Emma Miller
Do you know what most people do to keep bread fresh longer? They put it in the fridge. And everyone is advised to do so – as in the fridge bread does not spoil and does not stale. “Oh, it gets stale!” – Others say the same thing. Let’s find out if you can really keep bread in the refrigerator.
Can I keep bread in the fridge – pros and cons
Opponents of storing bread in the fridge are actually right: bread stale in it faster (3 times – say the scientists) than at room temperature. The thing is that in the fridge in the bread there is a process whereby the starch molecules crystallize, and as a result, the bread becomes stale.
But there’s a nuance – you can’t keep bread in the fridge for long periods of time. If you need more or less fresh bread for some 2-3 days – you can use the fridge for this.
How to store bread in the fridge – 3 ways
There are a few rules on how to store bread in the refrigerator.
- Don’t wrap the bread in a plastic bag – it’s sure to be stale.
- Put the bread in a paper bag and then wrap it in plastic or cling film. The moisture that will evaporate from the bread will be absorbed by the paper, and the bread will remain crispy.
Be careful: if the bread is still hot, you need to let it cool completely and only then wrap it and put it in the fridge. Wrapped in a bag hot bread will be covered with condensation.
Where to store bread in the kitchen so it does not become stale – tips
- In the breadbox
This is the easiest way to store bread, but in the breadbox, you can store bread for a short time – a maximum of two days.
It is proven that the bread is best preserved in a wooden breadbox. Wrap the bread in a bag, such as a linen bag, and put it in the breadbox, and the breadbox itself put in a closed kitchen cabinet – away from direct sunlight.
The temperature should be about 20ºC. Make sure there is no excessive humidity in the kitchen, or the bread will get moldy.
- In the freezer
The best way to store bread is in the freezer, here it can be stored for 3-6 months.
In the freezer, you can put the bread in the original store packaging. If the bread is unpackaged, wrap it in a plastic bag, cling film, or foil. To be sure, you can “wrap” the bread first in cling film and then in foil.
By the way, in the freezer you can store not only bread but also baked goods – they perfectly retain their appearance and do not lose in taste.
It is better to defrost bread at room temperature, having unpacked it beforehand.
