Perhaps the only food product that is present in our diet daily is bread. Someone prefers to spread butter bun in the morning and eat for breakfast. Someone, counting calories and watching their diet, consumes only a couple of small pieces of rye or cereal bread. There are a huge number of types of bread today, and all of them at least once visited our table.
Bread refers to the type of food that has a very short shelf life. As a rule, ordinary wheat bread can only be stored for about a day. Rye bakery products have a slightly longer shelf life. It is recommended to buy only the amount of bread that your family can eat during the day. And if there is no way to buy a fresh loaf of bread every day? How to be in this case? How to store bread so that it does not harden too quickly? How to try to extend its “service life” and avoid mold on the surface of the roll?
Bread box
The most popular and oldest way to store bread is the bread box. How to store bread in it, perhaps, is not worth telling. More important question: how to choose the right one? What types of bread bins can preserve the freshness of bakery products for a long time?
It is recommended to give preference to storage places with a large number of small ventilation openings. It is important that the bread box has several storage compartments. As you know, rye and wheat bread do not get along together, so it is better to keep them away from each other on separate shelves.
Materials
Is it possible to store bread in a plastic bread bin or is it better to prefer wooden products? Today, manufacturers offer a huge variety of options. On the shelves you can find not only plastic or wooden, but also glass, ceramic and even metal bread bins. According to experts, wood remains the best custodian of bakery products, and high-quality. So, now we know what and how to store bread.
Where to put
Now we will deal with the place of installation of the bread box, because the storage duration also depends on this factor. To avoid mold on the food, it is recommended to avoid dark and damp places. It is better to put the bakery on a light and dry windowsill or on the surface of the table away from the sink.
How to care for a bread box
Many housewives complain that even in a high - quality wooden bread box, a very short shelf life is stored. What is the matter? It is important not only to know how and where to store bread, but also how to properly care for this store. Three times a week, it is recommended to completely wash the bread box and clean it of crumbs. Once a week, experienced housewives are advised to wipe it with a weak vinegar solution. This will help get rid of unwanted bacteria that can affect the shelf life of the product.
A lemon peel will help get rid of mold. It can be put on the shelf of the breadbox and left overnight. Lemon juice or vinegar will also save you from ants - lovers of bread crumbs in village houses or cottages.
A piece of apple or a small peeled potato, placed on a shelf of a bread box, will save bread from being stale. These products give off moisture well, so they will not allow bakery products to dry quickly.
Plastic bags
Very often, housewives give preference to this particular method. How to store bread in a plastic bag correctly? First, it is important that it is dry and clean. Secondly, be sure to check whether you tightly tied it. The less air that goes into the bag, the longer the bread will last. As a rule, the shelf life with this method is extended by 2-3 days.
Fridge
Perhaps it’s not for every housewife to keep bread in the refrigerator - a common thing. This method is not considered as popular as bags and bread bins. In vain. According to reviews, this storage method allows the bread to stay fresh for about a week.
It is important to remember that any bakery products have the ability to absorb foreign odors. Never put bread in the refrigerator when it is not closed. You can store bread in the refrigerator by placing it in a container (if the loaf is already cut into pieces) or putting it in a plastic bag (if the whole bread).
The disadvantage of this storage is also the temperature. Cold bread is not always pleasant to eat, so before serving it will have to be removed from the refrigerator in advance and heated in a microwave, oven or at room temperature.
How to store bread in the freezer
There are times when bread needs to be stored for more than a week. In this case, options with a bread box and a refrigerator will not work. The freezer will help. We place the bakery product in a bag, squeeze the air out of it as much as possible and send it to freeze at a temperature of 15-20 degrees. You can also use foil. With this method, the product will remain for two to three months.
Remember that before serving it will have to be defrosted for a while and then heated. Secondary freezing is strictly not recommended.
What bread should not be stored in the refrigerator
Very often, housewives bake bread at home on their own, and then send it for long-term storage in a refrigerator or freezer. In this case, it is important to remember that putting bakery products in the cold is possible only after they have completely cooled down. Warm bread, of course, will freeze, but after defrosting it will be unfit for food.
Also, do not store in the refrigerator or freeze bread that has already been exposed to mold. Low temperatures will not save the situation. In addition, mold (bread fungus) can infect other foods located in the immediate vicinity of bakery products.
Reviews
What is the most popular bread storage option? Each housewife has this version of her own. Bread bins are used by lovers of warm bread, as well as those who care about the design aspect. Carved wooden breadbags play an aesthetic rather than a practical role. They fit into the interior of the kitchen, becoming its bright highlight.
Those housewives who are unable to place a beautiful bread box in their small kitchen prefer to store the product in a closet in a plastic bag. Also, this option, judging by the reviews, is suitable for those who love warm bread, do not want to bother with its heating every time and have the opportunity to buy a fresh hot loaf every day.
Despite some disadvantages, a large number of housewives keep bread in the cold. Some praise the freezer, which keeps food fresh for a long time, while others are content with a refrigerator. Which method is better, which one to prefer, is up to you. It is important that if all storage conditions are correctly observed, then every day you have the opportunity to enjoy fresh, fragrant bread.