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Bread is among the most wasted household food items in the UK, with countless slices chucked out each week due to becoming stale or mouldy. Contrary to popular belief, chilling bread in the

fridge isn't advised to combat mould, as this can do more harm than good. Keeping bread in the fridge can actually speed up its drying process and cause it to stale quicker, warns Dean

Harper, head chef at Harper Fine Dining. He said: "Bread bought from the supermarket typically lasts around three to five days when stored properly. "The best place to keep bread

is in a bread box or a cool, dry cupboard." Refrigerating bread accelerates the crystallisation of starches, making the slices hard and dry even without the presence of mould.

Dean's top tip for prolonging your bread's freshness is to freeze it, suggesting slicing it before freezing so you can defrost portions as needed, reports the Express. Freezing not

only effectively extends your loaf's shelf-life but also maintains its taste and just-baked quality for weeks beyond a few days. From tangy sourdough to crunchy baguettes, or fluffy

white bloomers, freezing ensures better texture preservation compared to the fridge. Once frozen, bread slices can be effortlessly popped into the toaster or thawed at room temperature,

preserving their original quality. Storing bread in a bread bin or cupboard is beneficial as it protects it from light, moisture, and extreme temperature changes, which are the primary

reasons bread becomes stale or mouldy prematurely. Dean also recommends exercising caution when storing bread near strong-smelling ingredients like onions and garlic, which can influence the

nearby bread's odour. "Bread can absorb those smells, and it really affects the taste," he explains. Furthermore, if you do come across mould, don't think of just

slicing off the visible part as there may be more under the surface. "Mould can send roots deeper than what you see, and this can cause health issues," Dean warns. "It's

better to discard any mouldy bread to be safe."