If you don't have a bread box, you can use saran wrap or a Ziploc bag. Plastic bags trap the air and moisture from the bread inside which keeps your loaf of homemade bread super soft and you don't have to worry about it going stale right away. Make sure you keep it at room temperature while storing it in plastic.
Bread stored in plastic at a temperature of under 70 degrees should last for about a week before it starts to get moldy. Sourdough breads will last even longer. But any bread stored in a plastic bag will lose its crisp crust pretty quickly.
Here are a few reasons why it is not advisable to store bread in plastic bags: Plastic bags trap moisture: Bread needs to be stored in a way that allows it to stay dry and maintain its texture. Plastic bags trap moisture, which can cause the bread to become soggy and lose its texture.
Resealable plastic bag: A resealable plastic bag seals in moisture and locks out air, keeping your bread soft. If you're using this method, store the bread at room temperature, but monitor the bag for excess moisture that can lead to mold.
Experts say that the best method is to store fresh-baked bread in something breathable—a paper sack, a ceramic bread box, or cotton or linen bags—so that the crust remains hard and the inside soft.
Store in paper, never plastic
While storing in plastic seems like the right idea, this actually encourages mold growth, resulting in the bread going bad much faster.
Store it in paper, not plastic
If you're storing bread on the counter, the easiest way to keep bread fresh is to leave it in the paper wrapping it came in.
If you store bread in a plastic bag, the moisture from the bread gets trapped in the bag making the crust soft. Storing in plastic will keep the bread fresh longer, but you'll lose the crust. Luckily, there are other storage options.
This is because when bread is stored in plastic, it retains its moisture, becomes soft, and is more likely to grow mold after a couple of days. If you've ever stored fresh bread in a plastic bag, you'll notice that condensation starts to form, and the bread becomes overly moist.
There's no denying that fresh bread tastes delicious, but it doesn't always last long if it's left out – especially in the Summer months. Vacuum sealing helps to maintain freshness and is a fabulous way to ensure you're not wasting a loaf or leftover slices.
But too much moisture will create mold, so I've found it's best not to keep the bag airtight. Loosely twist the end to close. Paper bags are more breathable than plastic, which is great for brioche rolls, soft buns, and other breads with added fat. But too much air will make the bread go stale quickly.
You should keep your bread far away from the stove, the top of the fridge, or any area that's near sources of heat. Instead, your best bet it to keep it in a dark, cool section of your kitchen counter or your pantry.
I usually store bread made with active dry yeast on the counter in a cloth produce bag. With sourdough, I almost always simply store it cut-side down on a cutting board set on the counter unless I need the space to work, in which case the bread goes into a cloth produce bag.
The down-side is if you keep it too long, you may get mold taking advantage of the moist conditions in the plastic bag, and you will get moldy bread. Mold doesn't tend to grow in a dry environment (rock-hard bread).
Although plastic bags and airtight containers may seem like a good way to keep your bread from going stale, the lack of airflow will foster an environment for mold growth, because the moisture is contained and mold loves moisture. If you want to put your bread in a container, a bread box is the way to go.
The best way to store bread is at room temperature in a dark, dry, cool location such as a pantry, drawer, or bread box.
The invention of sliced bread in 1928 ensured the need for specific packaging to keep bread fresh for as long as possible. Moisture-proof waxed wrappers provided the best solution before plastic wrappers were introduced. The first folding cartons were developed in the mid nineteenth-century in America.
Linen bread bags! Bread bags made of 100% pure linen are a sustainable alternative to plastic, and this all-natural material provides the ideal conditions for helping bread last longer without taking a toll on the planet. Just why are linen bread bags the answer you've been looking for? Here are some of the benefits.
Storing bread in either plastic, cloth, or foil helps retain the loaf's moisture. This moisture retention is a plus when it comes to the bread's crumb (interior) — but a minus if you're talking crunchy-crispy crust, since wrapping bread will inevitably soften its crust as well as its crumb.
In short, store your bread at room temperature in a cool, dark, dry place such as a pantry, breadbox, or cabinet if you plan to eat it quickly, and freeze it if you want it to last longer. Bread stored at room temperature should be in its original packaging or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Most breads freeze very well with little to no loss in quality or texture. The enemy is freezer air, which can cause freezer burn and impart freezer-aroma flavors. To prevent this, wrap each loaf tightly in two layers of plastic wrap before placing it in a large resealable freezer bag.
To avoid this from happening, "there are only two things to do" - cut holes in the bag and keep the bread in the fridge. This hack can also work for bread from bakeries - fresh bread doesn't have as many preservatives as store-bought bread.
Invest in a breadbox
"I would say that a bread box works better than an airtight container because it's breathable and creates the perfect balance of airflow and humidity, so your bread won't get soggy, which can happen in sealed plastic and it won't get dry and stale as it would if left unwrapped," says Booker.