The sweetness, aroma, and flavors of banana bread are so unique and captivating and, the taste, well, heavenly! No doubt banana bread is one of the most loved baked items.
So, if you’ve baked too many banana bread in one-go or if you’ve bought too many of them, here’s what you need to know on banana bread’s shelf life and storage.
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Does banana bread go bad?
We all love banana bread, don’t we? So, it’s natural for us to stock on it and hopes that it never goes bad. But, it does! And, since eating stale bread can bring about unwanted health issues, you have to be very mindful about that.
The most common cause for a loaf of banana bread to go bad is mold growth. It also becomes dry and smells and tastes sour once it goes bad. To know how long exactly the banana bread lasts, how you can tell if it has gone bad, and excellent tips on how to store it properly, keep on reading.
How long does banana bread last?
Whenever we bake something, we often want to devour it right away, don’t we? But, even if you don’t plan on eating the banana bread the same day, don’t panic as it can last for 2-4 days in your countertop and a week in your refrigerator.
Moreover, if you freeze the bread, you can enjoy it even after 2-3 months. It may last longer than that, as the shelf life of frozen foods is often considered indefinite.
However, if you don’t want to miss that top-notch flavor and quality, we recommend you to thaw and enjoy eating the frozen bread within 2-3 months.
If the banana bread is store-bought, consider the packaged date. If there’s an expiry date in the packaging, go by the rules. If not, count the number of days shown on the table, from the packaged date, to estimate its expiry date.
|
|
At room temperature | In Refrigerator |
In Freezer |
|
Banana Bread |
2-4 days | 1 week |
2-3 months |
Ripen bananas used in banana bread introduce more water onto the bread. Moreover, mold growth on bakery items is incredibly common. So, if not stored properly, you might notice your banana bread going moldy even before these estimated shelf-lives.
On the other hand, proper storage might give you a few more days, or even months to enjoy your banana bread.
3 Tips to Tell if Banana Bread has Gone Bad
Telling if the banana bread has gone bad is definitely not a difficult task. However, if you’re not sure, here are the three major indications of spoilt banana bread.
1. Discoloration:
If you notice the color of banana bread has turned different, it might be an indication that it has started fermenting. So, if you observe such color change, either partially or on the entire bread, it indicates that you’ve stored the bread for too long and it should be no longer consumed.
2. Mold:
Mold in bread is incredibly common. If you see some whitish fuzzy spots in your stored banana bread, that might be molds enjoying your favorite dish. These molds can turn green, grey, or even black later on. So, if you see such growths in the bread, you can trash them without a second thought.
3. Off-smell:
Anything spoilt will definitely have an unpleasant smell. So, if you’re not sure if you should eat the banana bread which you’ve been saving for a long time, you should give it a sniff beforehand.
However, don’t bring the moldy bread too close to your nose as you might end up sniffing some toxic mold spores which are notorious for causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems on some individuals.
To be specific, bad banana bread might release a strong banana smell or a sour dairy smell. If you smell something suspicious, trash it. After all, health must be your utmost priority!
5 Tips to Store Banana Bread
Now that you know how long does a banana bread last and how to tell if they’ve gone bad, let’s look at how we can effectively store it for the longest time possible.
1. Let the bread cool:
Always remember that storing warm banana bread in a container or a bag will cause it to expel more moisture onto its outer layer. It happens due to a process called condensation. Thus, the overall moisture content within the container/bag increases.
And, since we all know, moisture is one of the biggest culprits that invites mold onto your favorite food items, storing warm bread must be avoided entirely.
2. Store banana bread in the pantry:
You can safely store banana bread in your pantry cupboard or countertop for 2-4 days. Make sure to sandwich the banana bread in between two paper towels if you’ve decided to store it at room temperature. The towels absorb excess moisture and keep the bread fresh and reduce mold growth.
Or, you can also wrap the cooled banana bread with a plastic wrap tightly. However, many believe that this way, the moisture inside gets trapped and creates a breeding ground for mold. So, if you want to stay on the safe side, you can use the paper towel method for the storage.
3. Store banana bread in the refrigerator:
Storing banana bread in the refrigerator is not commonly recommended. It is because, at a lower temperature, the starch in the bread retrogrades faster. And thus, the bread goes stale sooner. Mold growth, however, decreases when stored safely inside the refrigerator.
You can revive the stale banana bread by heating it, or you can also create various tasty recipes using it. It’s better for banana bread to go stale rather than moldy, isn’t it? So, if you’re not planning to eat the bread in a day or two, you should definitely refrigerate it.
4. Freeze the banana bread:
Did you know that you can bake all the banana bread you plan to eat within 2-3 months at one go?
Your freezer will make sure that the molds will not eye on your bread and also preserves the taste and flavor of the bread. Thaw the bread overnight or quickly heat it and enjoy the ‘freshly baked’ taste of the banana bread.
5. Don’t leave it open:
It might be the most important tip for you – never leave the banana bread open. Always wrap it in plastic wrap, or cover it with paper towels and store in an airtight container. Open banana bread has a high chance to be contaminated with mold sooner.
The Risk of Consuming Expired Banana Bread
Expired food items are not only of lower quality but, also don’t taste great either. Moreover, if it has gone bad, you might also experience various adverse health effects.
The same is the case for consuming expired banana bread. You can safely eat expired banana bread if you don’t mind its quality and taste.
On the other hand, if it is molded or spoilt, you should steer clear of it. Molds in the bread produce a toxin called ‘mycotoxin’ which, when consumed, might upset your stomach and make you sick.
Moreover, some individuals are known to show allergic reactions and various respiratory problems when exposed to mycotoxin.
Stale banana bread, however, can still be consumed. Bread becomes stale when they start losing moisture and the starch within them retrograde. Once you reheat the slice, the bread will, once again, become soft.
Can you freeze Banana Bread?
In case you were wondering, banana bread can be absolutely frozen. Moreover, the process is so easy that you might probably bake plenty of them at once and freeze them. These will come in handy on days when you don’t feel like doing anything, but still, your tastebuds demand delicacies.
You can enjoy frozen banana bread for 2-3months or even more. However, you can expect the quality and flavor of your banana bread to decrease if it has been in your freezer for longer.
To freeze the banana bread, the first, and most important tip for you to keep in mind is – let the bread cool. Once the bread is cold, wrap it tightly with a plastic wrap. You can even wrap the bread twice or thrice, such that the bread is completely sealed.
Now, wrap the bread one final time using an aluminum foil. Make sure to tuck the ends properly. Pop the wrapped bread in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months.
To thaw the bread, keep the bread on the counter overnight. You can even thaw the bread in an oven by heating it for 15 mins at 350 degrees.
Summary
The taste of fresh banana bread lingers on your mouth for quite a long. However, its shelf life is pretty short, and freezing is the best way to preserve it for a long.
Now, as you know how long does banana bread last and how to store it, store them safely and eat whenever you feel like pampering your tastebuds!