Storing Bread

[SpoilerVirgin]

@Candyman74

England.

Google tells me it’s a brand in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Yes, but that doesn’t really tell the whole story. It is the #1 brand of bread in the U.S., and has been for decades. It was the first brand of sliced bread in the U.S., and has been around for 90 years. It is iconic in the U.S., and has also become something of a joke because of its softness and blandness. When people refer to something bland as “white bread,” as in “The Internet has been abuzz for the past 48 hours over the latest white bread rapping sensation,” they’re referencing Wonder Bread.

I have the same problem you have. I only eat bread about once a week, and I don’t like the taste of either frozen or refrigerated. My solution was to switch to bagels, bought one-at-a-time from one of the ubiquitous bagel bakeries or grocery stores that bake bagels in San Francisco. The only time I ever eat actual bread is in a sandwich shop. Sometimes I miss it, but the logistics are just too difficult.

[EllisDee]

I keep bread in the fridge and half-toast slices before using. Not quite the same thing as fresh bread, but it’s still really good in that warm almost-toasted way, which is its own virtue.

My rule of thumb is to put the loaf in the fridge as soon as I buy it, then toss it two weeks after the sell by/best by date printed on the bag.

[guizot]

@Broomstick

…2) Moisture that evaporates from the bread tends to stay in the box, increasing the ambient humidity and helping to reduce further moisture loss. This helps keep the bread from drying out and getting stale.

But it’s the moisture that leads to mold. And that’s why it matters what kind of bread you’re dealing with. Light, fluffy white bread made with bleached, de-natured flour (i.e,., Wonder Bread) doesn’t get moldy as soon as heavier, denser traditional bread–but it gets stale sooner, too. (Sometimes white bread doesn’t get moldy at all–it just goes straight to crouton material.)

Traditionally, bread was something that people would buy more often, and eat more frequently, so a breadbox made sense–it didn’t have time to get moldy, so it didn’t have to be white bread.

[K364]

We generally only have toast, so freezing works fine.

[Candyman74]

@SpoilerVirgin

Yes, but that doesn’t really tell the whole story. It is the #1 brand of bread in the U.S., and has been for decades. It was the first brand of sliced bread in the U.S., and has been around for 90 years. It is iconic in the U.S., and has also become something of a joke because of its softness and blandness.

Fascinating though that is, unfortunately it doesn’t help my situation.

I have the same problem you have. I only eat bread about once a week, and I don’t like the taste of either frozen or refrigerated. My solution was to switch to bagels, bought one-at-a-time from one of the ubiquitous bagel bakeries or grocery stores that bake bagels in San Francisco. The only time I ever eat actual bread is in a sandwich shop. Sometimes I miss it, but the logistics are just too difficult.

I really would miss my sandwiches. I am a big fan of the sandwich!

[Broomstick]

@guizot

But it’s the moisture that leads to mold.

Well, yes, but a lack of moisture leads to the taste and texture of corrugated cardboard.

It’s a matter of striking a balance.

And that’s why it matters what kind of bread you’re dealing with.

True.

Light, fluffy white bread made with bleached, de-natured flour (i.e,., Wonder Bread) doesn’t get moldy as soon as heavier, denser traditional bread–but it gets stale sooner, too. (Sometimes white bread doesn’t get moldy at all–it just goes straight to crouton material.)

You’re forgetting that Wonder Bread is also full of preservatives, some of which inhibit mold. That is also a factor.

Traditionally, bread was something that people would buy more often, and eat more frequently, so a breadbox made sense–it didn’t have time to get moldy, so it didn’t have to be white bread.

Traditionally, households might eat several loaves a day, actually, and the cook bake more every morning.

[Superfluous_Parentheses]

I always buy my bread whole (not sliced). A well-made unsliced loaf will stay edible for ~ 4 days in a plastic bag - though the crispiness of the crust will be gone after day 1. It does dry out a bit over time, but not nearly as fast as sliced bread.

Other tip: I found that bread with seeds (like sunflower or pumpkin seeds) in it seem to stay moist longer. Dunno if that’s due to my particular baker, but it might be worth a shot.

ETA: since the question is about mold, I’d recommend just buying half a loaf at a time - or freezing. I’ve not seen that happen in my house in a long time (and I live alone).