There’s nothing quite as good as a fresh bagel, and even store-bought bagels can be good if you buy the right brand. People love to enjoy bagels for a long time, but the truth is that bagels rarely last more than one week, and having them last two weeks without going bad is nearly impossible. This is why learning to properly store and heat up your bagels is so important.
How Long Do Bagels Last?
Bagels are best when they are fresh, and because they are made with yeast, they typically don’t last for very long before they start to go bad. One of the mistakes many people make is sticking their bagels in the refrigerator, but this is not a good idea because they taste better and even last longer when they are kept at room temperature. In fact, if you want your bagels to last for two to four days, keep them on your counter and wrap them loosely in a clear bag such as a bread bag.
If your bagels are homemade, pay attention to all of the instructions and make sure the bagels are cooled off completely before you wrap them in anything. Remember to wrap your bagels loosely because if they are wrapped too tightly, this can cause the crust to soften. Bagels that have soft crusts don’t taste the same as those with a crisp, chewy crust! This means you should never use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to wrap your bagels.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to eat the bagels within the week, keep in mind that the closer it gets to seven days, the more likely they’ll start getting stale. If you’ve had your bagels for a week and you want to refresh them, it is possible to do so as long as they aren’t discolored, have mold, or have an unpleasant odor. Simply moisten the outside of the bagels with a damp paper towel and throw them in the toaster so they can taste “new” again. You can also reheat them in a 350-degree (Fahrenheit) oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
How Do You Make Bagels Last Longer?
If your bagels are still fresh and you want them to last a while, the best thing to do is freeze them. First, take the bagels and cut them in half, then put them into an airtight resealable bag. When you do this, they’ll keep for up to four months, but once again, homemade bagels must be completely cooled before you freeze them. When it comes time to eat one of the bagels, just take it out of the freezer and put it into the toaster – you don’t even have to thaw it out beforehand!
To treat your bagels right, whether they are store-bought or homemade, make sure you follow these simple rules:
- Never place bagels in the refrigerator. It can make them get stale a lot faster.
- Never wrap bagels tightly but instead, store them loosely in a bread bag.
- If you think you won’t eat all of your bagels within two to four days, freeze them so they’ll last longer.
To recap, you can expect your bagels to last two to seven days as long as you keep them at room temperature and store them loosely in a bread bag. They’ll last up to four months if you freeze them, and you don’t even have to wait until they thaw out before you take them out of the freezer and put them into the toaster.
If you’re tempted to eat a stale or old bagel, one word of caution – don’t! Remember that mold can be green, white, or have a fuzzy look, and when there’s mold on the outside, the mold is already spreading throughout the bagel. If there’s even a tiny bit of mold on the bagel, you need to go ahead and throw it in the garbage can.
Conclusion
Homemade or store-bought bagels make the perfect breakfast or snack food, but they tend to not keep for very long before they have to be thrown away. They can last anywhere from two days to a week, but sometimes storing them on your counter in a loose bag can make them last a little longer. If you’re not going to eat them within a few days, storing the bagels properly is your best bet, and if you want them to last even longer, freezing them is a great idea.
