Hate wasting bread? This simple storage trick can double or even triple your loaf's freshness - no special equipment required!
A Fresh New Way to Store Bread There's nothing worse than opening the bread box to find a loaf has turned into a green, fuzzy science experiment. But what if we told you there's a super simple way to double-or even triple-the shelf life of your favorite loaves?
The Fridge is Public Enemy #1
You might be tempted to toss that bread in the fridge to keep it fresher longer. But according to Maurizio Leo, baker and founder of The Perfect Loaf, the fridge is actually one of the worst places to store bread. "Placing your bread in the refrigerator will cause it to stale faster than if it's kept at room temperature," he warns.
The Magic of Beeswax Wrap
So how do you keep bread fresh without that cold fridge air drying it out? One tip is using beeswax wraps like Bee's Wrap. Just mold the malleable wrap around your bread, creating an airtight seal that locks in moisture without trapping it like plastic. Genius!
But beeswax wraps aren't the only solution. Paper bags, kitchen towels, and even plastic bags (in dry climates) can all help extend a loaf's lifespan.
Here are some other tips as well:
Obviously, keep bread away from any food that's moldy or in a spot where a moldy item was sitting.
Freeze it. Yes, we know the fridge was your enemy but the freezer isn't. Freezing bread locks in moisture fast so it doesn't wick off into the ether.
In the worst-case scenario, reuse it. Dry it out in the oven at very low heat until you can make breadcrumbs or croutons, or go the opposite direction and make a gooey bread pudding.
Food waste sucks, but with a few simple hacks, we can reduce the amount of trash we contribute to that landfill every day. So go save that loaf before it's too late!