The best thing since sliced bread is the argument about where to keep it.

While small, there is a debate between a group of people (that I have the absolute pleasure of being friends with) about the best place to keep bread.

As of right now, the options are bread drawers, bread boxes, bread cabinets (my personal choice), freezer bread, fridge bread, counter and/or table bread, and simply not having bread in the house. This got me thinking – considering temperature, heat, and environment – what’s the proper way to keep bread? The debate between them rages on, so let’s use science to figure out who’s right.

While the article “5 Secrets to Storing Bread” (written by Clarissa Buch) is likely for bread that’s been baked in a bakery, and not the mass-produced loafs in cylindrical bags, bread is still bread, no matter when it’s made, how it’s packaged, or its quality. So, for the most part, abiding by the rules suggested should lead us to the right side.

The first thing Madelyn Osten, the baker Buch interviewed, advises is to place bread in the freezer. While this may seem horrifying to some of you, as it did to me, Osten points out that this will preserve the crust of the bread. So, if a crispy exterior is your favourite, then place that loaf in the freezer. When you need it thawed, put it in the fridge or straight into your oven. Just make sure you have some sort of method to keep the pooling water away from your bread – no one likes a soggy sandwich.

The next thing she advises is – if you’re abhorrently against putting bread in the freezer – to store the loaf in a paper bag or in a bread box instead of in something plastic. This will decrease the amount of time it takes for it to mold. The placement of your bread is also important. The closer it is to an appliance or heat source, the faster it will go bad. Apparently, the best place is right on the counter, with cabinets and drawers coming in a close second.

Osten’s final piece of advice is to invest in a reusable bread bag. If you’re like me and the concept is unfamiliar, have no fear – it’s simply a linen or cloth bag with a drawstring around the top in order to seal it. Save the environment and have tasty bread, all in one go.

So there’s our answer – bread should go in the freezer or on the counter, or in a bread box or bread bag. Despite this, drawers and cabinets are viable options as well.

As disappointed as I am to learn that cabinet bread is not the best way to keep bread, and as horrified as I am that apparently having cold bread is the right thing to do, I will – painfully – relinquish the title of Superior Bread Keeping Method to my friends that make the decision to place their loaves in freezers.

Source (Information):
https://www.foodandwine.com/cooking-techniques/storing-bread-tips 

Sources (Pictures)(the first two are also coincidentally recipes for bread – try them out!!):
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pullman-sandwich-loaf
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022149-low-knead-sandwich-bread
https://www.kcollect.com/product/onya-reusable-bread-bag/