Homemade breads make perfect gifts. They contain no chemical preservatives making them healthier but more vulnerable to staleness and spoiling. Thus, shipping freshly baked homemade bread requires a bit more fuss, especially in packaging, as compared to store-bought ones. Here’s how to do it:
After baking, take the bread out of the oven and set aside to cool. Packing a still hot bread releases moisture and can cause sogginess and promote the growth of molds.
Place the cooled loaf into a bag appropriate for the type of bread. Use thick Ziploc bags for soft-crust bread and foil-lined bags for hard-crusted breads, like French bread.
Make sure to take all the air out of the bag. The sides of the storage bag should cling tightly to the loaf.
Place the wrapped bread into a cardboard box that is slightly larger than the loaf itself. Fill the remaining spaces with crumpled newspaper to prevent the bread from shifting and getting deformed inside the box during transit. Seal the box with packaging tape and write in the appropriate destination and return addresses on top of the package.
Take the box to the post office for next-day shipping. The freshness of homemade bread is what makes it special, faster shipping ensures the bread arrives fresher. If you are unable to afford next-day shipping, use the fastest shipping option possible, but no more than two days.