Don’t come home to something stale.

Going out of town, even for a long weekend, requires a lot of preparation. Sure, there’s the usual planning, including organizing essentials and cleaning your home before departure so you can return to a peaceful abode. However, those preparations should also include storing any perishable food properly, particularly bread.

According to Healthline, bread typically has a shelf life of about three to seven days when stored at room temperature. This means if you purchased bread on a Thursday and are planning a three-day weekend escape, your precious loaf could go bad before you return. Here are a few methods to extend that short shelf life and ensure long-term freshness for your bread.

1. Seal it Correctly

The bag your sliced bread comes in may not be sufficient for long-term storage. Consequently, BistroMD suggests investing in vacuum-sealed bags that remove surrounding oxygen, preventing mold growth, thus allowing your bread to last a little longer.

2. Store Bread in a Cool Place

Do not, under any circumstances, store your bread atop your fridge. Madelyn Osten, former head baker at Sullivan Street Bakery, warns that this will make your bread go bad in no time. “Keeping bread on the fridge will cause paper-bagged bread to dry out, and plastic-bagged bread to mold faster,” Osten shared with Food&Wine. Instead, she suggests storing bread in a cool, dry area of your kitchen. If not on the counter, then in a cabinet or a deep drawer.

3. Try Adding Honey to the Recipe

According to Luminary Bakery, adding a touch of honey could serve as a natural preservative if you bake your own bread. “Many bakers swear by the honey preservation method, which involves adding honey to the recipe (about two tablespoons for a standard loaf of bread) or using it as a substitute for regular sugar,” the bakery noted in a blog post. The result is a sweet-flavored creation that lasts longer.

4. Freeze it Like Ina Garten

Ina Garten can do no wrong. Therefore, it’s probably wise to follow her bread-keeping advice the next time you plan to travel. In a 2019 interview, Garten revealed to Food&Wine reporter Maria Yagoda that she always stores her bread in the freezer to keep it fresh for as long as possible. Instead of freezing a whole loaf, Garten cuts it into large chunks and wraps each one tightly in freezer-safe paper. This approach allows you to unfreeze only as much as you need, keeping the remaining bread fresh for up to six months. Thus, consider extending your trip a week or two, knowing you can still enjoy a delicious sandwich or some great toast upon your return.