Caring for & Enjoying Your Sourdough
Storing Your Sourdough (Keep It Fresh)
Sourdough naturally has a longer shelf life thanks to its fermentation, which helps resist mold and spoilage. To keep your loaf at its best:
- Store your bread cut-side down on a wooden board or wrapped in a linen/cotton cloth on the counter
- You can also use a paper bag or beeswax wrap to allow the bread to breathe
- Avoid plastic bags for long-term storage—they trap moisture and soften the crust
Do not refrigerate your sourdough, the fridge actually causes bread to go stale faster by changing the structure of the starches.
Sourdough is meant to live at room temperature and be enjoyed within a few days.
Freezing for Later (Best Way to Preserve Freshness)
If you won’t finish your loaf within a couple of days, freezing is the best option.
You can:
- Wrap a whole or half loaf tightly (foil + optional bag) and freeze
- Or slice the loaf first, then freeze slices to pull out one at a time
Slicing before freezing is perfect for:
- quick toast
- avoiding waste
- enjoying fresh bread anytime
A note on digestion:
Freezing and reheating bread can further change the starch structure, increasing what’s called resistant starch, which may:
- support gut health
- help regulate blood sugar
- improve digestibility for some people
Reheating & Enjoying (Bring It Back to Life)
One of the best parts of sourdough is how beautifully it refreshes.
To revive a loaf:
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Lightly run the loaf under water (yes, really!) or sprinkle with water
- Place directly in the oven for 8–12 minutes
This helps:
- restore that crispy crust
- warm and soften the inside
For slices:
- Toast straight from frozen
- Or warm in a pan or oven
A Few Extra Tips
- Use a serrated knife for clean slicing
- If your loaf feels firm after a couple days, it’s perfect for: toast, croutons, grilled sandwiches
- Sourdough is naturally: easier to digest for many people, supportive of gut health due to fermentation, made without commercial yeast
Every loaf is made to be enjoyed fully—from the first slice to the last. With a little care, you can savor it every step of the way.
At home, I usually store my bread in a beeswax bread bag on the counter. My favorite way, though, is to slice and freeze it, then pull out pieces as I need them. Not only does this keep the bread fresh, but it also adds the benefit of resistant starches—something I value deeply as part of supporting gut health.