Every Pro Baker We Spoke to Said Storing Your Bread This Way Is Ruining It

Be it crispy sourdough or fluffy brioche, there’s nothing like the pure joy of slicing into freshly baked bread. Whether you make your own or like to grab a loaf from the local bakery, storing it properly is essential to extending your bread’s shelf life.

We don’t expect a braided challah to last very long on the counter before it turns into sandwiches or French toast, but we did speak to pro bakers about the best ways to keep bread fresh for longer. They all agreed on what not to use: plastic bags. Instead, they recommend linen bread bags like this one, which create the ideal environment for bread storage: not too dry, not too moist.

GobiSea Linen Bread Bag With Proofing Cover

Chef Zoe Deutsch of Moon Raccoon Baking Company in Denver calls plastic bags “detrimental” to bread, especially to homemade loaves. “The primary issue is moisture control,” she continues. Since plastic creates a humid environment, it “ruins the crisp crust” and can even lead to mold growth. “I’ve found bread that might last three to four days when properly stored will develop mold spots within one to two days in plastic.”

Deutsch recommends reusable linen bags like this one from GobiSea, which has an inner lining that protects the bread but remains breathable thanks to its woven material. She’s experimented with various storage methods and has found that these specialized bags “strike an ideal balance between moisture control and freshness preservation.” At the end of the day, it’s all about airflow. Plastic bags trap moisture, whereas a linen bread bag provides breathability for preservative-free loaves made at home or purchased from a bakery. This bread bag is also lined to ensure your bread doesn’t go stale too soon.

Chef Jesse Schenke of Provisions Bread & Cheese Bakery in Oyster Bay, New York, agrees that “fresh bread should never be stored in a plastic bag.” To avoid early mold growth, Schenke suggests that home bakers wait until their bread is fully cooled (“not warm at all!”) before storing it in a reusable bag. This way, you avoid any condensation getting trapped in the bag with your precious loaves.

Shoppers are also amazed by how well this linen bag can keep bread fresh. One customer who bakes fresh sourdough bread weekly called it a “game-changer” for storing bread without fear of it drying out or getting soggy. Another buyer appreciated that the bag’s breathability keeps their bread “fresh for days longer than typical store-bought options.” The bag’s material is also easy to clean; the interior can be rinsed with soap and cool water, according to the brand. The GobiSea linen bread bag is only $12 with an on-site coupon and comes with a bowl cover made of the same material for proofing your doughs.

Shop More Bread Storage Solutions at Amazon

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Think4Earth Large Bread Bags, 2-Pack

Grin by Grin Reusable Bread Bags, 2-Pack

At the time of publishing, the price was $12.