Does sliced bread keep less well than a whole loaf?

Ready-sliced bread is convenient: straight into the toaster, without crumbs on the board or uneven slices. But does it keep as well as a whole loaf? Usually not. Here is why, how to slow drying, and the situation where slicing first makes most sense.

Why does sliced bread dry faster?

The crust is the loaf's natural wrapping, helping protect the moist crumb. Cutting opens a window in that wrapping. A partly used whole loaf has one exposed face; a fully sliced loaf has many. More moisture can escape, while the starch changes that make bread stale continue too. The explanation is in why bread goes hard.

Shop-bought sliced bread often comes in plastic to retain moisture. That can keep the crumb soft, but trapped condensation can encourage mould. Keeping bread moist and keeping it fresh are related but not identical jobs.

Four ways to slow drying

1. 1
   Slice only what you will eat

   The simplest rule is to leave the rest of the loaf whole. A sharp bread knife makes fresh slicing easy.

2. 2
   Cut from the middle

   Split the loaf in half and take slices from the inside faces. Press the two halves together afterwards, cut side to cut side, to protect the exposed crumb.

3. 3
   Put the cut side down

   Rest the cut face against a clean breadboard or the bottom of the bag to reduce its exposure to air.

4. 4
   Use suitable wrapping

   A breathable wax-lined bag lets excess moisture escape while slowing drying. It helps a started loaf stay enjoyable for several days.

When sliced bread is smartest: the freezer

Freezing changes the calculation. A whole frozen loaf usually needs thawing as a whole, while sliced bread lets you take one slice at a time straight to the toaster. Freeze it already sliced, with suitable separators between portions if useful. The method is in freezing bread properly, with reheating advice in frozen bread straight into the oven.

How many slices are in a loaf?

A typical 750-gram Norwegian loaf gives about 18 to 22 slices, depending on thickness. That is useful for planning: two people eating four slices each per day finish it in around two and a half days. Someone living alone may prefer to freeze half on the day it is bought or baked. See the routine in bake once, eat all week.

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