Can you freeze bread twice?
Bread is one of the most popular foods that people eat. It is often considered a staple food that can be eaten of day.
It is important to know that the quality of the fresh baked bread will affect the taste and texture of the bread, and one of the ways to preserve freshness is by freezing.
However, this method of preservation does not last long and the bread will completely lose its nutritional and moisture content and will lose its flavour and texture.
Bread can be refrozen as long as it’s completely dry and as long as it hasn’t been baked with any kind of dairy products.
One way to make the flavour of bread last longer is to freeze it. When you freeze it, it can last up to three months. If you freeze bread, it is very important to wrap the kinds of bread airtight to keep it fresh.
You should not wrap leftover bread in aluminum foil because it reduces the lifespan. Some people recommend wrapping bread in plastic wrap before putting it in the freezer.
It is also important to place the bread in the freezer immediately after buying it.
In this article, I’ll tell you exactly how to freeze bread without losing quality.
How to freeze/refreeze bread?
Whether you’re making bread freezing or baking bread, it’s important to know how to freeze bread correctly now and then.
If you’ve ever tried to put bread in the freezer before, you may already know that it’s difficult to get bread to stick together once it’s frozen, leading to the bread getting stuck in the container and creating unwanted bread crumbs.
It used to be that chilling your bread was the only way to avoid the dreaded freezer burn, but now there are methods for freezing bread in individual portions, or even in individual slices.
So how do you freeze bread in the most efficient way possible, avoiding the damaged edges?
- To freeze bread, first wrap it in foil, plastic wrap or a freezer bag before putting it in the freezer.
- It’s important to freeze bread in containers or wrappers, as bread form can absorb moisture from the air.
- To keep bread fresh, store it in the bread bin or bread drawer of your fridge.
- If you want to freeze bread, place it in the freezer, but will use it within 4-6 months to avoid it going stale.
Bread should be stored in the freezer to keep its fresh appearance and taste. It should be used within two to three months.
However, if stored properly frozen bread can be stored for up to nine months or longer, providing there is no puncture or damage.
What are the best types of bread for freezing?
There are many kinds of breads available on the market today. Some are made using whole wheat flour, while others contain white flour.
The best types of braided bread for freezing are loaves of white bread, rye, bread dough, bagels, buns, chapatis, ciabatta, naan, pita, brioche and baguettes. You can freeze most baked goods for up to 3 months.
Also, it’s good to freeze bread as close as possible to the time of purchase as it may go stale quicker than you may think.
There are also some varieties which have added ingredients such as cheese, nuts, seeds, etc.
1. Whole grain
Whole grain bread contains more fibre than refined grains like white bread. This makes them healthier because they help lower cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar spikes.
Whole grain bread stays fresher for longer periods of time compared to other breads. They don’t go stale easily and remain soft when thawed out.
2. White bread
White bread is usually cheaper than whole grain breads, so it’s easier to buy and consume. However, these breads lack nutrients and vitamins found in whole grain breads.
White breads are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat.
The type of bread depends on what you prefer. If you enjoy eating healthy food, try buying whole grain bread instead of regular white bread.
You’ll find that whole grain bread tastes better than white bread. Whole grain bread will give you energy throughout the day and won’t make you feel sluggish afterwards.
When choosing between whole grain and white bread, remember that both options offer health benefits. So choose whichever one suits your needs at the moment.
When you shouldn’t refreeze bread?
You should never refreeze bread once you have thawed it. Because bread will have already went stale when you thaw it, by refreezing it, the bread will become stale faster.
Refrigeration does not kill bacteria; rather, it slows down their reproduction rate. Refrigerated foods must be kept cold all the way through until served.
If you’re planning to store bread overnight, wrap it well in paper towels and then cover it completely with plastic wrap. Store it in the freezer compartment of your fridge.
It’s important to note that refrigerating bread doesn’t stop its staling process. It just delays it slightly.
So if you want to freeze bread, do it within 24 hours of baking.
How to make bread last longer?
Here are some tips:
- Store bread in an area with cool temperatures. The ideal temperature range is 50°F – 55°F.
- Wrap bread tightly in aluminum foil or put it into a resealable container.
- Freeze bread immediately after removing it from the oven.
- Place bread in the refrigerator right away.
- To prevent bread moulds growth, remove any crusty parts before storing bread.
- When storing bread, keep it away from heat and moisture, keep it in a sealed plastic bag, and keep it in a cool, dry place.
- Bread goes stale because it is low in fat, so there are fewer natural oils to protect the starches inside the bread.
Adding fat to the bread will give it a longer shelf life, as will freezing it.
How to thaw frozen bread efficiently
The quickest way to thaw bread is to spread the frozen loaf on a sheet pan, place it in a warm oven and allow it to thaw.
Or, if the warm bread is partially frozen, you can transfer it to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for a minute.
Thawing frozen bread can take up to 12 hours depending on how much homemade bread you need to defrost. To speed things along, use this method:
1. Place the loaf pan in the sink filled with warm water.
2. Let the quick bread sit in the hot water for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the bread from the sink and let it drain thoroughly.
4. Slice off pieces of bread using a serrated knife.
5. Serve!
What happens during the first few days of storage?
As mentioned above, bread becomes stale over time due to oxidation. This occurs naturally but also can happen more quickly if stored improperly.
Stale French bread has lost most of its nutritional value and may even contain harmful substances such as pesticides and preservatives.
During the first 3–7 days of storage, fresh bread loses approximately 20% of its volume due to starch gelatinisation. This causes bread to lose weight and shrink.
After 7 days, bread loses more air trapped under the surface of the crumb. As time passes, the amount of gas produced increases, causing bread to expand further.
This expansion continues over several weeks, resulting in a final increase in size of 25%.
How to tell if bread is bad?
There are many ways to test whether classic bread is good or bad.
Here are three easy methods:
- Use a toothpick to poke holes in the bread’s top. If they don’t spring back when pressed gently, the slices of bread are old.
- Cut open a slice of bread and check the colour. White bread should have a light yellowish hue while dark brown breads look darker than usual.
- You can also smell bread to determine freshness.
If your nose detects a strong odour, then the refreezing bread is probably not very fresh. However, if the aroma of bread smell like baking soda, then the bread might be okay.
You can also try tasting the bread. A sour taste indicates that the bread was made too long ago; however, if the flavour tastes sweet, then the bread could still be edible.
Store bought bread will go mouldy if left out of the wrapper at room temperature. This is because of three things:
- The yeast produces gas.
- The mould consumes it
- And the carbon dioxide is released inside the bread and makes it swell and get airy.
Tips on storing bread
Gluten free bread is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep bread fresher for longer, wrap it in cling film or put it inside an airtight bag immediately after you get it home.
Bread can be stored in a bread box or bread bin, or placed in a paper bag. If you use a bread bin, ensure that the bread is not exposed to excess moisture, which can cause mould.
If you use a paper bag, ensure that you do not store the bread in the bag for too long, otherwise it could get stale.
- Keep a loaf of bread away from heat sources so that it doesn’t dry out.
- Store bread in an area where humidity levels remain constant. Humidity helps prevent bacteria growth.
- To keep wheat bread fresher longer, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap before placing it into the freezer.
- When wrapping bread, make sure that no part of the crust touches any other parts of the package.
Conclusion
I will say that freezing bread can be a great way to keep it fresh for a longer period. It is important that the bread prone is wrapped well so it doesn’t get freezer burn.
But if you have a lot of bread slices and don’t know what to do with it, you can always freeze your bread ratio.
You should not allow a loaf of bread recipes to get to room temperature before putting it in the freezer, because the loaf will dry out.