Make Bread Last Longer By Storing It With This Vegetable

There are few more frustrating kitchen moments than going to grab ingredients for toast or a sandwich and realizing your bread has gone stale or worse, developed mold. Although your loaf will inevitably drift toward these unpleasant fates, the particulars of how you store it can make a huge difference. What not everyone may know is that adding an often-ignored vegetable to your storage routine can help keep your bread fresher for longer: namely celery.

There are two parts to this trick that make it worth trying. The first takes advantage of the fact that the vegetable contains a lot of water. When you place a stick of celery in the bread bin, it will emit moisture over time. This keeps the loaf from becoming hard and stale.

The second part involves a bit more knowledge of biology and plant characteristics. Per a study published in the journal Food Control, certain scientifically tested chemical compounds present in celery have antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Food experts believe the presence of these compounds in an enclosed space (such as a bread bin or bag) can inhibit the growth of unpleasant microscopic invaders, helping extend the life of your loaf.

Celery offers another benefit compared to more sophisticated methods that make bread last longer. It's typically quite affordable, meaning that you can buy a bunch for only a few bucks. You could grab enough stalks to preserve your bread while having plenty left to use in several recipes or snacks.

Although this method might give you more time to use the bread, it's equally important to recognize when you ought to throw the food away. Any unusual or unpleasant odors are a dead giveaway, as is the presence of any mold spots. In case you're wondering, you shouldn't just cut the mold off of bread. The visible growth is only a portion of the entire organism, and when cooked, harmful toxins can remain behind even if the mold is killed.

There are plenty of tips and tricks out there to keep your food from growing mold, but few are as simple and useful as this celery tip. Keep a stalk or two around and you'll not only have a crunchy snack on hand, but a way to extend the life of your bread longer than you might think.