If you're buying pre-sliced bread, the bread box might not be for you. But if you want to keep a store-bought artisan loaf (or, better yet, homemade bread) in its peak condition for a few days, I'd definitely recommend a bread box.
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.
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. I also save the heels of my bread and use them as covers for the cut side of my loaf.
Store bread in the freezer
I don't mind going a bit out of my way to avoid the stuff. To avoid plastic bags, I freeze whole loaves in homemade cloth produce bags. Sliced bread—not, in fact, the greatest thing—develops freezer burn around the edges when frozen in cloth.
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.
And if your biggest concern is making sure your bread doesn't grow mold, refrigerating it is the best and safest way to store it. Check out more bread storage tips here, including advice on how to store your bread in the freezer so you can enjoy it later.
Bread should be stored in a breadbox naked.
Meaning not in any sort of plastic or paper bags. Just a plane bread in the box. This will ensure you will keep your loaf fresh and your crust crispy. Bread boxes should not be 100% airtight as to let a small amount of air in and out of the box.
The answer is yes, breadboxes have been proven to keep bread fresh. With the help of a closed box, tasty baked goods can stay pristine well past their prime. Bread lovers can get that right-out-of-the-oven taste, even days later.
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 takeaway: If you're storing bread longer than a few days, it's best to keep it in the freezer. Once your loaf is totally cool, cut off whatever portion you won't be eating within a couple of days; re-bag the remainder and return it to its room temperature storage space.
Verdict: A freezer bag is a decent short-term, room-temperature bread storage solution. Storing your bread on the countertop in a plastic bag (or well-sealed plastic wrap) will help keep it from going stale, but be warned: the crust will suffer and grow mold due to trapped moisture.
Don't be tempted to put bread in the fridge, however, as the staling process speeds up at low temperatures. You can blame the decline of the breadbox on the advent of preservatives in bread, and the packaging of commercial bread in plastic bags.
Materials. Common bread box materials include wood, stainless steel, ceramic, and plastic. Each has its own benefits in terms of aesthetics and functionality.
One of the best ways to store bread is to keep it in a bread bin. Those with a tight seal will help to keep your loaves fresher for longer. It should be kept in a cool place, but avoid keeping it in the fridge. Bread freezes well whole or in slices.
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.
Because paper lets air into the bag, keeping the bread dry and the crust crisp and delicious. 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.
USE A BREAD BOX
You can keep your fresh loaf in a bread box for a few days. With its dark and dry interior, a bread box helps maintain a decent balance of moisture to keep the inside of the bread soft and its exterior crusty. Make sure there is plenty of room inside for good air circulation.
The bread will develop a stale flavor and texture. If you tightly wrap your bread in plastic and put it in the refrigerator, you can help slow the staling process. Freezing bread is an option to help prevent it from going stale and developing spoilage microbes.
One of the best ways to keep bread from molding is to keep it in the freezer (check out more detailed tips for freezing and defrosting). If your loaf of bread is unsliced, you'll want to slice before freezing so you can pull out individual slices when you need them instead of the entire loaf.
*Never keep your bread in the fridge. The starch molecules in bread recrystallize very quickly at cool temperatures, and cause the bread to stale much faster when refrigerated. *Shop-bought loaves should be kept in an air-tight plastic bag at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
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.
Keeping bread fresh in a paper bag can be improved by adding an extra step. Instead of placing the bread directly into the paper bag, try wrapping it first in a clean, dry kitchen towel. The towel will provide an extra layer of protection against moisture and prevent the bread from drying out too quickly.