How Long Can You Freeze Store-bought Bread?

How long can you freeze store-bought bread?

In this brief guide we will address the question, “how long can you freeze store-bought bread?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how to properly thaw frozen bread and how to keep your bread fresh.

How long can you freeze store-bought bread?

Store bought bread can typically last for about 4-6 months. This is the time period in which your bread will remain safe to consume. The original freshness and flavor of bread typically lasts not more than a month.

Once you have consumed your freshly bought bread, you might think of freezing it if you want to save it for later use.

Short term bread storage

If you wish to consume within a span of three weeks, you don’t have to do the extra work of wrapping it in a different plastic bag that it came in. Just wrap it up and put it in the freezer. The plastic bag will keep it fresh for about 3 weeks. After this period, your bread may start to develop a freezer burn.

Long term bread storage

If you want to freeze your bread for a longer duration, you might want to put in some extra effort. Use a plastic wrap in this case to ensure the absence of unnecessary air. Once you have wrapped it with a plastic wrap, put another layer of aluminium foil or freezing paper.

It is also a good idea to mention the date before you put it in the freezer. In this way, you will know when your bread is about to go bad. This method prolongs the shelf life of bread for upto 6 months depending on the freshness and quality of bread. If you freeze it any longer, your bread will develop the freezer burn.

How to thaw frozen bread

Improper thawing is perhaps the most common mistake that people make when it comes to food products. Thawing is just as important as freezing it, because improper thawing may result in either contamination or the loss of original texture.

Freezing and thawing is pretty much the same for all types of bread except with french bread, because it requires delicacy owing to its wholesomeness and the crispiness.

When thawing frozen bread, one must keep in mind that the sealing of bread must not be removed, otherwise it will promote the growth of unwanted moulds on your bread.

Thawing on the kitchen shelf is also not a good option, because it will decrease the shelf life of the product. You should just keep it in the refrigerator with its sealing intact to promote optimum results. Once the bread is thawed out properly, the oven is your best friend!

Other FAQs about Bread which you may be interested in.

Can you freeze bread with paper towels

How to separate frozen bread slices?

How to keep your bread fresh?

If you want to preserve your bread just for a day or two, then freezing may not be the best option for you because it requires a huge amount of preparation time. Just remove excess air from the bread and use an aluminium foil to ensure an airtight environment.

You can also cut the bread into equal slices so you only need the slices that you want to consume, preventing the other slices from getting exposed to the environment.

Proper cooling.

When going for freezing bread, you need to make sure that the bread is not very hot to go into the freezer. This will just make your bread soggy when you freeze it and you won’t get the desired results. You don’t have to refrigerate it to cool it down, just wait till the freshly baked bread reaches room temperature and then you can store it.

Use double freezing bags

The first step while freezing is to make sure that you use food-grade freezing bags. Freezing bags can be sealed airtight and they do not stick to the surface of your food, making them an ideal storage method for thawing and handling frozen products.

Doubling the freezing bags will ensure air-tight conditions and prevent the bags from puncturing if exposed to sharp edges in the freezer.

Refrigerate whole when needed

If you’re a bread lover and like to serve it whole, only then you should refrigerate without making small portions. This method is ideal for when you need to serve it to your guests because small pieces will just ruin the flavor and wholeness of the bread being served.

Remove excess air from the bags

If air is allowed to enter bread, there are possible chances of mold growth which we definitely don’t want. Therefore, removing excess air from the plastic bags is the way to go!

Make small portions

Portion sizes are the key element to freezing. If you have purchased too much fresh french bread and don’t want to waste it, you can just make small portions of it before you freeze it. This will not only allow the bread to thaw quicker, but will also save the other portions from getting exposed.

Taking out the bread from the freezer and cutting it again and again will only take up more of your time and affect the unused portion of the bread that you’re putting back in the freezer.

Conclusion

In this brief guide we have addressed the question, “how long can you freeze store-bought bread?” as well as other questions pertaining to the subject at hand like how to properly thaw frozen bread and how to keep your bread fresh.