What the Color of Your Bread Twist Tie Means for Finding a Fresh Loaf

Your standard bread loaf holds many secrets, from what the bread twist tie color means to what kind of person you are when you put the bread away. Who would have thought such a standard grocery item would be the secret to our inner-most ethical standards. Before we get to the existential part of putting the bread back, let's talk twist ties, color coding, and how to spot the freshest loaf.

Though the U.S. was a major consumer of wheat products, the trend began to shift downward following 2000. In 2011, the U.S. was using about 135.2 pounds of wheat per person. And for such a regular grocery item, it's astounding what little know about bread loaves. For example, did you know that the bread twist tie colors have a particular meaning, and it all has to do with fresh bread.

The color code and bread tags all indicate the day the loaf was baked and the five-day delivery schedule.

  • Blue: Monday

  • Green: Tuesday

  • Red: Thursday

  • White: Friday

  • Yellow: Saturday

So how is this system so universal? Essentially it was created as a standard so grocery stores, large and small, could keep track of bread going stale. Only two colors of bread twist ties should be on the shelf at once, and three for only when bread wasn't delivered to the store. However, it should be noted that it's not a requirement for stores to abide by this blanket policy.

If you don't visit a store that uses the bread bag color coding rule, check the expiration-date fine print and sell-by dates to learn the same information. This at-a-glance color key was designed to help out stockers spot the plastic tags easily and quickly.

So where are Wednesday and Sunday? A rumor says that bakers didn't used to bake on those days, so choose the previous day's twist tags colors to ensure freshness.

What Does My Loaf Say About Me?

Not too long ago, this infographic on bread storage and care came on the scene to reveal an awful lot about ourselves. Is yours right?

The reactions are just as silly as the original chart.

So which are you?

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