Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Food] Bread







KZNSeagull

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
21,029
Wolsingham, County Durham
Why is it that all loaves of regular sliced bread (we get Warburtons) are so short date nowadays?

On delivery from any of the supermarkets, it’s usually next day best before, and green within 4-5 days. I don’t remember this being the case in the past… Now I keep it in the freezer and just defrost as needed.

It’s kept where it’s always been kept (cool dark, dry place in kitchen)
The best before dates for Warburtons (and Hovis) have actually increased since Covid - used to be 4 days, now it is 5 (Hovis is 6). I'm afraid that this is one of the perils of online deliveries - there will be loads of bread with long dates in the shop warehouse but the pickers will ignore them as it is too much like hard work to find the right bread without being shown exactly where it is using their pick sticks.

If you go into the store ask someone and they will get you a fresher and therefore much longer dated loaf.
 




jackanada

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2011
3,484
Brighton
I've never known a loaf of sliced bread make it past a second day in my house.
Now occasionally I'm buy a couple of large sourdough and a few baguettes in one go from Open bakery. The baguettes slow the first loaf consumption so that part of one of the loaves manages to remain to go stale on day three, then I leave it out in a paper bag to dry some more and make breadcrumbs.
 






Zeberdi

“Vorsprung durch Technik”
NSC Patron
Oct 20, 2022
6,724
I had some running shoes made of artisan baguette once but I had to get rid of them as my feet were in tremendous pain.
You should have asked for extra yeast - you could have risen above it and had petit pain instead.
 




Arthritic Toe

Well-known member
Nov 25, 2005
2,477
Swindon
Honestly don’t understand why more people don’t make their own. Loads of recipes that don’t require kneading so 5 minutes 1 day mixing ingredients. 5 minutes next day to whack it in the oven. 40 minutes later it’s done. Saves a fortune and means you don’t have to eat the processed crap that passes for bread in shops.
Personally speaking, the reason is that I don't have the self control not eat the whole damn loaf as soon as its ready.
 




Anger

Well-known member
Jul 21, 2017
503
Why is it that all loaves of regular sliced bread (we get Warburtons) are so short date nowadays?

On delivery from any of the supermarkets, it’s usually next day best before, and green within 4-5 days. I don’t remember this being the case in the past… Now I keep it in the freezer and just defrost as needed.

It’s kept where it’s always been kept (cool dark, dry place in kitchen)
If they didn’t have short dates we would end up with a Bread Mountain (like the people of Addison County, Vermont, Yankee Doodle).
 


Cheeky Monkey

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2003
23,814
Kingsmill from Farmfoods usually have a week or so sell-by date, and Tesco own brand super seeded usually has 4 or 5 days if you look at the back of the shelf.
I always assume Kingsmill is full of preservatives and other crap. Could be wrong.
 






nickbrighton

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2016
2,110
bread maker all the time now for years. Costs about 60p per large loaf, bung all the ingredients in, and press a button-thats it-3 hours later its ready. Makes the house smell amazing, and is so much nicer. No additives or bleaching agents either.
The only issue is that without all the preservatives it doesn't last as long, but I slice mine and freeze it-only takes a couple mins to thaw a slice whenever I need it
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
55,718
Faversham
Why is it that all loaves of regular sliced bread (we get Warburtons) are so short date nowadays?

On delivery from any of the supermarkets, it’s usually next day best before, and green within 4-5 days. I don’t remember this being the case in the past… Now I keep it in the freezer and just defrost as needed.

It’s kept where it’s always been kept (cool dark, dry place in kitchen)
If you make the bread yourself it will last longer.

If you need some help.....I'd be happy to make it with you.
 






Skuller

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jun 3, 2017
335
Strangely, the loaf doesn’t know what its use-by date is. It just gets stale at a rate according to its constituents. If they haven’t changed the ingredients then by bringing the sell-by date forward they’re trying to get you to have the bread when it tastes better. And they don’t care if you stupidly throw it out when it’s past its date.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
55,718
Faversham
Will it though? I thought most of the crap that went into the mass-produced stuff was to make it last a bit longer.
Trust me, it's Manna. A loaf will cheer up any Dismal Day.
 




Professor Plum

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 27, 2024
534
The longer the use-by date, the more full of UPF, preservatives and other crap it's likely to have.

I'm another make-my-own type. I tend to use my Panasonic breadmaker to make the dough, then I take it out, let it rise, and whack it in the oven. The whole process takes about 3.5 - 4 hours though the actual time spent doing anything is less than 10 minutes. I sometimes use the machine to do the whole thing on 'rapid' setting which takes 3 hours.

I've had the machine for about 22 years now and it's easily the best kitchen gadget we've ever bought. It's used on average twice a week to ensure we're never out of stock. I keep bread in the fridge from day 2. From day 3, if we have any left, it's still fine to eat as it is but we tend to toast it from that point. Around day 3 or 4 it's time to think about making another loaf.

Occasionally I'll make sourdough but this is far more labour intensive and takes well over a day from start to finish, preparing the starter, stretching/folding the dough, letting rest overnight blah blah. Tastes great but a bit too much hassle to do it all the time.
 




Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here