Fresh, out-of-the-oven loaves of bread don’t have a shelf life. A soft loaf of bread tastes great when it’s fresh, but after a few days, it can get stale – or worse, moldy. The solution to this problem is storing your fresh bread before it gets dry or moldy. While there are many storage methods for bread, one of the best ways of preserving fresh bread is by storing it in the freezer.
Some people have the notion that storing their bread in the refrigerator is a great idea, but that method will only make the bread dry out and become stale faster than when stored at room temperature. But when you store bread in the freezer, the quality will be preserved for at least three months.
How to store bread in the freezer
Fresh bread typically becomes bad when it gets stale (due to lack of moisture) or when it gets moldy (due to too much moisture.) Thankfully, freezing your bread solves these two problems, and it is suitable for all kinds of bread. Here’s a quick guide to how you can freeze your bread:
- If you’re baking your bread at home, the first thing to do is to let it cool completely, and this process might take 4-5 hours.
- Consider slicing your bread before freezing, so you don’t have to worry about slicing it when it’s frozen.
- Package the bread to keep air out and moisture in. To do this, you will need to wrap the bread in foil or plastic. Then twist the open end of the bag and then tie it to seal air out.
- When you are ready to eat the bread, heat it in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, per Reid’s recommendation.
You can store fresh bread in the freezer for up to 6 months, provided the bread was fresh before you put it in your freezer.