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The original was posted on /r/lifeprotips by /u/CorrectParticular513 on 2025-03-26 07:13:00+00:00.

Stale bread isn’t dry—it’s crystallized. Instead of reheating, spritz the crust lightly with water and microwave 8 seconds. The moisture disrupts starch crystal structures (per MIT food science research), restoring chewiness. For baguettes, wrap in damp paper towel + 10 sec microwave + 2 min rest. This works because:

• Rehydration targets amylopectin recrystallization (retrogradation)
• Steam penetration reactivates gluten networks
• No added calories vs oil/butter methods

Bonus: Store bread in cotton pillowcase (not plastic) to slow staling by 3x through controlled humidity exchange.