How Long Does Bread Last?: Bread is one of the most popular foods in the world and it is majorly made from wheat. If you had this question in mind How Long Does Bread Last while consuming bread it is perfectly fine. Usually, bread stays up to 3 -4 days and 1-2 weeks in the fridge and you can extend the shelf life by opting freezing option.
The Ingredients used in Bread make it become stale within a short period of time. Before it becomes mold learn how to keep Bread Fresh in the coming sections. To know further about the storage, shelf life, and How to tell if Bread is Bad, Whether or not you can freeze the Bread in the later modules.
- How Long Does Bread Last?
- How to Store Bread?
- How to Tell if Bread is Bad?
- Can You Freeze Bread?
- How to Defrost Bread?
- Interesting Facts about Bread
- How do you know when bread goes bad?
- How long does store-bought bread last?
- Can old bread make you sick?
- Can out-of-date bread give you diarrhea?
How Long Does Bread Last?
Storebought Bread usually stays for about 4-6 days on the counter and up to 1-2 weeks in the Fridge. Homemade Bread will last only 2-4 days and up to 7 days in the Fridge. If you want to use Bread for a prolonged period of time you can go for freezing. if you want to use it for more time double layer the slices with aluminum foil or use additional freezer bags. All these are rough estimates and work perfectly fine in the majority of the cases. Better use these within the best by dates for quality reasons.
| Type | Counter | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-bought bread | 4 – 6 days | 7 – 14 days | 3+ months |
| Homemade bread | 2 – 4 days | 7 days | 3+ months |
How to Store Bread?
In order to store bread for a long time, you can go by either refrigerator or freezing and there is no way around other than them. To store bread keep it either on the counter, in the fridge, or freezer. If you decide to refrigerate it tightly seal it as it is a must. If you want to freeze slice the bread in advance so that you can take as much as you need. You can use the technique that works perfectly fine for you and see the difference.
On the Counter
Leaving the Bread on the Counter isn’t a bad idea and if you want to store at room temperatures you can go by any of the options below
- paper bag
- aluminum foil
- plastic bag (or freezer bag)
- wrapped in a kitchen towel
- cloth bag
- breadbox
- cut side down on a cutting board
All these options can be split into two categories breathable and nonbreathable ones. Aluminum Foil and Plastic Bags come under non-breathable ones whereas the rest fall under breathable ones. You can use breathable to retain the crispiness of your read whereas non-breathable ones will lock the moisture and help the bread to stay fresh for a long time.
In the Fridge
Not many people will accept the fact that Storing bread in the Refrigerator is perfectly okay. It’s just that you need to store it properly in an air-tight container. Storing it in a refrigerator will extend the shelf life of Bread than kept on the counter. However, see the bag if there are any signs of condensation and remove the waterdrops every day by wrapping them with a kitchen towel or paper to lock the extra moisture.
In the Freezer
Freezing can be a great option to prevent your bread from becoming stale. Freezing is quite simple and you can do so by following the below measures.
- Slice your Bread: Cut the bread into slices and then store it in the freezer so that you can take the portion needed and defrost them easily.
- Put the Slices in Freezer Bag: Keep the slices and mention a label on the bags.
- Place Bag in Freezer: Now the last step is to keep the bag in the freezer so that the bread retains quality for a long time.
How to Tell if Bread is Bad?
You can look for the following signs to see if your Bread is Safe to Eat or not. They are along the lines
- Look for Mold Growth: If you see any fuzzy spots it is a clear sign that something went wrong with your Bread. Scrapping moldy parts is not a wise idea so let the entire bread go for food safety reasons.
- Give it a Whiff: If you sense anything different from the regular smell toss it out.
- Taste It: If you feel everything is okay see the taste of the bread if it tastes bad or the texture is different from the usual one don’t eat it anymore and discard it.
What about the Stale Bread?: Stale Bread is okay to eat but in terms of tastewise. So it’s your call whether to have it or not. You can use it in your toasts or even prepare breadcrumbs from the old ones than simply throwing them away.
Read More:
Ingredients:
Wheat Flour, Sugar, Condensed Milk, Yeast, Salt, Edible Vegetable Oil, Emulsifiers (4710, Preservatives (282), Antioxidants (300), Improvers (INS 1100), and Acidity Regulator (260).
Nutritional Information
Per 100 g Product (Approx.)
| Nutrients | Per 100 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44.90 g |
| Sugars | 11.00 g |
| Proteins | 7.65 g |
| Fat | 0.88 g |
| Saturated Fatty Acids | 1.30 g |
| Monounsaturated Fatty Acids | 0.45 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | 0.67 g |
| Trans Fatty Acids | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Calcium | 118.50 mg |
| Iron | 1.34 mg |
| Energy | 218 Kcal |
Can You Freeze Bread?
Yes, you can freeze bread to prevent it from going stale. You can do so if you know you are not going to eat the entire loaf before spoiling it. Before freezing you need to make sure it is sliced so that you can grab the slices needed and then leave the rest in the freezer itself. Defrosting Bread Slices won’t take much of your time and it is easy. Now let us discuss how to freeze the bread below
- In the case of unopened loaves of bread, you can keep the product directly in the freezer and needs no further packaging.
- If you have any leftovers shift them to freezer bags and remove the excess air before sealing them to lock moisture.
How to Defrost Bread?
If you need only a few slices of bread here is the process for defrosting. They are as such
- Leave them on the Countertop: Separate the slices and then keep them on a plate. The process will hardly take 20-30 mins depending on the thickness of the bread.
- Use either a Toaster Oven or Sandwich Oven: Take frozen slices and warm them using either a toaster oven or a sandwich oven as per your preference. If you don’t want to toast let the device heat up and then turn it off so that you can defrost them to room temperature.
Interesting Facts about Bread
Below are some of the interesting facts you wish you knew about Bread earlier. Have a sneak peek into the following and get a complete idea of bread its health benefits and nutritional values. They are as under
- Rolled Piece of Bread was earlier used to erase graphite even before rubbers are invented.
- White bread was preferred more before realizing dark bread has more nutrients.
- Bread became a staple food 10,000 years ago.
- In general, bread is used for baking purposes but it can be used for steaming, frying as well as boiling.
- It’s been so long with us that most of our religions started using it in our traditions and rituals.
- An average sliced packaged bread will contain around 75 to 80 calories and 1 gm of fat.
- You can get zinc, iron, protein, magnesium, and B vitamins as well as a small amount of potassium by consuming bread.
Also, Check:
FAQs on How Long Can You Store Bread
1. How do you know when bread goes bad?
To see if your bread is bad or not there are some pretty signs. If you find any white, black, blue, greyish or greenish spots, or mold on the bread it is clearly a sign that your bread is no longer good to eat.
2. How long does store-bought bread last?
Store-bought Bread Lasts for around 4-6 days.
3. Can old bread make you sick?
If you eat old bread you may end up with diarrhea and vomiting. at times, you may even get allergic reactions to eating old bread.
4. Can out-of-date bread give you diarrhea?
Yes, eating expired bread may expose your body to harmful bacteria and lead to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea-like symptoms.
Key Takeaways
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