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Can you freeze bread? Here’s how to preserve the life of a fresh loaf so you can enjoy it for months to come.
Got a fresh loaf of bread and not sure you’ll use all of it? Here’s a quick tip: pop it in the freezer! Freezing bread works effectively to extend the life of a loaf. It’s perfect for freshly baked bread or artisan-style loaves that have a shorter shelf life than purchased sandwich breads. Here are a few tips for how to freeze bread.
Can you freeze bread? How long?
Freezing fresh bread works effectively to extend its life. Freshly baked bread has a short shelf-life because it immediately starts to lose moisture after it’s baked. You’ll notice that after 1 to 2 days, the bread will start to be come very hard. This is true for homemade loaves and purchased artisan-style loaves from your grocery or bakery. The fresher the bread when you freeze it, the better. Here are a few tips on how and when to freeze bread:
- Immediately freeze half of a fresh loaf you won’t eat in 1 to 2 days. This way, you’ll preserve most of that fresh bread texture.
- Bread that’s frozen fresh lasts up to 6 months. It tastes best within the first few months, but bread can last up to 6 months with all remaining air removed from the packaging. If there is additional air, the bread can get freezer burnt and taste stale. How to freeze bread? Keep reading.
How to freeze bread
This method for how to freeze bread works with both homemade freshly baked bread and any artisan-style bread from a grocery or bakery. It also works with purchased sandwich loaves. Make sure to cool homemade fresh baked bread completely to room temperature before starting this process (for 2 to 3 hours). Here’s how to freeze bread:
- Slice the bread. If you plan to keep the bread beyond 2 months, consider wrapping it in plastic wrap to keep it even more airtight.
- Place the bread in a sealable freezer safe bag. Remove extra air by sucking it out with a straw, then immediately seal the bag.
- Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw the bread at room temperature in the bag (which allows it to reabsorb moisture).
More ways to use up bread
Want to use up stale bread in other ways? This is an age-old problem humans have been solving for centuries. Here are a few other ways to use up bread that’s starting to become hard and crusty:
- French toast: Fry it up into golden French Toast.
- Bread crumbs: Make it into Homemade Breadcrumbs.
- Croutons: If you can still cut your bread, make Homemade Croutons.
- Panzanella: Italian bread salad was invented for this reason: try this Panzanella Recipe.
- Ribollita: This Tuscan Vegetable Stew is thickened with dry bread cubes.
More freezing methods
Want to freeze fruits and vegetables? Here are a few more methods for preserving fresh food for months:
- Learn how to freeze Broccoli, Green Beans, Zucchini, Potatoes or Corn
- Preserve the life of tomatoes with How to Freeze Tomatoes
- Extend the life of fruit by learning how to freeze Strawberries, Peaches, Blueberries or Bananas
How to Freeze Bread
Wondering if you can freeze bread? Here’s how to preserve the life of a fresh loaf so you can enjoy it for months to come!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Frozen
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: N/A
Ingredients
- 1 loaf bread
Instructions
- If you’re freezing fresh baked bread, make sure to cool it completely to room temperature (for 2 to 3 hours).
- Slice the bread. If you plan to keep the bread beyond 2 months, consider wrapping it in plastic wrap to keep it even more airtight.
- Place the bread in a sealable freezer safe bag. Remove extra air by sucking it out with a straw, then immediately seal the bag.
- Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw the bread at room temperature in the bag (which allows it to reabsorb moisture).
