Even with the vast number of delicious meals you can make with bread—fluffy French toast, avocado toast, paninis—chances are that you aren't going through a whole loaf in the span of a couple of days unless you're cooking for a whole household of people.
Bread has a relatively short shelf life. Homemade bread lasts only three to four days and store-bought bread lasts about a week
But according to experts a, how you're storing your bread makes a huge difference in terms of how long it maintains that just-baked quality, either extending its life or drastically cutting it down.
The best way to store bread?
Use a paper, plastic, or reusable bread bag.
If you want to make or buy bread that can last as long as possible, go for sourdough. The naturally occurring enzymes in sourdough bread act as a natural preservative, keeping homemade bread fresher for longer.
If you don't plan on eating your bread in the next week, you can always freeze it, saving it for weeks and even months later.
If your bread does go stale?
You can still make delicious croutons or breadcrumbs.