How long does whole wheat bread last?
In the pantry, whole wheat bread keeps for 3 to 5 days from purchase. All 2 kinds are below.
3 to 5 days
from purchase
No guideline
No guideline
By kind
| Kind | Pantry | Fridge | After opening | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| homemade | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | no guideline | 3 months |
| commercially baked & pre-sliced | 3 to 5 days | no guideline | no guideline | 3 months |
No guideline: USDA gives no time for that place, usually because the food is not stored that way.
Does whole wheat bread go bad?
Whole wheat bread is shelf stable, so the pantry time is about quality rather than safety: past it, flavour and texture fade before anything becomes unsafe. The date on the package is the maker's quality promise; the times here count from purchase unless marked "from the package date".
Two numbers to keep in mind: a fridge at 40 F (4 C) or below, and no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90 F / 32 C) for anything perishable.
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.
How long do other grains, beans & pasta last?
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.