Food - Drink
The Absolute Best Ways To Keep Bagels Fresh
By LAUREN ROTHMAN
Bagels have a very short shelf life, turning from fresh to stale in a blink of an eye. One good storage method is to transfer cooled, whole bagels to a sealed plastic storage bag, squeeze out the air, and leave the bag at room temperature, where the bagels will keep for up to three days; the crust may get chewy, but a quick toast will make it unnoticeable.
Like other breads, bagels also take extremely well to freezing; they only lose a small amount of moisture and come back to life quite well once reheated or toasted. The Spruce Eats recommends pre-slicing the bagels, transferring them to a plastic storage bag, squeezing out the air, and then freezing them for up to four months.
Meanwhile, Serious Eats suggests wrapping whole bagels tightly in aluminum foil, which is more airtight than plastic wrap, and then freezing them. When you're ready to enjoy your bagel, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost for a few hours at room temperature, which prevents moisture loss, then proceed with reheating your bagel.
