Homemade bread - of most varieties - stays fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days when stored in either a bread box or paper bag. You can refrigerate homemade bread for up to 1 week, but this accelerates staling, so I don't recommend it. Instead, enjoy your homemade bread over those first 2-3 days. As an aside, you freeze homemade bread for up to 3 months. Homemade bread prepared without preservatives stales faster, but always offers superior flavor and texture when fresh - so, in my opinion, it's worth the hassle of storing it properly.
Quick Answer
The best way to store homemade bread is at room temperature in a paper bag or a bread box. Stored like this, the bread remains fresh for 2-3 days. Refrigeration extends the life of the bread out to 1 week, but accelerates staling. Never store your bread in plastic bags at room temperature, as this promotes mold growth. Frozen bread lasts for up to three months, and can be toasted directly from the freezer.
Storage Methods and Timeframes
Room Temperature (Best for Flavor): 2-3 Days
- I recommend using a plain paper bag, a cloth bread bag, or a bread box as the ideal way to store homemade bread.
- Avoid plastic bags and zip-lock bags. These bags trap moisture and thus promote mold.
- Artisan breads, like our boule loaf are best enjoyed within 48 hours.
Refrigerator (Not Recommended): Up to 1 Week
- Storing your homemade bread in the fridge does extend the shelf life to a week, but accelerates staling (retrogradation of starches). Thus, you are sacrificing texture for shelf life, basically.
- Stored in the fridge, homemade bread becomes dry and hard faster than if left at room temperature.
- When to Refrigerate: With all of that said, if you are in a hot or humid climate, I do recommend storing your homemade bread in the fridge to avoid mold growth.
- Toast It: If you do refrigerate your homemade bread, I strongly suggest toasting it to help restore the original texture.
Freezer (Long-Term Storage): 2-3 Months
- Slice It: Do not freeze bread whole. Slice it before freezing to allow for easier toasting or thawing.
- Wrap it: I recommend wrapping the bread tightly in plastic wrap and then placing the wrapped bread in a freezer bag before freezing.
- Air: Remove any trapped air from the bag before freezing.
- Label: Label with a date, as quality degrades after 3 months.
- Flatbreads: Our homemade flatbreads and pita breads freeze exceptionally well.
Signs Bread Has Gone Bad
- Visible mold (any color, discard entire loaf)
- Sour or off smell
- Hard, rock-like texture (stale but still safe to use for breadcrumbs)
Tips for Best Results
Slice only what you need
Keep the loaves whole and slice it as you go. This minimizes the total exposed surface area (portion not covered by crust) and preserves freshness.
Cool Completely Before Storing
Warm bread releases condensation as it cools. Thus, if you store it while warm, that condensation will accumulate in storage containers (whether bags or bread boxes), promoting mold growth. As such, let your bread cool for 2-3 hours at room temperature before storing.
Revive Stale Bread
Sprinkle with water and heat at 350 degrees f for 5-10 minutes to temporarily restore crust and soften interior. Or set it in the toaster oven on the bread setting until soft. Conversely, you can always make breadcrumbs, croutons, or French toast with stale bread.
Bottom Line
Homemade bread will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature. Store in a paper bag for best results. Homemade bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. Never refrigerate unless necessary to prevent mold in humid conditions.
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