Why do you use bread crumbs in meatloaf?

Chef's answer
According to the cooking experts at Kitchn, the breadcrumbs in your meatloaf act as a binding agent for the meat. Additionally, Kitchn recommends soaking your breadcrumbs (or stale bread) in milk before mixing with your meat to improve the moistness in your finished dish..
Frequently asked Questions 🎓
Most meatloaf and meatball recipes include breadcrumbs, stuffing mix, cooked rice or oatmeal. Any of these will work, so you can certainly substitute oatmeal for breadcrumbs, as you'll see in this recipe.
Crushed-up crackers make an excellent bread crumb substitute in baked dishes like meatballs or meatloaf. The crackers work just as well as the bread crumbs to hold the meat mixture together, and using varieties like salty saltines or buttery Ritz is a great way to add an extra burst of flavor to your dish.
Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and chia and flax seeds are all suitable replacements for bread crumbs. And the food processor is your best option to transform them into a powdery consistency. Nut flours burn quicker than bread crumbs, so keep an eye on dinner while it's cooking.
Whether to add breadcrumbs or not is entirely a textural decision if you're making burgers yourself. ... It's a good way to "stretch" the meat so you get more patties per kilo of actual meat, but that's a commercial reason to add breadcrumbs, not a culinary one..
Whether to add breadcrumbs or not is entirely a textural decision if you're making burgers yourself. ... It's a good way to "stretch" the meat so you get more patties per kilo of actual meat, but that's a commercial reason to add breadcrumbs, not a culinary one..
Breadcrumbs] are not usually included in the traditional burger patty mixture, but their addition to this recipe helps to give the cooked patties a lighter, more tender texture. The egg acts as a binding ingredient so that the patties can be easily shaped. It also helps them hold together when cooked..
Straight up lean meat can be too rubbery in texture.
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