There’s nothing quite like fresh bread. That warm flaky yet soft texture is something to be admired. However, bread seems to always get stale or moldy so quickly…
So what can you do to make it last longer? Can you freeze bread or will that just make it worse?
Freezing bread will preserve the breads quality making it last longer. Bread will last for up to two to six months in the freezer depending on the ingredients. Breads with dairy products can be safely stored in the freezer for two to three months. While non-dairy breads can last for up to six months in the freezer.
Frozen bread is easy to defrost and will taste just as good as fresh bread. As long as the bread it frozen the shortly after purchasing, the bread will not go stale in the freezer.
Freezing bread is a great trick to make it last longer.
Types Of Bread That Can Be Frozen
All bread types can be frozen. Whether your bread is store-bought or homemade, it’s freezer friendly.
You can freeze baguette, loaves, sandwich bread, ciabatta, bagels, dinner rolls, challah, banana bread… If you can make it or buy it, you can freeze it.
You should always freeze excess fresh bread.
If your bread is already stale then it’s too late to freeze it. If it’s stale going into the freezer, it’ll be stale coming out.
Tips For Freezing Sliced vs Whole Bread
Before placing your bread into the freezer, you need to plan out how you will be using and eating your bread. This will impact how the bread should be stored in the freezer.
For example, if you are going to be making sandwiches everyday and only need a few slices at time then you want to freeze the bread slices separately. If the entire loaf of sliced bread is frozen together then breaking apart two slices of bread can be a pain.
The best solution for freezing sliced bread is to put wax paper between the slices or to freeze two slices together so you can easily thaw out the proper amount of bread.
However, if you intend to use the entire loaf of bread then it will make sense to freeze the entire loaf whole.
How To Store Bread In The Freezer
To freeze a whole loaf or baguette, place it into an extra-large plastic bag or two bags sealed together. Place today’s date onto the bag so you can see how long the bread has been in the freezer as time goes on.
Please refer to the next section for details on how long different types of bread last in the freezer.
To freeze smaller breads like dinner rolls and bagels, you can store them in an extra-large plastic bag or their own individual bags. They generally do not stick together so you should be fine to use one big bag. Label with today’s date.
To freeze store-bought sliced bread, you can place it in the freezer directly in its original packaging. Generally, the slices don’t stick together and you’re able to easily pull out only the slices you need.
Sometimes the slices get a little stuck but with some delicate force you’ll be able to break off the slices you need. This generally happens if the sliced bread has been sitting in the freezer for a long time towards the end of your expiry window.
To freeze homemade bread for sandwiches, make sure your bread is cooled. Slice it to your desired thickness. Store in an extra-large plastic bag or divide among multiple plastic bags. Label with today’s date.
How To Prevent Frozen Bread Slices From Sticking
Here are a few tips to prevent slices of frozen bread from sticking to each other.
First try to consume the bread well before its expiration date. As the bread slices are stored in the freezer, water and ice crystals begin to form.
As the freezer is opened and closed the crystals will melt and then re-freeze which will cause the slices to stick together. So the best tip is to use your bread before the two to six month recommended freezing period is up.
If you plan on consuming your bread over the course of a few months then placing parchment paper between each slice helps prevent the slices from sticking. Placing paper between the slices will ensure that you can pry the slices apart even if the whole loaf gets frozen shut.
How Long Does Bread Last In The Freezer?
Bread that does not contain any dairy can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
Bread that contain eggs such as Challah can last up to two months in the freezer. Banana bread also lasts up to two months in the freezer.
Bread that contains milk can last for up to three months in the freezer.
If you try to consume bread past their freezing window then the bread will begin to lose its flavor and go stale. While bacteria does not develop in the freezer, there is a risk that they will develop while the bread is being thawed out.
So it’s best to use frozen bread within these windows.
While breads can last for two to six months in the freezer, it’s best to consume frozen bread within one month.
The flavors and textures start to change after a month. Typically frozen bread will start to lose moisture over time which causes a stale texture when the bread is thawed.
Can You Refreeze Bread?
Bread can be refrozen although it is not recommended.
Thawing frozen bread will cause the ice crystals to melt which will make the bread soggier. If this thawed bread is then refrozen then the bread slices will have more crystal hardening in the bread itself which will cause texture and flavor differences.
Typically bread that is frozen and thawed will feel more stale as time goes on so repeatedly freezing and thawing bread will accelerate this process.
The flavor of frozen bread will also diminish over time so refreezing bread will cause the flavors to diminish faster as well.
How To Defrost or Thaw Bread
The best approach to thawing sliced bread is to remove the slices you need and toast them. You could also zap your slices in the microwave in increments of 10 seconds at a time until they are ready to enjoy.
Bagels, dinner rolls, and banana bread slices can also be reheated in the microwave in increments of 10 seconds at a time until they’re hot enough to enjoy.
There are a few options when it comes to defrosting whole loaves. First whole loaves can be safely thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Whole loves can also be zapped in the microwave using increments of 20 or 30 seconds.
Finally, whole loaves can also be reheated in the oven. The oven can also toast the whole loaf bringing it back to life with the warm crust and soft interior.
To reheat a loaf in the oven you need to pre-heat the oven to 350°F and place the loaf inside. Typically loaves of bread will take 15 to 40 minutes to defrost and reheat. Smaller baguettes generally take less time, while a big loaf of bread will take up to 40 minutes.
Occasionally check in on the bread to make sure it’s not being burnt while in the oven.
DO NOT defrost or thaw frozen bread on the counter. All of the water crystals that were formed in the freezer will melt and make your bread soggy.
Not to mention thawing bread on the counter will encourage bacteria and mold growth which will ruin your bread.
Final Thoughts
Freezing fresh bread is a great way to preserve its flavor and texture so that it can be enjoyed later. Not to mention freezing bread will prevent the bread from going stale or developing mold.
The reason why freezing bread is such a great option is that reheating frozen bread brings it back to life. Reheated bread will taste just as delicious as the day you bought or made it as long as you reheat the bread within the recommended time windows.
As long as you follow the proper technique for freezing and thawing the bread, you’ll be happy with the results.
