Bread is handy to have in the kitchen for a quick sandwich or when you’re craving some buttery toast, but it can be frustrating to find it stale before you’ve had a chance to enjoy it. When the weather is warm, you need to do more than just cover bread as the moisture inside is more likely to evaporate, causing it to go hard or dry out before its expiry date.
However, food storage experts at Green Wraps have shared a very easy way to keep bread fresh: storing it with a stick of celery. It may sound bizarre, but this simple vegetable contains a lot of water, which the bread can absorb as it begins to dry out.
The expert said: “The unique properties of celery make it an interesting candidate for preserving bread. One of the most remarkable properties of celery is its high water content, which is about 95 percent of its weight.
“By placing one or two celery stems inside a bread bag, the moisture within the stems can be transferred to the surrounding environment.”
Celery also contains natural antibacterial compounds such as phthalates and apigenin so it not only stops bread from going stale but also helps keep it from becoming mouldy.
It also contains ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that helps fruits such as bananas and apples ripen to develop more flavour.
However, with bread, it actually helps keep it fresh for a longer period of time as it slows down the breakdown of starch, which helps maintain its firm, tasty texture.
How to keep bread fresh using celery
Place one or two celery stalks right next to your bread if you are storing it at room temperature.
Store bread in a bread box, cloth bag, or paper bag if possible as it needs a breathable but sheltered environment to stay fresh and help prevent mould growth.
Do not store bread in the packaging it comes in from the supermarket, as plastic traps too much moisture, which can cause bread to go mouldy.
Store your bread container in a spot away from windows, ovens, or other heat sources, as warmth can cause bread to go stale more quickly.
Try to avoid putting bread in the fridge — it’s a common misconception that it preserves freshness, but it actually causes the starch to crystallise, making the bread go stale faster.
If you store bread with a few celery sticks and keep it in a cool spot in your kitchen, then it will stay fresh for a few days or even a week longer than it normally would.