Does naan or pita bread need to be refrigerated?

Answer 1

All breads are normally not refrigerated. They will dry out rapidly in a refrigerator if not stored in an airtight container or plastic bag. It is normal to consume most breads within two or three days of purchase.

You may want to refrigerate bread if you are having difficulty keeping your bread from molding. This could be because the bread came to you with mold already growing on it, the bread was stored too wet, or you are experiencing high humidity and warm days (ideal growing conditions for mold).

If you are making your own bread, remember to let it cool completely, on a wire rack if possible, before placing it into a container or a plastic bag. The steam and excess moisture inside the bread must escape. If you see condensation inside your bread container or bag, you did not leave the bread out long enough. For loaf breads this takes from 2 to 6 hours, depending on the moisture content of the bread. For pita bread it takes perhaps thirty minutes.

If you need to make the bread last more than 4 or 5 days, you can refrigerate it. Consider freezing some pieces immediately for later days rather than storing them in the refrigerator.

Answer 2

Pita bread that will be eaten within a day or two does not need to be refrigerated. If the bread is to be kept longer, refrigeration will delay mold growth and spoilage of pita bread.