Just say no.
Bread is the stuff of toast at breakfast and sandwiches at lunch, as well as the ideal vehicle for sauce-mopping and soup-dipping at dinner. I love all kinds, and keep both a soft grocery store loaf and a crusty bakery loaf on hand for whenever a carb craving strikes (which, let’s be real, is every meal). But if, like me, you’ve ever had a loaf get stale or moldy quicker than you expected, you may still be confused about the best way to store bread.
Your first instinct may be “the fridge.” It’s where my parents have always kept their loaves of bread. And while that may seem logical, it’s actually one of the worst places to store bread. To get the facts, I connected with Randy George, a baking legend and the owner of Red Hen Baking in Middlesex, Vermont. Here’s everything you need to know about how to store bread, how to keep it fresh, and how to make it last longer.
Is Storing Bread In the Refrigerator Bad?
Short answer: Yes. Very bad. “Refrigerators are dry environments,” explains George. Because bread’s inherent moisture is part of what makes it so delicious, putting bread in any dry environment will expedite its aging (and staling) process. If you want your bread to last as long as possible and not dry out, absolutely do not store it in the fridge.
What’s the Best Place to Store Bread?
If you’re planning on eating your bread within a few days (for hard-crusted, bakery-style loaves) or a week (for bagged bread), keep it on your counter. George says that those crusty loaves should never be kept in plastic bags, because it will almost immediately soften their crust, changing the very thing we love about them. After you cut into the bread, you can put it back in the paper bag it likely came in, and tuck the end underneath. Or, you can try George’s favorite technique. Just place the cut side of the loaf flat on the counter or your cutting board, with the butt end sticking up in the air. That will keep the exposed side protected, and ensure your bread stays fresher, longer.
For soft loaves, like sandwich bread, a plastic bag — like the one it came in, or a zip top bag — is perfect. Don’t put those loaves in the fridge, either, though! The dry air can still permeate the plastic, making the bread dry out fast. Whatever type of bread you like, you may notice that it gets stale more quickly in the winter months. Again, dry air is the culprit, and short of running a humidifier in your kitchen 24/7, there’s not much you can do about that. Mindset helps: George often reminds customers to think of fresh bread as a “very perishable product.”
Can You Freeze Bread?
Yes, you can! In fact, George recommends it for households that don’t tend to go through an entire loaf before it gets stale, or if you’ll be traveling before you can enjoy your bread. Just put it in a plastic bag made for the freezer, and squeeze out as much air as you can. Place the bread in the freezer, and let the chilly time machine do its thing.
You can freeze pre-sliced loaves, although they’ll be slightly drier when you thaw them. If you want to freeze a whole or half loaf, just put it in the bag without cutting it. Remove it from the freezer a day before you want to eat it, and let it sit on the counter (out of the plastic bag) until it’s totally thawed. For an almost-like-fresh-baked experience, George recommends putting the loaf in a 400 degree oven with a small pan of water for 10 minutes. The steam will revive the crust—not to mention, make your kitchen smell amazing.
What Type of Bread Lasts Longest?
Bagged mass-produced bread tends to have the longest shelf life, because it contains preservatives to keep it fresh throughout its journey through the supply chain. But George has some tips for choosing long-lasting bakery bread. It’s no surprise that larger loaves, like a miche (French for a large, round rustic loaf), last longer than small loaves. Breads with higher percentages of whole grains tend to stay fresh for longer, too. And finally, a bread that’s been naturally leavened (sourdough) will keep longer than a bread made with yeast.
