Before You Grab That Loaf, Here's Why Trader Joe's Bread Might Not Be Best For Your Pantry

There's a lot to love about Trader Joe's: It is full of both everyday essentials and special treats, with a to-die-for freezer aisle, an extensive selection of gluten-free staples, and an ever-changing bakery section with seasonal favorites. Speaking of its bakery department, many of the grocer's artisanal loaves, including Trader Joe's popular sourdough, are customer favorites – but overall, the breads found at this supermarket chain has left something to be desired. TJ's bread is notorious for going moldy well before its time.

While the mold growth is certainly a bummer, it likely happens for a positive reason; Trader Joe's bread contains way fewer preservatives than your traditional supermarket bagged bread (preservatives in commercially produced bread is part of the reason why bread boxes are no longer a thing for most households). The ingredients in Wonder Classic White Bread, for example, lists calcium propionate, then a note in parentheses about how this additive is included to help keep the bread from spoiling. There is no such indication of said ingredient in Trader Joe's sliced white bread, in contrast.

The habitual early molding in Trader Joe's bread might also be a matter of how the product is transported. If Trader Joe's stores receive some of the bread stock frozen, condensation can build up inside as it thaws. That condensation becomes moisture which can trigger mold spores, causing rapid growth which may start to show itself after just a few days on shelves.

If you love Trader Joe's bread but find dealing with the rapid mold growth to be a pain, there are a few things you can do. First up: Freeze your bread as soon as you get it home. If your bread is whole, slice it up before either sticking it back in the plastic bag in which it came (if it's the twist-tie at the top kind) or moving it to a freezer-safe zip-top bag (if it came in the vacuum sealed-type bag). Whenever you want a piece of that sourdough boule or ciabatta baguette, simply remove however many slices you want and either let them thaw for about 20 minutes on the counter. You can also place frozen slices directly in the toaster if you plan on enjoying your bread warmed up. If the pieces have frozen together, a little gentle wiggling with a butterknife should do the trick.

If you find yourself impatiently waiting for your TJ's bread to defrost, but you still don't want it molding so quickly, consider doing as past generations did with their less-preservative-filled bread: Invest in an old-fashioned bread box. This product is designed to keep bread in the ideal condition, avoiding too much moisture or humidity and discouraging mold growth thanks to the allowances for air circulation. If none of this appeals to you, maybe skip the bread department at Trader Joe's and buy elsewhere.