This Bread Storage Trick Is One Viral Kitchen Hack That's Actually Helpful

It's sandwich time. You've opened your bread bag, selected a slice or two, and placed the packaged loaf back on the counter. What do you do now? Do you save the little bread bag tie and reuse it every time? Do you tie a knot in the bag to keep it closed? Do you—shudder—leave the bag open, risking all manner of rodent malfeasance? According to a trick popularized on Instagram, the answer is: none of the above.

The Kitchn's Naomi Tomky reported on the bread trick. (Hat tip to Tomky, who is also a Takeout contributor, for introducing me to the bread storage alignment chart, which has made me question the true nature of my psyche.) Some folks might employ the classic "twist-and-fold" strategy that involves ditching the plastic bread tie and tightly twisting the bread bag to keep the bread fresh. The trick, as shown on this Instagram post titled "Lifechanging Kitchen Hacks," is essentially a more advanced version of the twist. You simply twist the bag, then pull the remaining plastic back over the bread to keep the package closed. (If you're having trouble visualizing the trick, just pop over to Instagram.) No pesky plastic bread tie required.

Like a lot of social media kitchen tricks, this one isn't necessarily anything new—but it's certainly new to me, and a better alternative than the unsightly knot I usually tie to keep my bread bags sealed. Do you have a different tried-and-true bread storage solution? Let 'er rip in the comments.