Refrigerated Breads are All the Rage: Here's a 101

Over the past few months I've received many of your emails asking about what is one of the newest categories in the supermarket – refrigerated breads. No, we are not talking about the refrigerated dough in a cylinder that our grandmothers used to use when they were a bit lazy or wanted to spark up a dinner party. We are talking about ready to eat full loaves of sliced (most times) breads.

These selections are the premier health-food breads available. In most cases they are nutritious with whole grains, or hemp, barley, oats, and sprouts (the lively shoots of various seeds), little or no sodium, little or no sugars, and no preservatives. This is bread that is as alive as possible; yet this fragility comes with a fragile shelf life which is why they're only available in refrigerated areas. Some are flourless, others contain flour but do not use yeast, still others use no dairy or eggs. These are usually high in protein and heart-friendly Omega oils (3, 6, and 9) and nearly all are organic.

Bread contains lots of complex carbohydrates that are an important source of energy for the body and it's a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber only when your bread choices contain whole grains. (Soluble fiber decreases cholesterol levels and helps prevent heart disease, while insoluble fiber helps to maintain the digestive system and may help to prevent breast and colon cancer.) Unbleached or unbromated flour make for tastier and healthier bread. Both processes are solely about the look of bread and have nothing to do with the taste. (Bromate has been found to be a potentially cancer-causing agent and is banned in many countries, although not in the United States.)

But beware, as said before these breads require special handling! Follow the package instructions carefully – some must be kept in the fridge while others recommend keeping the bread in a cool, dark place (a breadbox, bread drawer) or frozen. The heat of the sun will make the loaf sweat, creating condensation in the bag that will eventually cause mold, so do not leave bread on counters that are in direct sun light or near the heat of the stove.

If you freeze your bread, take a slice out two hours before using it. Thawing bread in the microwave tends to make it soggy. To prevent the bread from drying out in the oven as you reheat it, cover the bread in a small very damp towel and place it in a 400º oven for 20 to 30 minutes for a loaf and 10 to 15 for a baguette. Re-wet the towel if it begins to dry out. If you want a crispy crust, pull the towel off for the last five minutes of heating time.