# Holey bags, Batman!  What's up with this bread packaging?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457 "2007-01-25T20:35:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457/1 "2007-01-25T20:35:00Z")

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When we buy certain breads from the supermarket, the bread bags are perforated with thousands of little holes. This seems to be common with French and Italian breads, among others. This also seems to be the best way to make sure you eat that bread on day one, lest you be left with a little league bat. Why is that?

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**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457/2 "2007-01-25T20:38:27Z")

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These breads are baked at the store, right? The packaging is designed to allow steam and condensation to escape the bag so the loaf doesn’t get soggy. You’re supposed to repackage the bread when you get home.

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457/3 "2007-01-25T21:39:36Z")

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The packaging is so the crust remains how it’s meant to be. French bread is baked with moisture in the oven to provide a thick hard crust, with a moist center body. You put a pan of hot water in the oven with the bread to get the crust right. A perferated bag allows moisture to leave the bag. The outside crust would soften in a sealed plastic bag. French bread doesn’t stay soft inside for more than a day or two before the moisture migrates to the outer crust. That’s the way true athentic traditional french bread is made to be. Some other breads are made to be that way also, and will be found in the perferated bags also.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457/4 "2007-01-25T21:53:53Z")

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Well I figured there had to be a good reason, and there we go.

Thanks guys.

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**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holey-bags-batman-whats-up-with-this-bread-packaging/389457/5 "2007-01-25T21:55:14Z")

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I see holey bags in Ohio but not out here. In fact, my Dad commented about it on his last visit.

I used a bread box in California; in Colorado we refrigerate any loaves within a day or they will moulder.