Three rules for keeping bread
9 August 2026·1 min read·Bakery team
The fridge is bread's enemy. So what is the alternative? How to keep a crusty loaf for a week.
From the moment it leaves the oven, bread loses moisture and its starch recrystallises. That second process — staling — happens fastest at fridge temperature. So putting bread in the fridge does not protect it; it does the opposite.
1. Close the cut face
Stand the loaf cut side down on a wooden board. The crust does the sealing for you.
2. Cloth or paper, not plastic
A plastic bag softens the crust and turns the loaf rubbery. Cotton cloth or a paper bag balances the moisture.
3. For the long term, freeze it
Slice it the same day, bag it, freeze it. A toaster, or five minutes at 180 °C, brings it back remarkably close to day one.
There is a fourth rule, but it is rarely needed: do not throw stale bread away. Toast it, tear it into soup, or make bread pudding.
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