Patty, I've used all kinds of bread in meatloaf. If it's dense I use less then I do when it's light. The real key is to crumble or tear apart your bread in to your mixing bowl, then add your milk. Let it set a bit while you prep ingredients. The bread then softens and soaks up the milk. Then throw in the rest of the ingredients.

I make my meatloaf in my KA mixer. I combine all the ingredients except the meat then gradually add handfuls of my meat. I do this on the stir (lowest) speed, it's quick. Don't over mix, just mix to combine.

Nancy

Patty, Nancy's tips are what finally got me on the right track to make a meatloaf that was slice-able. Up to that point, my meatloaf tasted great it just didn't hold together, you had to eat it with a spoon.

*Like when I was a teen and would proudly make fudge for my dad. He never complained he would just ask for a spoon!

Recently I found a tip for making meatloaf that held up to slicing and did not fall apart:

pat out your finished meatloaf recipe into an oval-shaped loaf in a baking dish that has been greased or lined with parchment paper

with the palm of your hand, pat the meat mixture firmly all over, sort of slap it firmly to compress the raw meat mixture, then bake per recipe directions.

This works very well to get a dense meatloaf that does not fall apart when sliced.

Teresa

The cheap sandwich bread should be the best from your list for using in meatloaf. It works better as a binder than bread that has more texture.

Like Nancy, I soak the torn bread pieces in milk before adding the meat. The bread/milk mixture is called a "panade" and is standard for meatloaf or meatballs. If you use coarser bread, you might want to make it into breadcrumbs before making the panade. The panade is sometimes also made with both bread and flour added to the milk.

Lars

I recently made some baked meatballs using frozen bread bits. I toasted to thaw, then chopped fine. Using all methods posted above...soak, mix, then pat down firmly...or roll firm for meatballs. Also giving your meatloaf or meatballs some resting time in the fridge before baking, an hour or 4, helps to firm before baking. It made more mini meatballs than expected so i froze the extra. I dropped a few in a frozen soup while heating and they held shape and were deliciously tender.
Same with cod or crab cakes. I find if i prep and make them the night before or earlier in the day, the fridge time lets everything 'marry' and stay together while cooking.

I would never have thought to put them in the frig for a resting time but I see where that would work. When I asked this bread Q I knew both would work, just because I do it one way does not always mean its the best way. I will be making meatballs instead of the meatloaf today I hope they turn out round instead of flat. Thanks everyone for the info that seemed like a simple Q. Patty