Store in paper, never plastic If you plan on devouring it right away, then keeping it in a paper bag on the counter is the move. While storing in plastic seems like the right idea, this actually encourages mold growth, resulting in the bread going bad much faster.
To avoid this from happening, "there are only two things to do" - cut holes in the bag and keep the bread in the fridge. This hack can also work for bread from bakeries - fresh bread doesn't have as many preservatives as store-bought bread.
Commercially baked breads and rolls can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 4 days or 7 to 14 days in the refrigerator. Bread products retain their quality when stored in the freezer for 3 months. Any breads containing meat or hard cooked eggs must be refrigerated within 2 hours.
Freeze bread.
For the longest possible storage, freezing bread is the way to go. You can store entire loaves or individual slices in freezer bags for up to two months. Unlike your refrigerator, your freezer will keep all the moisture locked into the bread itself.
Wrapping bread and storing it at room temperature will help it retain moisture for a few days. But what if you can't finish the whole loaf in that amount of time? Freezing is the answer. The takeaway: If you're storing bread longer than a few days, it's best to keep it in the freezer.
Bread should be stored in a dry, cool and dark place. The bread itself should never be stored directly in a plastic bag. If stored properly bread should stay fresh for about 3 days ( if it is a highly hydrated sourdough bread you could keep it fresh for about 4-5 days ).
If you tightly wrap your bread in plastic and put it in the refrigerator, you can help slow the staling process. Freezing bread is an option to help prevent it from going stale and developing spoilage microbes.
Adding a shortening agent: Try enriching your bread dough with some shortening. A rich dough containing milk, shortening even eggs and some sugar stays moist longer than a basic dough made with water, salt, yeast and flour. This maybe one of the best way to keep bread fresh.
USE A BREAD BOX
You can keep your fresh loaf in a bread box for a few days. With its dark and dry interior, a bread box helps maintain a decent balance of moisture to keep the inside of the bread soft and its exterior crusty. Make sure there is plenty of room inside for good air circulation.
Stainless Steel
The most durable material for a bread box. It has a sleek, modern look and is also great for humid environments since it keeps out excess moisture.
How long a loaf of bread lasts before it gets moldy or stale depends on the type of bread. In general, most loaves will last up to a week at room temperature, and three to five days longer in the fridge—though keep in mind that refrigeration can make bread go stale.
Bread will generally become stale past its expiration date, but it's still safe to eat. If it's moldy, toss it out. To extend its shelf life, toss it in the freezer. Cereal might go stale, but it's still safe to eat long after its expiration date.
The best way to store bread is at room temperature in a dark, dry, cool location such as a pantry, drawer, or bread box. We also recommend keeping our bread sealed in its original packaging, as this will help retain its moisture.
Bread should be stored in an air-tight container, but still have some room to breath. Any kind of tin or bread box will work, as long as the lid fits tightly enough to keep air out.
Bread boxes aren't just for looks (although some can definitely improve the look and feel of your kitchen). They're also ideal for storing bread to keep it from molding. Just place the loaf directly into the box without putting into a paper or plastic bag first.
Verdict: A freezer bag is a decent short-term, room-temperature bread storage solution. Storing your bread on the countertop in a plastic bag (or well-sealed plastic wrap) will help keep it from going stale, but be warned: the crust will suffer and grow mold due to trapped moisture.
Store in paper, never plastic
If you plan on devouring it right away, then keeping it in a paper bag on the counter is the move. While storing in plastic seems like the right idea, this actually encourages mold growth, resulting in the bread going bad much faster.
*Never keep your bread in the fridge. The starch molecules in bread recrystallize very quickly at cool temperatures, and causes the bread to stale much faster when refrigerated. *Shop-bought loaves should be kept in an air-tight plastic bag at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
The reason a refrigerator is bad for bread: When bread is stored in a cold (but above freezing) environment, this recrystallization, and therefore staling, happens much faster than at warmer temperatures. Freezing, however, dramatically slows the process down. So that's the science in a nutshell.
Commercial bakeries use two types of ingredients to slow spoilage — emulsifiers and enzymes. Emulsifiers keep bread from going stale by preventing oil and water from separating. Adding emulsifiers sometimes goes by the names “crumb softening” or “dough conditioning” because it works to preserve texture.
Egg, milk, and sugar are common additions to bread dough to extend its shelf life. They can be used alone or in combination. Another addition is potato flour, mixed with the wheat flour. This helps retain moisture, but shouldn't be overdone as potato flour has no gluten.
Yeast releases gases when it consumes the sugars in the flour. These gases get trapped inside the dough buy the mesh the gluten makes. This is what causes your bread to be airy and fluffy.
When you store bread at room temperature, it typically lasts three to five days. Frozen bread often lasts up to three months before freezer burn sets in.
Bread might go stale ASAP when it's refrigerated, but freezing it is actually one of the best ways to extend its shelf life. Freezing your bread will prevent mold growth and stop staleness in its tracks. Here's how it works.
Yes, you can freeze bread! And you absolutely should if you think you won't use the whole loaf before it goes bad.