How to store whole wheat bread
Best place: the pantry. Whole wheat bread is shelf stable and keeps for 3 to 5 days in a cool, dry cupboard. The freezer gives 3 months.
3 to 5 days
from purchase
May have shorter shelf life due to lack of preservatives.
No guideline
Refrigeration not recommended - bread will quickly dry out and become stale.
3 months
best quality within
USDA notes for whole wheat bread
- homemade: May have shorter shelf life due to lack of preservatives.
- homemade: Refrigeration not recommended - bread will quickly dry out and become stale.
- commercially baked & pre-sliced: Refrigeration not recommended - bread will quickly dry out and become stale.
How to tell whole wheat bread has gone bad
General signs for grains, beans & pasta, the group USDA lists whole wheat bread under.
- Small webbing, moths or beetles inside the bag or container
- Musty or damp smell instead of a neutral, dry one
- Clumping together from moisture getting into the package
- Cooked pasta or rice turning sticky, slimy or sour smelling
- Visible mould on cooked beans or grains left too long
More on grains, beans & pasta. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store dry grains, beans and pasta in airtight containers in a cool, dry cupboard away from the stove. Once cooked, refrigerate in a shallow covered container within two hours and use within about four days. Freeze cooked portions for longer storage and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
How to store other grains, beans & pasta
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.