If You're Buying Martin's Potato Bread For Cookout Season, Check This First

What's sizzling on the grill takes center stage during cookout season, but many folks place a certain accompaniment on almost-equal par. It's that fresh, warm, buttery or garlicky bread, whether French-style, sourdough, Italian ciabatta, or especially, the fan-fave Martin's potato rolls and bread. 

This uniquely tasty bread can join your cookout as old-fashioned butter-bread sides or a wide range of rolls, from sweet dinner rolls to ones suitable for burgers, sliders, hot dogs, barbecue sandwiches, and more. There's even a "white roll" from Martin's that's made for hoagie-style pile-ons. Whichever form it takes, there's one thing to check before relying on this brand's readiness for your table. It's the best-by date, or at least an eyeball version of that once it's in your kitchen. 

Unlike many mainstream breads, which can last as long as seven to 10 days, Martin's potato bread has a much shorter turnaround time. As the company explains, its breads head to store shelves shortly after baking, and to ensure the highest quality, taste, and texture, they're replenished or replaced after only three to four days. It does note, however, that the product will last longer than the stamped best-by date once you take it home. That commitment to freshness pays off well for customers, evidenced by its place on our ranked list of seven store-bought hamburger buns, which put Martin's Potato Rolls in the top-dog position. 

Once you've snagged some Martin's buns for your cookout, you'll need to store them properly until the big day. The Martin's team offers some tips for this, starting with keeping them in a cool, dry environment away from direct light. Heat from lights can cause condensation inside the bread bags and lead to mold — the last thing you want to find when it's time to lay out the food spread. As for refrigeration, that's surprisingly a no-go. Many people assume that cool fridge temps help keep bread fresher longer — but according to Martin's and many other experts, it's the exact opposite. Refrigeration can take moisture out of the bread and make it turn stale more quickly. 

Freezing is a viable option for extending shelf life, and the high protein in Martin's potato bread makes it an excellent candidate for your freezer. The company has conducted tests to confirm that their breads, when frozen for about two months, taste the same as ones fresh out of the oven. It recommends thawing inside the bag until the bread has completely softened, during which time any accumulated moisture gets reabsorbed into the bread. 

For a deeper look at this ever-popular brand, and why it deserves a standing invitation to your seasonal cookouts, explore what makes Martin's potato rolls so special and why Martin's landed on our Tasting Table list of 11 healthy breads you can find in any grocery store.