How to tell if bagels are bad

Introduction

Bagels are known as a classic kind of baked bread that is shaped in a form of a ring. This bread can be used versatile for breakfast or lunch, as a snack or dessert.

If you are tired of eating the boring whole bagels, you can stuff them with so many other delicious toppings such as eggs, cheese, butter or any fruits. 

Like most of the bread, bagels tend to be very high in calories and carbs while lacking of vitamins, minerals and fibers.

Because they contain small quantities of essential nutrients for our bodies, but pretty high in sugar, these delicious bread may make you encounter the unhealthy weight gain if you consume the uncontrolled level of bagels. 

If you are a bagels lover and still want to add this bread to your menu, you better consider eating a suitable amount of the bread.

Also, researching the necessary knowledge of bagels like their shelf life, spoilage signs or best methods to store them isn’t a bad idea if you want to stick with this bread. And in this article, we will equip you with all the related information about bagels as mentioned above. 

How long do bagels last?

The shelf life of bagels at room temperature is quite short, they can only last a few days like 1 to 3 days. You might think this shelf-life time can be extended if you put bagels in the fridg.

In fact, it’s not recommended to do that, instead, freezing bagels in the freezer will maximize the life span of this bread up to 6 months.

How to tell if bagels go bad?

To identify when bagels go bad, the easiest thing is mold on the surface. The mold can come in all kinds of colors and sometimes it is white that is similar to the color of the crumb, you might need a closer look to distinguish. 

In some cases, it’s not clear that your bagels are mold or not but due to a quite long time, you still doubt about the bread quality, you should give it a smell.

A stale bagel will have a hard and dry texture but if there is no extreme spoilage, you can still consume it although obviously, the flavor cannot be as fresh as initial.

How to store bagels?

Normally, the bagels which bought from the bakery are usually packed in a paper bag. After bringing them home, you should keep bagels in the paper package that they come in and leave at a dry cool place as the pantry or the counter.

They will be safe within 3 days. 

To reiterate, a fridge is not really a proper place to store bagels, but if your pantry is full or wet, you can still keep the bread in the fridge for 1 day before they getting stale.

Freezing bagels is the most ideal method to store your bagels as the shelf-life time of the bread is lengthened at maximum.

Can you freeze bagels?

Yes, you can totally and should freeze bagels if you cannot consume the entire bag of bagels that you bought from the store. 

How to freeze bagels?

Now you are going to learn how to freeze bagels properly in just some simple steps.

Tips to freeze bagels

• Frozen bagels should be consumed within 3 months for the best quality. Beyond that time, it’s still safe for you to eat them but there might be a little change in the texture, color or flavor of the bread
• Make sure the container or bag is covered or sealed tightly since any air contacts the bread can lead to the bacteria growth and mold like when you storing bagels in the fridge
• Freeze bagels the same day they are baked or bought from the store for optimal freshness 
• It’s recommended to keep bagels in paper bags rather than plastic bags

Things you’ll need to freeze bagels

• A freezer-safe container or bag

How to freeze bagels in just 3 steps

• Slice bagels in half or leave whole
• Wrap bagels with aluminum foil tightly or place them in a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container 
• Label the bag or container then stick in the freezer

How to defrost/thaw bagels?

Next is the step-by-step instruction of how to thaw frozen bagels

Tips to defrost bagels

• It’s better to use an oven instead of a microwave to thaw frozen bagels as the proper texture and consistency of a bagel can be destroyed while microwaving. Using the oven can defrost the bagel evenly inside out and can even make a bit crisp on the surface
• Just use the microwave to defrost when you are in a hurry
• The fresher the bagels were before freezing, the fresher they are after defrosting at room temperature

Things you’ll need to defrost bagels

• A toaster oven or regular oven/ microwave
• A baking sheet
• Paper towel

 How to defrost bagels in an oven or microwave

• Remove the frozen bagel from the freezer and unwrap it
• Hold the bagel under cool running water for about 30 seconds
• Place the frozen bagel in a toaster oven or conditional oven set to 350F for about 5 minutes to defrost it (Or you can moisten a paper towel and wrap it around the bagel then microwave it on high power for about 10 seconds)

 How to defrost bagels at room temperature

• Take the bagels out of the freezer and place them on a tray
• Leave them overnight in a cool dry place like your counter and they will be ready to eat the next day

How to reheat bagels?

Tips to reheat bagels

• You should not refreeze any bagels that not enjoyed after heating up, they need to be discarded

Things you’ll need to reheat bagels

• An oven
• A baking sheet

How to reheat bagels

• Preheat the oven to 400F
• Place thawed bagels on a baking sheet and put the sheet in the oven
• Bake for about 4 minutes
• Check if the heat of bagels is as your desire or not then remove them from the oven and enjoy