Avoid the Refrigerator; Use the Freezer

• Although it may be tempting to assume refrigerating is the best form of storage, the cold, arid environment of the refrigerator actually causes bread to stale more quickly. This is the result of starch retrogradation, a process in which the starch within the bread crystallizes, making the crumb more firm and causing the bread to have a stale texture. This crystallization occurs more rapidly in a cooler environment. However, this window of peak retrogradation occurs below room temperature to zero degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, the freezer is an ideal environment to halt retrogradation. When bread is at room temperature, seal in a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer until ready to eat. Before eating, leave bread out to thaw at room temperature or heat in the oven.

Use a Paper Bag, Not a Plastic Bag, to Store at Room Temperature

• If you plan on eating the bread within a few days after it is fresh, you can store the bread on a kitchen counter at room temperature. Since few modern kitchens have a bread box specifically designed for room-temperature storage, many make the mistake of sealing it in a plastic bag instead of a paper bag. Storing fresh bread in plastic may seem more intuitive, as plastic creates a better seal from the air. And though bread sealed in plastic may seem fresher, the soft texture from plastic storage is actually a sign of molding. Sealing off the bread at room temperature creates favorable conditions for mold growth. Instead, allow the bread to “breathe” slightly by storing it in a paper bag, folding down the top to enclose. This will still lead to some starch retrogradation, and therefore is will become stale. To reverse this, heat in the oven before eating, as heating will stretch out the starch and temporarily reverse the crystallization.