How to Store Bread and Stop Mold

Welcome back to The Grown-Up Kitchena Skillet segment devoted to answering basic kitchen questions. Not all voting-age adults are comfortable tossing steaks or even heating up their frozen pizza. (My stepdad insists he was never able to microwave popcorn without burning it.) From basic cooking skills to gadget functions, food storage and knife maintenance, I’m here to help you eat like a grown-up.

This episode covers the simple, yet important problem of storing bread. (You know, to keep you from gagging when you discover the puppet of blue-green mold in your bag of bread.)

Storing bread is not a one-size-fits-all method, you need to consider your usage and the type of bread you like to eat.. I think everyone has a “bread personality,” and knowing yours can help you store bread more efficiently. You need to consider how often you carve a slice. Are you a daily, weekend bread eater, or do you have occasional cravings? Do you keep only store-bought sliced ​​breads or do you buy that rectangular seeded bread that always seems moist? There are three possible storage spaces for your bread, each suitable for a personality: the worktop, the refrigerator and the freezer.

Store it on the counter

Counter top storage is ideal for everyday eaters, and is best for breads that are on the dry side. Storage On The Counter, in a bag or in a bread box, gives you easy access to a slice, and it’s already at room temperature, which means you can eat immediately, otherwise the grilling time will be relatively quick.

Dry or crusty breads, such as bread rolls, or a ciabatta bread, keeps better at room temperature than moist bread. Bchopped English muffins, olive ball or Mestemacher seed bread have high moisture content, and the extra moisture in the plastic bag, especially if you live in a humid climate, can be a spa day for bread mold. A temperature range of 60-80°F does not inhibit fungal growth. Actually, Fungi likes to live in the temperatures we experience, so plan to finish this bread in three to five days. Households of two or more daily bread eaters will likely have no problem with countertop storage. If you’re on the fence, read on.

Store it in the refrigerator

Fridge storage might be the “this one is perfect” version for most people. This may work for daily bread eaters and rare bread eaters, but it’s perfect for those who want an egg sandwich maybe twice a week. Bread-loving spores are not interested in growing under these 35-40°F conditions, wet or not. Regardless of the type of bread, you can significantly extend the shelf life of your bread by up to two weeks. Despite the cool conditions, the bread remains flexible, so you can easily cut a few pieces of sourdough or split an English muffin with ease. (This is not the case with frozen whole loaves.) Remember that while you can store your bread in a paper bag on the counter, be sure to keep the bread wrapped in plastic if you’re storing it in the fridge for a long time. Long-long-term storage can lead to loss of moisture, stale bread, and inferior flavor.

Store it in the freezer

Don’t imagine yourself a carbohydrate lover, but once in a while need a tortilla? Store your breads in the freezer. Loaves keep surprisingly well in the freezer, some last up to six months, and they thaw in like-new condition. Seriously, it’s like bread was born again. This is one of the reasons the frozen aisle is full of bread products, they reheat phenomenally. In fact, your the bakery in the supermarket probably also freezes bread.

Whatever the type of bread, cranberry and nut breads or baguettes are welcome, and carbohydrates with high or low water content will also get away with it very well in the freezer. The only annoying thing is that when you want a slice it will be frozen. This makes cutting a problem. The best way to handle this problem is to put the work in Before you freeze it. First cut the bread. Separate English muffins, bagels, cookies and rolls. Wrap them well in plastic (moisture loss also occurs in the freezer) and put them in the freezer.

When the carb craving hits, grab a few pieces. They go part with a pull, or you can take a butter knife to separate them. Grill them as usual with an extra minute or two. Enjoy your new adult way of storing bread. You’ll waste fewer loaves, save money, and always have “fresh” bread when you want it.