Bread will stay fresh for longer if stored with 1 staple kitchen item

When it comes to staple foods that lie in our cupboards, bread is one item that is often found in lot of people's kitchens - after all, it's tasty, delicious and is actually pretty easy to make too. However, when it comes to how to store it correctly, this is where things can get a little trickier.

Loaves can often turn green, soft and moudly when the incorrect food storage method is used; however, this can all change if you follow a few simple rules and all you need is a staple kitchen item to keep your bread fresh and delicious for days. The trick can work wonders.

Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Developer at HelloFresh, recently explained the first step is selecting the correct area of the house to store your loaves in. As the brand has thousands of followers on Instagram, she's one person you may want to pay attention to, as she often shares tips about food storage.

The expert said: "Storing bread at room temperature will prolong its shelf life. It's best to keep your bread sealed and stored in a dark cupboard or bread bin, if you have one. Bread also freezes well if you don't want to eat it immediately."

However, it's not just the area of the house you need to worry about. Little you may know, there's an extra hack that can boost your success too.

Storing your bread near the fridge or the dishwasher can hinder your loaves. This is because the heat and moisture that comes from both can lead to accidentally "cooking your bread."

It can cause the bread to become dry and crusty, so it's best to avoid storing your bread near the appliances. In fact, all you need to do is wrap it in a common kitchen item to prolong its shelf life.

Experts actually say that all you need to do is wrap it in a tea towel and keep it away from heat to protect it more. This will help your bread to stay fresher for longer.

It may seem like a simple food storage hack, but it works. There are simple reasons why it's such a good idea.

Wrapping freshly baked bread in a clean, cotton tea towel can help retain freshness, especially when it comes to sourdough. Cotton is a breathable material, which means it enables moisture to escape and prevents the bread from becoming soggy.

It also works to retain some moisture, which can stop the bread from drying out too quickly. You just need to ensure freshly baked bread is cool before you attempt to wrap it.

Other ways to keep bread fresh

There are also various other things you can try to keep bread as fresh as possible. Some examples include:

• Make sure your bread is stored in a cool and dry place. It shouldn't be exposed to direct sunlight, heat or excess moisture.
• Wrap bread in a paper bag, a clean cloth or a linen bag to enable some air circulation. This will help to stop the crust from getting soggy.
• Don't refrigerate bread, as this can lead to it drying out and becoming stale faster, especially if it's not properly wrapped.
• To allow your bread to last longer, you can freeze it. Pop it in a tightly wrapped plastic wrap, and add a layer of foil or freezer paper to prevent freezer burn.
• When freezing, make sure you use freezer-safe bags and remove as much air as possible before sealing. This will help to boost its freshness.
• Make sure you label and date the bag so you don't consume the bread after it's exceeded its sell by date.