the loaf fresh

Most families don't finish a loaf in a day or two. Store sliced bread at room temperature in its bag, sealed tight, for 2 to 4 days. The fridge actually makes bread go stale faster, so skip it unless your kitchen is hot and humid and mold is a problem. Our full guide on how to store bread covers every kind.

Baking guideHow to Store Bread: Counter, Bread Box or FreezerSee how long it keeps →

For longer storage, freeze it. Pre-sliced bread is great for freezing, since you can pull out exactly the slices you need and toast them straight from frozen. Wrap the loaf well and it keeps its quality for about 3 months. Here's how to freeze bread so it doesn't dry out.

Planning bread for holiday gatherings

Holiday meals use a surprising amount of bread. Between stuffing on Thanksgiving, dinner rolls, French toast or breakfast casseroles over Christmas morning, and leftover turkey sandwiches, a family of six can easily go through 3 or 4 loaves in a long weekend.

A few easy rules help. For leftover turkey sandwiches, plan 2 regular slices per sandwich and about 1 1/2 sandwiches per adult. For a bread basket with soup, plan 3 to 4 baguette slices per person. For crostini at a party, a single baguette makes 50 or more thin slices, which serves about 10 to 12 guests as an appetizer. For more ideas, our list of New Year's Eve party food ideas includes easy crostini toppings.

Buy or bake a day or two early, slice what you need for stuffing and let it dry, and freeze the rest for French toast later in the week. Day-old bread actually makes better French toast and stuffing, because it soaks up the custard or broth without falling apart.

Questions people ask

How many slices are in a loaf of bread?

A standard 20-ounce loaf of store-bought sandwich bread has about 20 to 22 slices, counting the 2 heels. A large 24-ounce loaf has about 22 to 24. Thin-sliced loaves have more slices and thick-sliced loaves have fewer. A homemade loaf from a 9x5 pan gives about 16 to 18 slices at 1/2 inch thick.

How many sandwiches can I make from one loaf of bread?

A standard 20-ounce loaf makes about 9 to 10 sandwiches, using 2 slices each and skipping the heels. A large 24-ounce loaf makes about 10 to 11. A homemade 9x5 loaf makes about 7 to 8. If you pack lunches for four people for a full school week, plan on about two store loaves.

How thick is a regular slice of bread?

Most packaged sandwich bread is sliced about 1/2 inch thick. Thin-sliced bread is closer to 3/8 inch, and thick-sliced or Texas-style toast is about 3/4 inch or more. A regular slice of store-bought sandwich bread weighs about 1 ounce, or 25 to 30 grams.

How many slices are in a sourdough loaf?

A round sourdough loaf of about 2 pounds gives roughly 16 to 18 slices at 1/2 inch thick. Only 12 to 14 of those are full-size, because the slices get smaller toward the ends. Cutting the loaf in half first and slicing each half from the middle gives more even slices.

How long should homemade bread cool before slicing?

Let a sandwich loaf cool for at least 1 hour and a large round loaf for about 2 hours before slicing. The inside is still setting as it cools. Cutting it hot squashes the crumb, makes it gummy, and leaves you with ragged slices and more crumbs.

How much bread do I need for stuffing?

Most stuffing recipes for 8 to 10 people use about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of bread. A pound of sandwich bread makes roughly 8 cups of 3/4 inch cubes, so a 24-ounce loaf gives about 12 cups. Dry the cubes overnight or toast them at 300°F until dry so they soak up broth without turning mushy.