This Is The Best Way To Store Gluten-Free Bread
Gluten-free bread is a delicious and healthy alternative baked good made without traditional wheat flour and often sans additives and preservatives, per Gluten Free Living. For those who have celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten, it's the way to keep on enjoying everything from morning toast to your favorite sandwich.
The only issue is that gluten-free bread has a bad street rep for drying out and molding over at warp speed. This happens because alternative flours used in gluten-free baking lack the protein found in that pesky wheat flour, which lends moisture and elasticity to traditional breads. Many store-bought wheat breads are also full of preservatives that extend their shelf-life, and according to Gluten Free Heroes, this might not always be the case with gluten-free bread.
If avoiding wheat flour, additives, and dry mouth is the goal — here's how to get the most flavor and life expectancy from your gluten-free bread.
Put your gluten-free bread in the freezer
Once your gluten-free bread hits the kitchen counter, the clock starts ticking, and you've got a couple of days to use your favorite baked good. If you prefer it fresh and use it quickly, Zest For Baking says a breadbox is an effective storage method (especially when combined with an airtight container or bread bag), but it will still only buy you a week before dryness or mold take your bread down. Vacuum-sealed bread from the store can last up to six months on the shelf, but once opened, Cinderella needs to leave the ball within a week. Refrigerating your bread may seem like a good idea, but according to Gluten-Free Living, it only speeds up the drying process and creates a slice of sawdust that nobody wants to eat.
Hello, freezer! Storing gluten-free bread in the freezer gets you up to six months of shelf-life without compromising flavor or texture. You can buy frozen gluten-free breads at the store or freeze your homemade gluten-free bread, cut side down, four hours after baking. Many people recommend slicing your gluten-free bread before freezing and dividing up the slices in cling wrap. If your frozen sliced bread wants to stay in the loaf with its friends, just set it out on the counter for a few minutes and then separate what you need.
For the longest shelf-life and quality flavor, your friendly freezer is the best way to store your gluten-free bread.