Can You Freeze Bread

Bread is one of those foods that people often ask: “can you freeze bread?” Sadly, most people don’t know.

Most people believe it is impossible to store bread, but that is not true. In most circumstances, you can freeze bread; you need to know what you are doing.

The most important thing you need to know is if your loaf of bread will freeze well. If not, there isn’t much point in putting it in the freezer for long-term storage.

If your bread is going to preserve well, you need to keep a couple of things in mind:

The quality of the loaf will be impacted by freezing and thawing. The loaf isn’t as good after it has been frozen and thawed.

The starches within the bread get broken down, which causes your loaf to become very soft, almost mushy.

So, shall we start?

But first thing first.

Why Freeze Bread?

That’s very important – let’s look at why you want to freeze bread. The simple answer is that it can be cheaper, healthier, or more convenient. Those are the three main reasons.

It’s a Cheaper Option:

The first reason is that it is cheaper and will save money. This works for both buying and making your loaf. Home-made and bakery bread can get expensive.

You can freeze the bread, which saves you money on not buying a fresh bakery or homemade bread.

You can also save money by freezing the bread you buy at the store – especially if it is on sale. You can store your loaf, which means you don’t have to pay the total price when you use it.

You can then buy more when something is on sale again and use it when you run out.

It’s a Healthier Option:

The second reason is that it is healthier. Many people (myself included) like to make their bread at home.

We might make it one or two times before we freeze it to enjoy it for several months to come. By the time you eat all of it, it is time to make a new batch and enjoy fresh-baked bread again.

It’s Convenient

The third reason is more convenience than anything else. When you have a huge loaf of bread in the kitchen, it can be nice to slice off what you need and preserve the rest.

This way, you only have to deal with one loaf of bread in the kitchen. It also makes it easy to grab a slice or two when you are in a rush.

You can do this with store-bought bread too; it is very nice when you need to take something to work for lunch and don’t have time to eat beforehand.

Before we continue, I would like to answer that question:

“Can You Freeze Any Bread?”

Yes, bread can be frozen in most circumstances, be it sliced bread or bread dough. There are a few instances where it won’t work, but I will cover those below too.

Let’s continue with how to go about freezing sliced bread in freezer paper. You can also try freezing raw bread – check out our vegan raw bread recipe!

How to Freeze Bread?

There is a lot of misinformation online stating that you cannot preserve any bread – or that it is very hard and not worth the effort. That is not true! If you follow some simple rules, it is straightforward.

If you want to get started with freezing bread, here are a few things you need to consider:

Fresh or Thawed Bread?

We must ask ourselves if we will freeze the bread while it is new or after thawing it. This is a big decision to make and has a major impact on how you do things.

Fresh Bread:

Most people prefer to freeze their bread once it has cooled down. If the bread is entirely excellent, you can move on with your life.

You can place it tightly in plastic wrap or foil around it (depending on what type of bread it is)

If you are freezing bread that still has the wrapper on, remove it before putting it in the freezer. Bread wrappers will not keep air out once they are removed – this can cause freezer burn, which can dry your bread over time.

Thawed Bread:

If you end up with stale or perhaps old bread, you can always thaw it first before freezing. Simply leave the bread on the counter for several hours or until it has reached room temperature.

Once fully thawed, you can proceed with any of the steps below – depending on whether your bread is fresh or stale.

One thing to note here is that if your bread is already stale, you may want to consider making a few things with it before freezing.

You can make bread crumbs or croutons with old bread – which can be delicious treats to enjoy throughout the winter months ahead.

Do I Need Plastic Wrap and Aluminum Foil?

We must ask ourselves if we should use plastic wrap or aluminum foil to freeze our bread in maximum freshness.

Both options will work – but you need to consider the type of bread you are freezing before making a choice.

For most types of bread, foil makes for a great option. It is straightforward to wrap your bread up in this fashion, and it prevents freezer burn from occurring on the outside of the whole loaf.

However, I would recommend using plastic wrap when freezing French bread or any other type of bread that is more delicate.

The foil will likely stick to the bread in this case, which can cause it to dry out or lose some of its flavors.

Using a freezer bag keeps your bread nice and soft – just as if you had placed it in the refrigerator overnight.

How Long Can You Store Bread in the Freezer?

The third and final question we must ask ourselves is how long we can store homemade bread in the freezer. Again, this question will depend on whether your bread is fresh or thawed.

Fresh Bread:

If you are going to freeze your bread when it is fresh, you can expect a reasonable shelf life.

Place the bread tightly in plastic wrap that you used to cover it, and then place it in the freezer.

A whole loaf of bread can last up to three months in the freezer without any problems if you seal tightly.

Thawed Bread:

If your bread is already in a thawed state when you put it in the freezer, the shelf life will be much shorter.

In fact, I would only recommend that you store your bread for up to one month in the freezer.

One important thing to remember is that you should never thaw an entire loaf of bread and then refreeze it.

Doing so can cause the bread to become very mushy and ruin its textures.

Great! I Want to Do It – What’s Next?

Now that you’ve got all the information you need, you can get your hands dirty. Here are several steps you can take to freeze your bread properly:

Step 1)

Remove all of the plastic wrap or foil from your bread. If it is already thawed, you can skip this step.

Step 2)

Cover your bread with plastic wrap, foil, or even a zipper bag to prevent freezer burn from occurring.

Step 3)

Place bread in the freezer for up to three months or until you are ready to defrost it.

Step 4)

Remove your bread from the freezer and leave it on the counter for 1-2 hours to defrost. Once fully thawed, you can enjoy it!

Step 5)

Preheat oven to 350. Then, take the bread out of the plastic bag or wrapping and place it on the baking sheet – meat side up. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crunchy.

Now that you’ve learned how to freeze bread, why not pick up a few loaves the next time you’re at the grocery store?

How to Use Frozen Slices of Bread?

Now that you know how to freeze wheat bread and freeze bread dough, it’s time to learn what you can do with frozen bread or loaf. Here are a few suggestions about recipes:

Use frozen loaf as sliced sandwich bread to make a grilled cheese sandwich recipe for breakfast.
Make a French toast recipe with frozen bread for evening snack or of course for breakfast.
Store individual slices of bread for future use for breakfast by freezing it in freezer paper
Store your bread crusts as they require less space and then crush them into bread crumbs that you can use later on for meatballs or a homemade breading recipe
Turn your frozen bread into toasted breadcrumbs by placing it in the oven for five minutes at 350 degrees.

How Do You Freeze Store-Bought Bread?

You should always check the label on your bread before freezing it – as this will inform you if your bread can be frozen or not. If it says that it can be frozen, follow the steps above to freeze your bread. If not, you may want to buy a fresher loaf next time!

Does Freezing Bread Keep It Fresh?

Yes! Freezing bread or entire loaf can keep it fresh for three months. This means you don’t have to worry about your bread getting stale or going bad anytime soon.

Does Freezing Bread Ruin It?

In most cases, freezing bread does not ruin it. However, if you freeze your bread after it has been defrosted, then this can cause it to lose some of its flavors.

How Do You Thaw Frozen Bread?

You can thaw frozen bread by leaving it on the counter for one to two hours until fully thawed. You should never try to thaw your bread in the microwave.