Keeping bread fresh, and what to do when it isn't

Bread is one of the most wasted foods in any kitchen, and most of it goes stale long before it goes bad. A few habits keep a loaf good for days, and the freezer keeps it good for months.

Not the fridge

It feels like the safe choice, but the fridge is the worst place for bread. At fridge temperatures the starch in bread recrystallises fastest, so a loaf goes dry and firm in a day or two, even though it will not mould. Keep bread at room temperature for the next few days, and in the freezer for anything longer.

Where each kind of bread is happiest

• Crusty loaves. A sourdough boule keeps its crust best in a paper or cloth bag, or a bread box. Once it is cut, stand it cut side down on the board; the crust protects the crumb. A plastic bag keeps it soft but softens the crust too.
• Sliced sandwich bread. Seeded whole wheat bread and other sliced loaves are made for their plastic bag: squeeze the air out and close it tightly after every use.
• Enriched breads. Brioche loaf and cinnamon raisin bread contain butter, eggs or sugar, which keep them soft for longer. A sealed bag at room temperature is fine for three or four days.
• Croissants and bagels. Butter croissants are best on the day; after that, a few minutes in a 350°F (175°C) oven brings back the crisp layers. Plain bagels go stale quickly, so freeze any you will not eat within a day.

Freeze it the right way

• Slice it first. You can then take out two slices at a time instead of thawing a whole loaf.
• Wrap it well. Double-wrap in a freezer bag with the air pressed out, to stop freezer burn and smells from the rest of the freezer.
• Use it within about three months for the best taste.
• Toast slices straight from frozen, or thaw at room temperature in their bag so the moisture goes back into the bread.

Bring a stale loaf back

A crusty loaf that has gone hard can often be saved. Run the outside quickly under the tap, just enough to dampen the crust, then bake it at 350°F (175°C) for about ten minutes. The water turns to steam and softens the crumb; the crust crisps up again. Eat it soon after, because it will go stale again faster.

Five good things to do with yesterday's bread

• French toast. Slightly dry brioche or cinnamon raisin bread soaks up egg and milk without falling apart.
• Croutons. Cube the bread, toss with olive oil and salt, and bake until golden.
• Breadcrumbs. Blitz dry bread and keep the crumbs in a jar or the freezer.
• Bread salad. Torn, toasted bread with ripe tomatoes, olive oil and a little vinegar.
• Bread pudding. Any mix of leftover breads, baked in a sweet custard.

Buy the loaf you will eat this week, freeze the rest the day you bring it home, and very little bread ever needs throwing away.