“The Original Nooks & Crannies” — Thomas has been making breakfast for over the past 140 years and their signature English muffins feature the perfect pockets for your fresh and creamy butter to melt into after being toasted.
Whether you are eating them plain, using them for your trademark breakfast sandwiches or as the base of a decadent dish of eggs benedict, there always seems to be a few too many of these muffins to use in the “Best By” time frame. This leads many to question, can you freeze Thomas English Muffins?
You can freeze Thomas’s English muffins to extend their shelf life. Before freezing, it’s best to wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place them in a freezer-safe bag to prevent freezer burn and preserve freshness. Frozen English muffins can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, they can be thawed at room temperature or toasted directly from the freezer for convenience.
What To Know About Thomas English Muffins
Despite the name, Thomas English Muffins are actually yeast-raised bread that has a similar appearance to crumpets, hence the name.
This is a very important distinction because bread products can be stored safely in the freezer for up to three months whereas muffins should not be kept in cold storage.
How To Freeze Thomas English Muffins
When conducting these steps it is important to first confirm that your Thomas English Muffins are not past their “Best By” date. Otherwise, they will not store well.
Thus, make a point to freeze them within two weeks of opening the package. Additionally, while you can extend their shelf life in the fridge to three weeks, do not freeze after the two-week window is up.
Step #1: Separate The Sides
Contrary to popular belief, when deconstructing your whole Thomas English Muffin, you should never use a knife! This is the instruction that the company gives to customers.
By doing this, you will degrade the intended texture and structure of the interior portion of this bread product. Instead, “use your hands. Find a crease on the side and pull the muffin apart.
If you prefer, you can use your fork. Just poke a hole in three sides of the muffin with a fork and pull [it] apart.”
This step is important for the thawing process later. If left whole, many of the defrost methods will not work.
Step #2: Tightly Package The English Muffins
Next, take some plastic wrap designed for the freezer or heavy-duty aluminum foil and tightly wrap up the individual slides.
While both methods will suffice, the foil is the preferred option because it will not only help to keep out oxygen and moisture but will also block out any light.
These are the three ingredients that need to be present for bacteria to grow on a food item. Therefore, the more precautions you take, the better off your bread will be!
Then, place the individually wrapped slices in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Remove as much air as possible. This will help to prevent freezer burn.
Finally, label the freezer bag with the date. Stored them at a consistent zero degrees Fahrenheit until you are ready to consume them!
Step #3: Thaw When Ready To Eat
1.Toaster
The simplest way to revive your Thomas English Muffins is to transfer them from the freezer directly into the toaster!
This will take slightly longer than when they are fresh, but it will deliver the same result.
Just make sure to remove the Thomas English Muffins from the previously applied packaging first! This process can also be done in a toaster oven as well.
2.Microwave
For those who are in a hurry, but do not want their English muffin crispy, remove the original storage wrapping and replace it with a layer of paper towels (this will help to prevent them from drying out).
Place two slices in the microwave and cook them on low power for 10 to 15 seconds. Check them and repeat them until you achieve your desired result.
3.Oven
The best method for reviving your bread, without actually toasting it, is to defrost a day in advance and then use the oven!
First, make sure to thaw out the bread in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then, unwrap the bread and place it on a cookie sheet or baking tray.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next, bake the slices for just three to five minutes. Then, give them time to set, outside of the oven.
How Not To Freeze Your Thomas English Muffins
Many bread products can be safely frozen in their original packaging. However, that is not the case for Thomas English Muffins. Why?
The bread that can be frozen is vacuum-sealed and then wrapped in another bag for packaging. This ensures the product’s freshness.
Conversely, Thomas products are stored in a simple plastic bag and secured with a bread clip. This will not keep oxygen, moisture, or light out.
These are all necessary precautions to ensure that the bread can be safely stored without the worry of mold forming. Thus, always follow the steps listed above.
Benefits Of Eating Thomas English Muffins
Thomas’ is a brand that specializes in breakfast bread products. They create all varieties of English muffins including their original, sourdough, multi-grain, honey wheat, and whole wheat, to name a few.
No matter which one you choose, enriched wheat flour is the main ingredient in the recipe.
What this means is that the company has taken the time to replenish key nutrients that may have been lost during the baking process.
In this instance, they have added iron, folic acid, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. Moreover, all varieties are low in calories and fat. They are also cholesterol-free and high in fiber.
Harvard health experts note that “fiber helps lower cholesterol as well as move waste through the digestive tract.
Fiber may also help prevent the formation of small blood clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that everyone incorporate grains, and specifically whole grains, into their daily diet.
Additionally, for those who are looking for some added protein in their meal, they even make a cinnamon protein English muffin that has 9 grams of protein per serving!
Quick And Simple Meals — English Muffins With Toppings
Versatility at its finest! Thomas English Muffins are a very adaptable food source. Not only are they an amazing breakfast item, but you can use them as hamburger buns and sandwich bread.
They also make a great base for miniature pizzas! This is one of the many reasons why these are ideal to buy Thomas English Muffins in bulk and freeze them! Then you can have them on hand for any occasion!
Prepared, Then Frozen
One of the best ways to stay on top of your schedule is to meal prep! Jimmy Dean specializes in making frozen breakfast sandwiches, featuring this signature ingredient. You can do the exact same thing at home while controlling your ingredients.
Limit salt, add spices, and include extra ingredients to make the most important meal of the day a custom order! Simply cook your egg and meat products in advance.
Then, make your sandwich including the cheese but, leaving off the fresh ingredients and condiments. These should be added later.
Then, just as instructed above, wrap the sandwiches in aluminum foil or freezer wrap and double up on protection with a sealable freezer bag. Put a date of packaging.
Lastly, take note of your ingredients. Pre-assembled sandwiches are best used within a month.
However, if any of the ingredients have less than a month of a freezer shelf life, then eat the sandwich before the ingredient with the shortest shelf life is past its ‘Best By’ date.
You can also store those ingredients separately to help extend the life of your English Muffins.
Made Fresh To Order
The alternative is to package up your English muffins for made-to-order recipes at the moment!
When you are ready to use them, take your frozen English muffin and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Once defrosted, the world is your oyster! Add as many or as few toppings as you please.
Thomas’ has a fantastic Bao-themed recipe, but you can also add cheeses, fruits, dessert toppings, meats, or eggs.
Best of all, you can skip the remainder of the thawing process and go straight to cooking with most recipes!
Simply construct your mini pizza or breakfast sandwich and throw it in your convection or toaster oven.
You can also utilize a George Foreman grill or a skillet! This is an easy way to make simple, hearty, and healthy meals with minimal prep work thanks to Thomas English Muffins!
Final Thoughts
Frozen English muffins are a great item to always have on hand. This guarantees that you have fresh bread on hand without the worry of it spoiling!
Precaution
Remember to always look for signs of spoilage. This can include changes in texture, color, or smell. If you take the aforementioned precautions, this likely won’t be an issue.
However, if the bread was on the verge of spoiling prior to freezing, this can occur. Lastly, once you have defrosted your English muffins, they should not be refrozen. This can have detrimental impacts on the texture and flavor of the bread.
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My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.