Should you refrigerate bread?

There's nothing like fresh baked bread right from the bakery. But if you want the most enjoyment from it, how do you store it to preserve it?

We spoke with Guy Crosby — who teaches a food science course at Harvard School of Public Health and is the editor for America's Test Kitchen — for some answers. Turns out, storage temperature for bakery bread has a huge effect on the bread's starch molecules.

[milhouse]

To make bread last longer, freeze it. If you already want to eat it then just heat it in the microwave straight from the freezer. No need to defrost.

[vLife]

I had a loaf of bread (store bought Nature Own Hand Crafted Thick slice) in my van in Florida in July for over a week. Sure the van got up to 120F inside the middle of the day. I was surprised it was still soft, did not have any mold or smell. Had a few sandwiches and it was fine.

[doloresumbridge]

Well I'll cut it in 2 and store one in the bread box and the other in the refrigerator, I'll eat the one in the bread box first and then eat the one in the refrigerator so I can have fresh bread and long lasting bread

[Tredok]

Well... Unless you place it in a very dry air tight container, colder temps will trap moisture and in the case of bread promote mould to grow, some produce like potatoes, garlic and onions actually are better stored at room temperature, specially if they are not going to sit in the pantry for more than 2-3 days, not to mention that it's easier to keep the pantry dryer than a refrigerator.

[conqwiztadore]

you can always zap it for 15-20 seconds in the mic

[ziljin]

I just slap it on the grill with some butter

[SoulJah]

Couple vids just told me putting it in the fridge would make it moldy faster.

[OGMillyMillz]

I do it all the time and I don't taste the difference.

[ericsmith]

You have to put the bread back into the oven for 30 seconds ..

[nikahmadfaris]

I don't like refrigerated bread. Taste stale af.