40. You refrigerate your bread to make it last longer

THE RESULT: Your bread stales faster.

THE FIX: It may seem counterintuitive, but bread is one food that doesn’t stay fresher longer in the fridge. As bread loses moisture, it hardens and becomes stale. This process is inevitable. Staling occurs more quickly at temperatures just above freezing, but slows when bread is stored below freezing. Wrap the loaf well in plastic or foil before placing it in the freezer. If you’re going to use bread within a couple of days, then store it at room temperature. The bread will last a little longer if you transfer it to a zip-top plastic bag or other airtight container rather than the bakery bags with twist ties.