How To Store Bagels To Keep Them Fresh for As Long As Possible (2024)

FAQs

How To Store Bagels To Keep Them Fresh for As Long As Possible? ›

Contrary to popular belief, refrigerating your bagels will actually make them go stale more quickly. You should store them in plastic bags at room temperature, or freeze them immediately. Make sure your bagels aren't still warm when you put them in bags or they will get soggy.

It is not recommended to store bagels in the refrigerator. Refrigerating bagels can cause them to become stale faster. Keep your bagels on the counter in a paper or zip-top bag, or freeze them for long-term storage.

If you're looking to preserve whole bagels for a short period of time, your best bet is to store your bagels in a paper bag, which you can keep out on the counter or in the pantry, so long as the bagels stay at room temperature.

The microwave is a quick solution for many kitchen tasks. To help soften a hard bagel, simply wrap it in a moist paper towel and microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also set the bagel on a microwave-safe plate, then surround it with a few water drops or lightly mist it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Bagels will stay fresh and soft (when stored properly) for up to five days at room temperature and approximately three months in the freezer.

"Paper leaves the crust and flavor intact, and while the bagels do get chewier, they're perfectly fine within a day of buying them," they write, adding that you can also keep the paper bag of bagels in a plastic bag.

Putting your extra New Yorker bagels in a paper bag can help them last until the next day. Longer than that, try slicing and stacking your bagel halves before wrapping tightly in plastic, foil or tupperware-style containers and freezing them.

For a soft, fluffy bagel, preheat your oven to 350°F, either run the stale bagel under hot water until the outside is damp or soak it briefly in a bowl of hot water, then place the bagel directly on the wire rack in the oven and heat it for five minutes.

While the texture and taste of stale food might be a little off, so long as there isn't anything else wrong with it, the food should be fine to eat. You're not going to suffer any stale food side effects. But if your foods are showing other signs of going bad, like mold, it's time to throw it out.

The best way to revive a stale bagel is to submerge it in a bowl of warm (not hot) water, then loosely wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in either a toaster oven or an actual oven preheated to 350°F. After five minutes, remove the bagel, discard the foil, and slice and schmear it to your heart's content.

How long do bagels last in the pantry? ›

However, after 2 to 3 days, they'll start to go a bit stale. Your best bet is to freeze bagels you're not sure you can eat within a 2-day timeframe. Store-bought bagels will usually keep for about 5 to 7 days in the pantry. They should be frozen if you won't eat them within the week.

How to reheat frozen bagels. Two acceptable options: Allow them to thaw to room temperature on the counter, or re-bake them in a hot oven. For best results, dip a frozen bagel in hot water before putting it in the oven to bake for a few minutes.

Since it is so important to remove as much air from the packaging of your bagels before freezing, I do not suggest freezing them in their original packaging. Using an airtight bag, saran wrap, an airtight container, or even aluminum foil are all better options.

Refrigerated bagels can last from 5 to 7 days in the fridge, much longer than when left at normal room temperature. Freezing bagels allows them to last even longer, typically up to 3 months or even longer depending on the type of bagel and how they are stored.

When bread sits out and loses that water through evaporation, the remaining moisture gets trapped in the starch as it recrystallizes and hardens.

For a soft, fluffy bagel, preheat your oven to 350°F, either run the stale bagel under hot water until the outside is damp or soak it briefly in a bowl of hot water, then place the bagel directly on the wire rack in the oven and heat it for five minutes.

Packaged Bagels & Breads

Trying to extend the shelf life is not recommended for freshly baked bread, but the preservatives in packaged bagels and bread allow it to last one to two weeks beyond the "Use Buy" date, if refrigerated. Just keep an eye out for mold or a crunchy, stale texture.