The expert explained whether it is possible to freeze bread

Bread is one of the basic foods of the country. However, in Lithuania, a resident throws away almost 400 grams of food every day, including bread. Here are some tips that will help you store your bread properly and use leftovers creatively.

Stored properly – stays fresh longer

It is advisable to store the bread in a dry, cool place: in a special bread box or in a cotton/linen bag. The cut loaf can be covered with a wax cloth. If you see that you will not eat all the bread, for example, if you are going on vacation, you can freeze the bread.

"Bread can definitely be frozen, and when removed from the refrigerator, it does not change the taste characteristics. It is very convenient to freeze in slices or portions. In Scandinavia, where sustainability is more advanced, it is customary to have portioned frozen breads in the freezer, put them in the toaster if necessary, warmed up and you can eat them as if they were fresh," says Snieguolė Šoblinskienė, bread sommelier and product development manager at Vilniaus Duona.

Freeze in convenient portions

Before putting it in the fridge or freezer, you can cut the whole bread to make it easy to take out the right amount later. In the freezer, bread can stay fresh for even several months. In addition, some studies show that freezing wheat bread and thawing it changes the structure of the starch and makes it more decomposable. This means that such bread will be digested more slowly when thawed, so blood sugar levels are absorbed more evenly than fresh white bread.

Use for breadcrumbs

If the bread begins to harden or bloom, it can be dried in the oven and used as breadcrumbs. It is a great condiment for minced meat, casseroles or dips before cooking chicken, fish, and meat dishes. Some of the crushed breadcrumbs can be mixed with spices and stored in a tightly closed container. Cut the bread into cubes, drizzle with oil and spices and fry in the oven or hot air fryer. After cooling, store in an airtight container - you will get a delicious seasoning for mashed soups or salads.

Crumbs for sweet baked goods

After crumbling hard bread with a chopper, you can flavor cakes, cupcakes or muffins. The crumbs will not only add crunch, but also make use of the excess bread. "Black rye bread crumbs are also perfect for an ancient rye bread dessert with cranberry, lingonberry or other more acidic jam," advises S. Šoblinskienė.

Traditional Lithuanian kvass

With the help of grandmother's recipes, Lithuanian rye bread can also be used for homemade kvass. It is enough to pour water over the dried pieces of rye bread, add sugar or honey, yeast or raisins and let the sourdough work. The result is a natural refreshing drink.

Dried baguette or toast

The toaster revives even slightly dried bread, you won't feel the difference. In addition, by soaking such slices in milk and egg batter and frying them in a pan with a little butter, you will get excellent lazy pancakes. All you have to do is season it with cinnamon or a dash of honey.

A slice of rye bread that has lost moisture sounds delicious in combination with blue cheese: sprinkle with cheese crumbs and heat in the microwave. All that remains is to decorate with salads and you will have a hot sandwich with a rich taste.

Excellent odor absorption

A corner of bread left without attention can be great for absorbing the smells of the refrigerator.

"Put the bread corner in the refrigerator if there is a smell of fish, smoked meat, onions, etc. left in it. It will absorb the smell into itself. And then you can feed it to the birds," advises the bread expert.

However, ornithologists remind that white bread is more suitable for feeding birds in winter (if we do not have grain or sunflowers), because rye is more acidic and not suitable for birds.

Uncut power for longer

Although nowadays the absolute majority of bread is sold sliced, the bread expert emphasized that for those who want to enjoy the freshness of bread for longer, it is advisable to choose unsliced. "Unsliced bread retains moisture better, and it can also cut a slice of the desired thickness," said Snieguolė Šoblinskienė, Head of Product Development at Vilniaus Duona.

And the most important tip is to plan your shopping cart and review what else you have at home before buying.

Bread usually lasts about 5-7 days, so before buying a new loaf, make sure that the previous one has been eaten and the leftovers have been turned into crumbs or toast for future dishes.

Article published in: Delfi