23 Jun Storing bread: what advice should you give to your customers?
Do your customers ask you how they should store the bread they buy from you? A very good question, which deserves some recommendations! At room temperature, in the freezer or in the fridge, here are a few tips: share them on social media or go the extra mile when selling products in store.
Not all breads are made equal…
It’s inevitable: even the best quality bread ends up stale or softened by the effects of air and humidity. Still, it all depends on the composition, but also on the shape and volume of the bread… Generally speaking:
- Breads made from rye, buckwheat or wholemeal flour keep better than white bread.
- A loaf or cob with a thick crust will last longer than a flat bread or baguette.
Suitable packaging = better preserved bread
Storing bread properly also depends on its packaging, which must be adapted to the storage conditions: room temperature, positive cold (fridge) or negative cold (freezer).
Bread at room temperature
If storing bread at room temperature, do not use plastic bags and cling film as they prevent the product from breathing. Recommend instead:
- A fabric bread bag or a clean tea towel (cotton or linen), to keep the bread soft.
- A paper bag if your customers love a crispy crust.
What about a bread bin?
A bread bin is the ideal container for storage at room temperature: stored in a clean, closed and non-condensing box, the bread will retain its qualities for up to 4 or 5 days.
Bonus tip: placing a potato cut in half or a sugar cube in the bread bin will help regulate the humidity level.
Bread in the freezer
Finished bakery products can be frozen for several weeks or even months. To make the most of this storage method, your customers can:
- Place their fresh bread in a plastic bag or freezer bag, making sure all air has been removed.
- Cut the bread into pieces corresponding to portions.
How do you defrost bread properly?
Avoid: defrosting bread quickly in the microwave. This is the best way to turn soft bread into rusk…
Tip: put the frozen bread directly into a preheated oven at 180°C for a few minutes. It will naturally regain its softness and crispness.
Bread in the fridge – is it a good idea?
Keeping bread in the fridge is possible, even though at low temperatures bread products tend to dry out faster. For optimal storage:
- Wrap the bread in a plastic bag.
- Store in the coldest part of the fridge.
Breathing life into to stale bread…
Tip to avoid waste:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Place a bowl of water in the over or wet the stale bread.
- Put in the oven for about 10 minutes.