You Need To Start Making Toast From Frozen Bread

Like pancakes, oatmeal, and scrambles, toast is a quintessential breakfast staple loved by many. Namely, because it's simple to make and just as delicious to eat. All you have to do is brown a slice of bread, slather on some butter, and you're ready to get munching. 

Of course, the seemingly endless amount of spread options and types of bread available make this classic breakfast treat even more enjoyable, with scrumptious mashups running the gamut from avocado toast on sourdough bread to an enticing slice of cinnamon toast made with cinnamon raisin bread. But, you can easily elevate your morning meal even further by making your toast straight from the freezer.

Popping frozen slices of bread right into your toaster is just as easy as heating fresh ones, and no defrosting is required. But the best part is that freezing your bread will help to prolong its shelf life by slowing down the rate of staling and inhibiting the growth of mold. This means that, unlike a fresh loaf, you won't have to worry about your bread going bad as quickly. When you're ready for toast, pull out a slice and pop it into the toaster. Voilà!

It's no secret that bread can go bad fast, from moisture-loving mold spores to stale, hardened loaves. Fortunately, you can help your bread go the distance by storing it in your freezer. Freezing your bread is as simple as, well, making toast. All you have to do is wrap it — removing as much air as you can — and place it in a sealed freezer bag before tossing it in the freezer. 

How long can bread actually last in the freezer? Well, once frozen, the bread should be able to maintain its quality for upwards of three months, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Just be sure to write the date of when you put it in the freezer onto the bag, so you can keep track of its use-by date.

Granted, the average shelf life of any particular loaf will greatly depend on the ingredients used to make it. For example, since rye bread is denser, it tends to last longer than other types of bread — whereas whole wheat bread, which typically contains more moisture, will usually have a shorter shelf life compared to its white counterpart. 

Homemade loaves, which contain fewer preservatives, also tend to expire quicker, staying fresh for only about three to five days when stored at room temperature. On the other hand, similarly stored store-bought bread lasts about five to seven days if you're lucky or up to about two weeks if kept in the refrigerator.

When it comes to making toast, sliced bread is essential. So, if you prefer to buy whole loaves or enjoy making it from scratch, just ensure you slice up your bread before wrapping it up and placing it in the freezer. Although you can freeze a whole loaf of bread, this wouldn't exactly make for a streamlined toasting experience given that you'd have to use a bit of elbow grease to cut through the frozen bread, preferably with a serrated knife.

Another pro tip: To avoid your frozen bread slices from becoming stuck together, separate each of the slices by gently pulling them apart before placing them in the freezer. If they do happen to fuse together, don't try prying them apart with your bare hands. There's a simple knife trick to separate frozen bread slices, which involves using the heel of your knife — the part of the blade that's opposite from the tip — to separate each piece of bread. 

Since the heel is closer to the handle, you'll be able to apply more pressure and have greater control over the blade compared to if you used the tip.