Melis Campbell
Do you have bread left over or don’t want to stand in line at the bakery? No problem: just freeze rolls or bread and enjoy days or weeks later! Freezing works with these 4 tips!
Can you freeze bread?
You can and should freeze bread if you have too much of it around the house and want to avoid wasting food. Because if you have too much bread at home, it is in danger of becoming dry and sooner or later it ends up in the garbage. But freezing is also good for storage. So you always have bread in the house, you can defrost it and enjoy it as you wish.
Freeze sliced bread, wholemeal bread or toast
Whether you have a whole loaf, individual slices or multiple buns, any type of bread freezes easily. Depending on your needs, you can also portion the goods so that you can defrost half a loaf or just a few slices at a time, for example. Another advantage: smaller portions freeze faster and defrost faster. Everything is actually possible – the only important thing is to do it right and to pay attention to durability. Bread cannot be stored indefinitely in the freezer.
Freeze bread properly: Here’s how
So how should you freeze bread? With these tips you can:
1. Freeze fresh bread
It is important that the bread comes fresh in the freezer. Because older products no longer taste good even after defrosting.
2. Pack bread airtight for freezing
Bread will keep longer if frozen in a case without air. Plastic freezer bags are best for this. Simply squeeze out the air before sealing and pack airtight.
3. Freeze bread without plastic
However, plastic bags are not particularly sustainable. That’s why you can also use other materials, such as stainless steel or glass cans as well as oilcloths or cloth bags. A second layer of fabric can protect against freezer burn here, while wrapping the bread firmly. If you only want to freeze bread for a few days, you can simply place it in the paper bag in the freezer.
4. Avoid freezer burn when freezing bread
The temperature in the freezer should be constantly minus 18 degrees. In order to avoid fluctuations as far as possible, it is advisable to open the freezer compartment door only rarely and briefly. Otherwise, the above-mentioned freezer burn can occur. Then small white crumbs of ice settle on the bread.
Freezing bread: how long does it keep?
Bread can be kept in the freezer for several months in an airtight container. Exactly how long, however, depends on the type of bread:
- White and toast bread: about 1 to 3 months
- Buns: 3 to 4 months
- Wholemeal bread: approx. 4 to 6 months
It’s a good idea to write the freezing date on the container or bag – then you’ll always know exactly when to eat the bread.
Defrost frozen bread
If you want to defrost the frozen bread, the question also arises as to the best way to do this. After all, the bread should taste as juicy and good as possible, even if it was frozen. The best method is to let the frozen bread thaw at room temperature in a cloth bag or under a cloth. Sliced bread defrosts faster and is ready to eat after about two hours. You can even put individual slices directly into the toaster.
You should take a whole loaf of bread out of the freezer in the evening so that it can thaw overnight. Frozen bread tastes best when it is warmed up before eating, for example in the oven or in the microwave with the grill function. Then the slices are nice and crispy. If you do it right, bread can be frozen without sacrificing taste or texture.
