Finishing a loaf of bread is no easy task if you don’t have enough people in the house to consume it all.
Bread is notorious for its short shelf life, and the last thing you want is to open your cupboard to see green mold growing on the bread you bought less than a week ago.
Especially if you’re craving a sandwich for lunch.
So, can you freeze bread? Is it possible to leave bread in the freezer to extend its shelf life? And if so, how long can bread last in the freezer?
Believe it or not, you’re not the first person to wonder if bread can be frozen.
So, if you want to extend the shelf life of a loaf of bread, you’ll be happy to know that you can keep it in the freezer.
Here is everything you need to know about putting bread in the freezer, including how long it can stay frozen for.
Can You Freeze Bread?
In short, yes, you can freeze bread! This is a great way to prevent wastage and keep your loaf of bread for a later date.
It means you won’t have to worry about unexpectedly finding mold on the bread, and means you can keep bread stored in your kitchen for longer.
So, if you’re only halfway through a loaf of bread and don’t think you’ll manage to finish it before it’s likely to go stale, chuck it in the freezer!
The best part about freezing bread, other than extending its service life, is that it doesn’t take long to defrost the bread, either. More on that later!
The only downside to freezing bread is that the bread won’t taste as fresh as it once did. This is an inevitable reality when it comes to freezing any kind of food.
In most cases, you probably won’t even taste the difference – and the convenience of having bread readily available in the freezer massively outweighs the cons.
The Best Way To Freeze Bread
Bread can be frozen super easily. The best way to freeze bread is to separate the bread into slices, so that it’s easier to take each slice out of the freezer.
This way, you don’t have to defrost an entire loaf of bread, only to use two slices of it once it has defrosted.
Then, put the slices into a freezer bag. You don’t have to separate each slice into its own freezer bag – they will be easy to pull apart once they’re frozen anyway.
Also, this would be a huge waste of freezer bags!
Then, put the freezer bags into the freezer, and that’s it!
However, it’s worth noting that using the freezer bag method is only suitable for freezing bread for short periods of time.
This will only maintain the freshness of the bread for about a month.
If you want to keep your bread in the freezer for longer than a month, then make sure to wrap the slices in freezer paper or plastic wrap before putting them in the freezer bag.
This is to add an extra layer of protection against freezer burn, which is responsible for destroying the quality of bread.
If you are particularly forgetful when it comes to keeping foods in the freezer, it’s worth adding a sticky note to the freezer bag with the date that you first put the bread into the freezer.
How Long Can Bread Last In The Freezer?
Generally speaking, frozen bread will last between 1 and 3 months, depending on how you wrap it in the freezer.
Freezer burn occurs when bread slices haven’t been properly wrapped.
You can typically avoid freezer burn with just freezer bags, but if you intend to keep your bread in the freezer for longer than a month, it’s worth double wrapping the slices.
In most cases, however, people will consume the frozen bread within a matter of weeks. So, you probably won’t need to put it in more than just a freezer bag.
It’s important to remember that bread will never be spoiled while in the freezer. Instead, the longer you keep it in the freezer, the lower the quality of the bread will become.
This is especially true for bread that has been in the freezer for 6 months or more. Either way, you won’t get sick from eating bread that has been in the freezer for a long time.
How To Defrost Bread
There are two ways to defrost bread, and both are incredibly easy.
Firstly, if you want to eat frozen bread right away for lunch or breakfast, you can simply thaw and reheat it in the toaster.
This will only take a couple of minutes until the bread is fresh once again.
Just keep an eye on the bread as you defrost it in the toaster. If you leave it too long, it will toast like regular bread. Of course, this is fine if you want actual toast!
Otherwise, you can leave the bread to thaw on the counter.
If you take the slices out of the freezer and separate them on a plate at room temperature, it should take about 20 to 30 minutes before they are completely thawed.
The best way to thaw bread at room temperature is to lean the frozen slices against one another like a house of cards. This will ensure that the bread thaws evenly and quickly.
If you have frozen an entire loaf of bread and plan on using it the next day, take it out of the freezer and keep it on the countertop to thaw overnight.
It doesn’t need to be put in the fridge, as this might trap moisture and result in cold, soggy bread.
Summary
So, there you have it! To put it simply, bread can be frozen, and the best way to freeze bread is to put the slices into freezer bags.
Bread won’t spoil in the freezer, so it can last for several months if you wrap it properly.
