Keep Bread Loaves Fresher Longer By Sticking This Vegetable In The Bag

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It's always disappointing to reach for a loaf of bread to make that sandwich you've been dreaming about all morning, only to discover that the bread's gone stale. The best breads, the ones without preservatives and added mold inhibitors, can go bad in the blink of an eye if not stored properly, so it's important to have some tricks up your sleeve to prevent such a carb-tastrophe. While everyone has heard about bread boxes, there's one trick you might not know, which comes from utilizing a common vegetable to keep things fresh. 

To get the inside scoop on this all-natural preparation method, Food Republic spoke to Domenico Tolomeo, corporate chef at Orlando Food Sales, to learn how a simple stick of celery can change the whole bread game. According to Tolomeo, it's all thanks to the water content in the fibrous veggie. "When placed in a bread bag, it releases a small amount of moisture into the air inside the bag. This extra humidity helps prevent the bread from drying out and going stale as quickly," he said.

If the idea of wet bread sends shivers down your spine, don't panic. "Unlike direct water or condensation (which would make bread soggy or moldy), the celery's moisture is gradual and more balanced," Tolomeo explained. "Over time, though, both the bread and celery will soften as they equalize in moisture, so it's best for short-term storage."

Of course, celery alone isn't going to save your bread single-handedly; there are other factors that you'll have to consider when trying to get the most out of this strategy. "I recommend storing bread in a cool, dry place, ideally in a bread box or a paper bag that allows some air circulation to prevent excess moisture buildup (which leads to mold)," Domenico Tolomeo advises. Paper is far superior to storing fresh bread than plastic, which, according to Tolomeo, "can trap moisture and encourage mold if not monitored."

The simple truth, though, is that bread is not supposed to stay fresh forever. Putting celery in the bag or trying an old-fashioned bread box for storage will help for a little while, but it won't stop the inexorable march toward staleness. 

While you should never store bread in the fridge, as the dryness inside the fridge will draw the moisture out of the bread and cause it to go stale faster, there's only one fool-proof method for keeping the bread at hand past its normal shelf life. "For longer storage, freezing is best," Tolomeo said. "I usually slice the loaf before freezing, so you can take out only what you need."