Can you keep bread in the fridge? Yes, if it is in a bag

«Put the bread in the fridge and it will last longer.» The advice sounds sensible, and the answer is yes, with one condition: the bread has to be in something that holds in the moisture. An unwrapped loaf in the fridge is dry and crumbly by the next day. Here is the explanation, and how to do it right.

What happens to bread in the fridge?

Two things happen at the same time, and they are often confused. One is drying out: fridge air is dry and pulls moisture out of unwrapped bread. The other is retrogradation: the starch in the crumb gradually rearranges itself into firm crystals and releases water as it does. Retrogradation is what explains why bread goes hard, and it happens however the bread is wrapped.

The difference is that you can do something about drying out. A bag that breathes a little but slows evaporation keeps the moisture where it belongs. Then the bread still feels moist, even after being in the cold.

Why unwrapped bread gets hardest at 4 °C

Retrogradation does not run at the same speed at every temperature. It is fastest just above freezing, exactly where the fridge sits, around 4 °C. At room temperature the process is much slower, and in the freezer it almost stops, because the water freezes.

Put unwrapped bread into that same dry air, and drying out comes on top. That is why a loaf without a bag can feel stale the very next day in the fridge, while it would have stayed soft for several days on the counter.

At a glance: fridge, counter or freezer?

When is the fridge especially smart?

A warm, humid kitchen. There, mould is often a bigger threat than dryness, and the fridge buys you extra days. If the bread is in the bag, it does not cost you any moisture.

When the counter is taken. Baking day, guests, or simply no room. The bag can go in the fridge without harming the bread, and you avoid freezing a loaf you will eat tomorrow.

Sliced tin bread from the shop. Factory-baked bread often contains preservatives and emulsifiers that slow both mould and crystallisation, so it loses least of all from a trip to the fridge.

How to store your bread

1. 1
   The fridge first, in the bag

   Put the whole bag in, with the bread inside. Never unwrapped, and never loose in a bowl: then the dry air wins.

2. 2
   Freeze what you will not eat in time

   The freezer is right for storage beyond a week. Slice the bread first, so you take out exactly what you need. You will find the full method in the guide on how to freeze bread the right way.

3. 3
   The counter when the bread should be on hand

   Let the bread lie on the counter in a bag or box that lets moisture out but slows drying. How long it keeps depends on the type of bread: see our guide to how long homemade bread stays fresh.

4. 4
   Rescue bread that has already gone dry

   Dampen the crust lightly and give the bread 5 to 10 minutes in the oven at 200 °C. The heat breaks up some of the crystal structure, and the crumb turns soft again. Eat it the same day.

The bag decides, not the temperature

The difference between a good and a bad loaf comes down mostly to what the bread is kept in. That is exactly the balance a Bivoks™ bread bag is made for: the bag is sewn from cotton and linen with natural beeswax on the inside, and the guide to beeswax in contact with food explains what the wax is made of. The fabric breathes so moisture can escape, the wax layer slows down drying out, and a clip keeps the bag closed. On the counter, bread stays fresh for 7 to 10 days, and the bag handles both the fridge and the freezer. You will find more pitfalls to avoid in the overview of common bread storage mistakes.

Frequently asked questions

Want the full picture? Everything about bread storage lives in the big guide.