Once you've mastered sourdough or spent the time to make a perfect loaf of pumpernickel bread, it's time to enjoy it. Since homemade bread doesn't keep as long as store-bought bread, which generally contains preservatives, you need to know how to store it to keep it at its freshest and best. The last thing you want is for it to go stale before you've had the chance to savor it slathered with butter or topped with avocado. The key to keeping that loaf as fresh as possible is proper storage—ahead, find out how to store homemade bread for a couple of days or longer.
- Jason Schreiber, baker, food stylist, and author of Fruit Cake: Recipes for the Curious Baker
- Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D.,food scientistand author of150 Food Science Questions Answered
- Johanna Hartzheim, co-founder and head of product at Wildgrain, a bread and pasta delivery service
How Long Homemade Bread Lasts
"Since homemade bread is preservative-free, it's likely to get stale within a couple of days after baking," says Jason Schreiber, food stylist and author of Fruit Cake: Recipes for the Curious Baker. Some types of freshly baked bread will last longer than others.
"Enriched breads like brioche, challah, and some sandwich loaves are higher in fat and sugar and will keep longer due to their ability to maintain higher moisture levels," says Schreiber. "Sourdough breads, which are more complex than standard yeast breads, can also maintain freshness longer due to the effects of the bacteria in the culture on the dough."
Johanna Hartzheim, co-founder and head of product at Wildgrain, a bread and pasta delivery service, recommends eating homemade bread within three days but says it will last up to a week. "The bread will start to dry up and become a bit harder over time, but it takes much longer until it becomes moldy," she says.
How to Store Homemade Bread If You'll Eat It Within a Few Days
If you will be eating the homemade bread within three or four days:
Don't slice it: Bread keeps best if it's unsliced—only slice the amount you'll need for a single meal.
Don't put homemade bread in the fridge: Homemade bread typically does not store well in the refrigerator. "The temperatures found in the fridge are optimal for a process called retrogradation, where the starches in the bread transition from their amorphous state to their more stable crystalline state. The crystalline starches create a very hard, stale bread." says food scientist Bryan Quoc Le, author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered.
The exception to the no-fridge rule says Hartzheim is parbaked bread, which you could store for a day or two in the refrigerator before baking it.
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Use the right container: The key, Le says, is to use something that will exclude as much air as possible to reduce oxidation and keep the moisture from evaporating from the bread surface while it's being stored.
Bread boxes, if you have one, work great, but you can also use wax paper, a beeswax and linen bag, or even a dishcloth.A clean dish towel is one of Hartzheim's favorite options. "Plastic bags help keep the crumb (the interior of the loaf) soft but also make the crust soft. If you will toast the bread, it's fine, but otherwise, it's a mushy, unpleasant crust.," says Hartzheim.
The exception is sandwich loaves, which are meant to be soft and tender and can be stored in a plastic bag.
How to Store Homemade Bread for Longer
If you don't plan to eat the bread within a few days, your best bet is to freeze it. It'll last for up to three months in the freezer, says Le. You should slice the bread before you freeze it—slice it into single portions, wrap it in wax or parchment paper, and place it in an airtight container.
"It's nice to pull out a slice or two and toast from frozen. This way, you do not need to be stressed about eating the whole loaf in time, but can, for example, slice and freeze half of the loaf and eat the other half fresh within two to three days," says Hartzheim.
How to Use Up Stale Bread
If you didn't manage to keep that bread from going stale, don't worry. It can be repurposed into breadcrumbs, French toast, bread pudding, and other dishes.
FAQs
If you don't plan to eat the bread within a few days, your best bet is to freeze it. It'll last for up to three months in the freezer, says Le. You should slice the bread before you freeze it—slice it into single portions, wrap it in wax or parchment paper, and place it in an airtight container.
How do bakers keep bread fresh? ›
Commercial bakeries use two types of ingredients to slow spoilage — emulsifiers and enzymes. Emulsifiers keep bread from going stale by preventing oil and water from separating.
What is the best container for storing bread? ›
One of the best ways to store bread is to keep it in a bread bin, and those with a tight seal will help to keep your loaves fresher for longer. It should be kept in a cool place, but avoid keeping it in the fridge.
Can I store homemade bread in a Ziploc bag? ›
Bacteria and mold thrive in damp, poorly-ventilated environments, and a plastic bag provides the perfect breeding ground for these unwanted organisms. Plastic bags can affect the flavor of the bread: Baked goods can absorb the taste and smell of plastic. This can greatly affect its flavor.
What ingredient makes homemade bread last longer? ›
How to keep homemade bread fresh. If making your own bread, choose recipes that include fats like butter, oil or eggs. These ingredients will help keep it softer for longer.
What keeps bread fresh the longest? ›
The best thing you can do to truly prolong the life of your bread is to keep it in the freezer. Slicing it first (or cutting it into big chunks) allows you to remove portions as necessary so you don't run into the same problem of handling a whole loaf of bread. In this case, you can store your bread in plastic.
How do you store homemade bread in the summer? ›
Paper bags are more breathable than plastic, which is great for brioche rolls, soft buns, and other breads with added fat. But too much air will make the bread go stale quickly. Consider keeping these bags airtight as best you can. Then there's the bread box: it balances moisture and air circulation.
What do bakers put in bread to make it last longer? ›
Sorbic acid: This preservative is added to bread to inhibit the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria. Sodium benzoate: This preservative is added to bread to prevent the growth of yeasts and bacteria. Potassium sorbate: This preservative is added to bread to prevent the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria.
Where is the best place to store bread? ›
You should keep your bread far away from the stove, the top of the fridge, or any area that's near sources of heat. Instead, your best bet it to keep it in a dark, cool section of your kitchen counter or your pantry.
What is the best way to store bread for longevity? ›
To save bread so it stays fresh longer, you can store it in plastic wrap, a reusable zip-top plastic bag, or a bread box. Avoid storing bread in damp, airy locations, which can speed up molding. If you're not going to eat the loaf in two or three days, the best option is to freeze it for later.
Store in paper, never plastic
If you plan on devouring it right away, then keeping it in a paper bag on the counter is the move. While storing in plastic seems like the right idea, this actually encourages mold growth, resulting in the bread going bad much faster.
Is a wood or metal bread box better? ›
Although wood, plastic, and aluminum all did a good job preserving bread, aluminum or steel boxes were significantly harder to clean and less durable. The shiny steel Home-it collected smudges and fingerprints each time I used it. Thin metal boxes also proved vulnerable to denting.
How to best store homemade bread? ›
Bread storage takeaways
For best moisture retention, slice bread from the center out, rather than from one end. Store airtight with the two cut halves facing each other and pressed together. Wrapping bread to retain moisture keeps it soft, though it robs crusty artisan bread of its crispy crust.
Should homemade bread be kept in an airtight container? ›
Although plastic bags and airtight containers may seem like a good way to keep your bread from going stale, the lack of airflow will foster an environment for mold growth, because the moisture is contained and mold loves moisture. If you want to put your bread in a container, a bread box is the way to go.
Can I wrap my homemade bread in parchment paper? ›
You can't count on it to protect a delicate crust or keep your loaf from drying out. If you want to wrap bread for gifting, take the inexpensive, yet gorgeously rustic approach: parchment paper.
How do you make bread stay fresh longer in a bread machine? ›
If you're in a dry area where bread stales (rather than going moldy), consider getting a bread box, or bagging the bread before you leave it out overnight. At the very least, wrap it loosely or place in a paper bag to allow steam to continue to escape, but still keep moisture near the loaf.
How to stop homemade bread from going stale? ›
Homemade bread, while flavorful, has a short shelf life because it lacks the preservatives found in commercially produced loaves. No matter what you do, bread will go stale if you keep it at room temperature. The best way to preserve freshness is by freezing.
What makes bread stay soft and fresh longer? ›
Store it in a bread box
First, bread boxes will provide a consistently cool — but not cold — environment that will slow the loss of moisture that results in staling, while preventing mold from growing. While we want our bread to retain some moisture so it remains soft, you can have too much of a good thing.
How do you store homemade bread so it stays crispy? ›
Crusty bread can be stored uncovered at room temperature for the first day. By the end of the day, it's best to wrap it in foil (not plastic) or in a paper bag and kept at room temperature for a second day. After the second day, it's really best to freeze it.
