Like everyone else in 2020, I adopted a sourdough starter and learned how to to bake boules. It was fun, and my family enjoyed my experiments, but after a few weeks of having fragrant, fresh bread anytime we wanted, the novelty wore off and we were often left with too much of a good thing. Stale bread became my nemesis, and I found myself stuffing down slices three meals a day just to avoid it. That’s when I decided to stop my sourdough adventures.
In hindsight, having a proper way to store the loaves would have helped. Experts say that the best method is to store fresh-baked bread in something breathable—a paper sack, a ceramic bread box, or cotton or linen bags—so that the crust remains hard and the inside soft. Of those options, I like fabric bags the best: They’re affordable and reusable, and gifting a homemade boule inside a pretty bread bag makes for a perfect housewarming or hostess gift.
Below are 10 favorite fabric bread bags. (Tip: If you one day decide you’re just fine with store-bought bread, you can always repurpose the bags and use them to take home bulk dry goods from the store.)
For more on reusable bags, see:
- Beauty and the Reusable Bag: Mesh Produce Sacks and More from Caya of Japan
- Our Editors’ Planet-Friendly Habit Shifts, Inspired by ‘Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home’
- Use This, Not that Plastic Thing: Expert Advice on 5 Easy, Eco Swaps for the Kitchen
N.B.: This story originally appeared on November 23, 2022, and has been updated with new products.
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