Making Bread Last Longer

Are you tired of throwing away moldy loaves of bread? In this post by Great Harvest: Great Harvest of Newtonville in Newtonville, we’ll go through several suggestions on how to help your bread last longer.

Avoid Storing Hot Bread

Storing bread correctly starts with knowing exactly when to keep it. The cooling process is essential when baking bread as it helps with texture and taste development. Before you decide to store your bread away, make sure it has cooled completely. Cooling can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. The time it takes to cool down will mostly depend on the size of your loaf and the type of bread you have. Storing hot or warm bread could cause it to mold faster; that’s why you should wait until it’s at least at body temperature and at best when it’s at room temperature.

Get freshly baked bread in Newtonville by visiting the best bakery in town, Great Harvest Bread Co., where you can buy freshly made bread with the best ingredients and delicious sandwiches. Call today at 617-928-1162 for more information on their menu.

Freeze Your Loaves

Freezing your bread loaves is also a great way to keep them fresh for future use. Store-bought bread can be frozen in its original packaging. You should consider a few considerations before storing homemade bread or loaves of bread like the Great Harvest of Newtonville ones. First, you should let your bread cool completely before freezing, then wrap it in plastic and foil. A well-wrapped loaf can last in the freezer for up to six months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or toast it directly from the freezer once you’re ready to eat that loaf. Pro tip: Slice up your bread before freezing for easier thawing.

Don’t Store Your Bread in Plastic Bags

Choosing where to store your bread is key to making it last longer. Many people buy their loaf of bread and forget it on the counter in the plastic or paper bag it came in, just to come back to stale, moldy, or hard bread. Storing your bread in plastic is an easy way to lose a loaf because as it traps in moisture, it encourages mold growth and softens the crust. Plastic is also the cause of starch retrogradation, a chemical process that changes the nutritional and texture properties of bread.

A good choice for fresh bread in Newtonville is Great Harvest Bread Co. Visit them today to try their delicious bread and made only from pure and simple ingredients. Call today at 617-928-1162 and ask about today’s menu.

Get a Bread Box or a Bread Bag

Bread boxes and bread bags are two of the best options to store your bread. Even though a bread box might seem like an old-timey solution, there’s a reason why it used to be a staple in most people’s homes. Bread boxes can keep bread fresh and its crust crisp for up to three days. The reason is that bread boxes promote a balance between the humidity inside the box and the air allowed in as it’s not fully sealed. If you choose to use a bread box, remember to take out your bread from the packaging it came in (no paper or plastic) for bread boxes to work better. If counter space is an issue in your kitchen, an alternative to bread boxes which tend to be bulky is getting a bread bag. Brad bags are made out of breathable cloth like linen, and some of their benefits are keeping bread in the dark, they’re washable and reusable, and they also attract enough moisture so that your bread doesn’t harden, but not enough to promote mold growth.

Store Your Bread in a Dry, Cool Area

Another important note when storing bread is to do so in a dry, cool area as mold grows faster in warm places that hold in moisture. If you don’t have a bread box or bread bags at hand, storing your bread in a drawer or pantry at room temperature might be your best bet. As a final note, avoid keeping your bread in the refrigerator as cooler temperatures (above freezing) promote starch recrystallization, which is a cause of stale bread.

Great Harvest Bread Co. is an excellent option for freshly made bread in Newtonville. Baked daily with fresh ingredients, this is how bread ought to be from the beginning. Call today at 617-928-1162 and ask about their delicious menu of bread and sandwiches. You won’t be disappointed!