Verbal folklore includes any lore "involving words, whether set to music, organized in chronological story form, or simply labeling an activity or expressing a belief with word or phrase" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 12). Bread and Puppet's performances include elements of verbal folklore through singing, poetry, and oral storytelling. Their Fall 2024 tour currently includes poetry by Palestinians, addressing the genocide in Gaza.

Material folklore is the tangible elements, or material culture, of the folk group. "It can be touched, seen, eaten, or lived in" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 13). Bread and Puppet's puppet creations, performance props, artwork, and bread are all examples of material folklore.

Customary lore "refers to patterned, repeated behavior on which a person's participation indicated involved membership" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 16). The act of sharing homemade sourdough bread at each performance is a repeated act that unites the performers and audience members and solidifies one's involvement within the folk group.

Folklore group members are those who share special knowledge of the group's language, behavior, and rules, both spoken and unspoken. "These types of communication convey and express the group's attitudes, beliefs, values, and worldview to other members of the group and often to outsiders" (Sims and Stephens 2011, 31). Performers past and present, artists, museum employees, and spectators are all integral parts of Bread and Puppet's operation, working together to create art that expresses the group's shared values. These performances often express anti-war and anti-capitalistic messages and address inequality. 

While Bread and Puppet create new performances, they also consistently reshape old performances to fit current contexts. Bread and Puppet sends a clear message about their values through their art and performances. Group members and audiences often share these same values. With every performance, group members are simultaneously sharing their beliefs and confirming their identity within the group. The group's traditions are shared in a few ways, but most notably, new performers and artists learn alongside seasoned group members. Bread and Puppet also provide summer internships for this purpose. 

Bread and Puppet's performances act as rituals that make their beliefs known to outsiders and spectators old and new. The ritual of sharing bread reinforces the group's belief that food and art are both necessary forms of nourishment and gives spectators an interactive role within the ritual.