Baked bread is a diet staple and can be made many ways. Most bread will have the following general ingredients; flour, water, salt, and a leavening agent like yeast or baking powder. The general steps of making bread are mixing the ingredients, kneading the dough, shaping the bread and baking it in a oven. The duration and temperature for baking bread is important as it determines the quality of the crust and the interior. Some bread is soft and airy, while others are dense and heavy.

There is bread that has added ingredients. Bread can have things like seeds, nuts, cheese, or dried fruit added. Bread may be made with whole grain flour, or white flour. Sourdough bread is made by using a fermented starter instead of store bought yeast. There are also flatbreads, which are made without yeast, and which are either baked or cooked on a pan. Some bread is used to make a sandwich and other bread is meant to be eaten alone or with a spread like butter or jam.

Bread can be bought in stores, as well as being made at home with simple tools and common cupboard staples. Some people have machines that they use to mix and bake the dough, and others will mix and bake by hand. Different cultures will have their own types of bread, often based on locally-grown bread grains and their own unique methods.