How to freeze bread

It doesn’t take long for fresh bread to dry out and become rubbery rather than crusty. Many people simply buy smaller loaves so they can eat it while it’s still fresh, but that is often unnecessary since you can actually freeze bread. This not only saves you from having to visit the store more often, but also means you can always enjoy bread as if it were baked the same day.

Freezing bread keeps it wonderfully fresh – whether you freeze it as a whole loaf or in slices. Although leaving your bread as a whole loaf means that it retains moisture a little better, it is often more practical, especially in small households, to slice the bread before freezing it.

You can’t go wrong when freezing bread. Just decide whether to freeze the bread in loaves or slices, and consider which packaging you want to use. But how are you supposed to freeze fresh bread? You can simply leave the bread in the paper bag that you got from the baker. However, if you plan to freeze the bread for several weeks or months, you should put your bread in plastic wrap, freezer paper or foil. Ideally, this will ensure that the frozen bread stays fresh for as long as possible.

 Here are some alternatives to plastic containers:

• Containers made of stainless steel or glass are well suited for freezing food – the more airtight the container is, the longer the bread stays fresh when frozen.
• Freezer paper is ideal for freezing food. . If you wrap the bread in them, it will keep just as long as if it were in a freezer bag.
• Fabric bags are not airtight, but if you use one to wrap up the bread, they can be a good and environmentally friendly alternative to plastic freezer bags.

By the way, freezing works for rolls, dry cakes, and pastries, as well as bread. To prevent freezer burn, you should make sure that the temperature in the freezer is as constant as possible and does not fluctuate too much. Freezers should be at or below 0°F.

The storage life of frozen bread is impressive – If you wrap it up really well, it stays fresh for up to 6 months without any loss of taste or consistency. If you leave it in the freezer for longer, the cold may cause it to slowly dry out. As a general rule, the fresher the bread, the longer it will keep its quality even when frozen. Brown and whole meal bread and baked goods made of sourdough keep better than white bread. Tip: Freezing bread that’s a little bit older and then toasting it will make it crispier!

If you want to defrost your bread after it’s been frozen, it is best to place it on a kitchen towel overnight to absorb the water. The bread will take about six to eight hours to completely defrost. Alternatively, you can defrost the bread quicker if you place it in the oven at 320°F for about 25 minutes after taking it out of the freezer. Afterwards, leave it to rest for about half an hour. If you froze the bread in slices, it’s even easier to defrost - simply put it in the toaster.