How to Store Bread Properly

Bread has evolved independently across cultures worldwide, with each region developing its own unique types. From sourdough to pita, every variety reflects local ingredients and traditions. While you may enjoy various kinds of bread, the real challenge is knowing how to store it properly to keep it fresh and flavorful.

Homemade bread is particularly problematic. While store-bought and commercial bread are made with preservatives to keep them fresh for a relatively long time, homemade bread starts losing its glory as soon as you get it out of the oven.

Why Does Bread Spoil?

Before jumping into how to store your bread, we need to know why bread goes stale. Bread loses softness mainly because of two reasons. The first reason is the ingredients themselves.

When you take bread out of the oven, a chain of chemical reactions start. These reactions force water out of the bread. As a result, staleness occurs. The process has a rather unusual name — “starch retrogradation”.

The other reason bread goes stale is exposure to air. The air sucks the moisture out of the bread, leaving us with stale tasteless bread to eat.

Why Not Refrigerate?

When we want to store any food item, the first place that comes to mind is the refrigerator. You can, of course, store your bread in the fridge but it is not advisable.

Remember that term retrogradation? It happens way faster in the refrigerator. The process actually starts at cooler temperatures. So when you take the bread out of the oven, it starts to retrograde.

When you put the bread inside the refrigerator, it creates the perfect atmosphere for retrogradation. The only benefit you can achieve from storing your bread in the refrigerator is that doing so helps prevent mold growth.

If you are okay with toasting your bread before making a sandwich, go ahead and put it in the refrigerator. Heat will break down the starch crystals and bring back the original texture of the bread somewhat.

Avoid placing bread in the refrigerator without proper protection. Seal it in an airtight container or a zip-lock bag, pressing out as much air as possible. This will help preserve its flavor and texture.

Keeping It Fresh

Suppose you like freshly baked bread direct from the oven. It is not possible for anyone to bake every time they want to eat bread. So you can go with the methods discussed below to to preserve freshness as effectively as possible.

1. Wrap It Up

Bread is best stored at room temperature. The most convenient way to store bread at room temperature is to wrap it with plastic or aluminum foil. The foil helps to trap the existing moisture and keeps the bread soft as well.

Sliced bread and whole loaves require different care. If the sliced bread is packaged in plastic, keep it that way. The packaging is designed to trap the moisture. Whole bread, on the other hand, is better stored in an aluminum wrapper.

2. Freeze It

If you want to preserve your extra bread for longer than a couple of days, put it in the freezer. The sub-zero temperatures of a freezer stop the retrogradation process, preserving the bread in its original state.

We strongly recommend slicing the bread before placing it in freezer-grade plastic for storage. The plastic wrap keeps the cold from making the bread surface crusty. The slicing helps to freeze the bread evenly.

When you feel like partaking of the bread again, just bring it out and let it come up to room temperature. This is called thawing. You can warm the bread up in the oven or toast it, if you like. Enjoy old bread that tastes freshly baked!

3. Store in a Breadbox

Breadboxes do exactly what they are designed for. They store bread and keep them fresh. Breadboxes have been around for a very long time and are still as useful as before.

Modern breadboxes come in many sizes and shapes. You can choose one that matches your interior and adds a nice touch to the kitchen counter. Breadboxes are perfect for preserving the original texture and moisture of bread for up to four days!

Breadboxes work similarly to a plastic bag. They retain the moisture inside the box, keeping the bread soft and moist. But breadboxes gain the upper hand because they let go of some of the moisture. Think of it like breathing.

Most breadboxes come as a countertop unit. You can find plenty of designs.  There is a standard bamboo breadbox that fits almost any kitchen counter. It adds a vintage look to your kitchen. Very easy to clean and maintain. The sliding panel makes it ideal for daily use.

Then there are under-cabinet models. These breadboxes are great if you want your bread to be out of sight. The problem with these is they are extremely rare to find. You might have to improvise a regular breadbox to use as an under-cabinet one.

There are adjustable breadboxes available if you want better control over how you want to store your bread. These come with knobs to adjust the air according to your choice.

Some models even come with expandability. The plastic breadbox not only lets you set the air, but you can pull it out if you need more space. This is a compact and reliable product suitable for a variety of use.

If you want something practical durable for long time use, stainless steel breadboxes are ideal. They come in different finish and colors for you to choose. The front slides right up so you don’t have to compromise any more counter space.

To utilize space and work efficiently, this breadbox works great. It looks like a classic bamboo breadbox that comes with a built-in cutting board! So, you can cut your bread right when you bring it out without making a mess.

Lift-off breadboxes help save a lot of space at the counter. This is a natural-looking box that can be a great addition to your kitchen countertop.

Know Your Bread

Different breads decay at different rates. They therefore require different storing methods. As we mentioned earlier, store-bought bread comes with preservatives to give them a longer life span. Bread that contains fat takes longer to retrograde than bread with less fat.

Regular store-bought bread that comes with the soft crust is ideally stored in plastic bags. In contrast, bread with hard crusts will develop mold if left in plastic bags for too long.

Despite all the precautions in the world, bread does eventually go stale. It is nothing to worry about. Partially stale bread is relatively easy to make edible again. Just heat up the oven or microwave and throw the bread in for a couple of minutes. This should bring the original texture back to such an extent that it can be consumed. Do not let it go cold again and you will be fine.

Conclusion

How to store bread properly is not rocket science. It just requires common sense and a little understanding. How you want to store your bread greatly depends on your surroundings, climate, and convenience.

If you can manage to get a breadbox, that would be undoubtedly the best option to store the bread. But not all of us bake regularly. We can make do by wrapping the bread in plastic or aluminum foil

For longer storage, wrap the bread tightly and put it in the freezer. We advise leaving the bread at room temperature for the first 1-2 days if your climate allows you to. Choose what works for you and keep enjoying your favorite breads!

Now… where to get fresh bread in Larchmont Village? The farmers market on Sundays and Clark Street Bakery every day! You can also get breadstuff from Le Pain Quotidien, Sam’s Bagels, Noah’s Bagels, and a quote a few other places on the boulevard.