With two growing boys at home, bread never lasts long. Sandwich loaves, burger buns, bagels, and breakfast muffins seem to vanish as soon as they enter the kitchen. To keep up, I stock up when there’s a good sale and freeze what we won’t use right away.

It saves money, reduces food waste, and ensures we always have something ready for quick breakfasts or school lunches. Freezing bread is convenient, but if it’s done the wrong way, the texture and taste can suffer — leaving slices dry, stiff, or covered in freezer frost. Many people have experienced pulling a loaf from the freezer only to find the slices stuck together in a solid block or tasting stale once thawed.

These problems usually happen when air gets trapped inside storage bags or when bread freezes unevenly. Fortunately, there’s an easy method that keeps bread tasting fresh and allows you to take out exactly the number of slices you need, without breaking them apart or wasting any. The process starts as soon as you bring bread home from the store.

While the loaf is still soft and fresh, slice it evenly if it isn’t pre-sliced. Then place parchment paper on a baking sheet and arrange the slices in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap. Slide the tray into the freezer uncovered for one to two hours.

This quick pre-freeze step keeps slices separate, so they won’t fuse together later. Once the slices feel firm to the touch, remove the tray from the freezer and transfer the bread into a resealable freezer bag. Press out as much air as possible before sealing to protect against freezer burn.