The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie (2024)

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Updated: Dec. 13, 2023

    The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie (2)SYDNEY WATSON/RD.COM

    Follow along as we decipher the grocery store's secret code.

    Even if you love bread, you’ve probably found yourself wandering down the bakery aisle in an attempt to find the freshest, fluffiest loaf. Oh, the choices! Most supermarkets boast shelf after shelf of bread ranging from rustic sourdough to bubbling brioche. In an effort to find the best bread, I used to consider their golden-brown color, aroma and, of course, give ’em a gentle squeeze to evaluate freshness. I had no idea the twist ties were telling a story. By the way, here’s how long milk really lasts.

    The twist tie, or plastic tag, on your bread can tell you how fresh your loaf is. The color indicates the day of the week the bread was baked. Typically, commercial bread is baked and delivered to grocery stores five days a week. This gives bakeries two days off–Wednesdays and Sundays. The color system helps the store staff as they rotate in the freshest bread and remove the older loaves. Or as we say in the culinary world, FIFO, meaning “first in, first out.” At most, you should see only two colors of twist ties in the bread aisle on any given day. Also, if there’s a date on the colored tag, it’s the “sell by” date, not the date it was baked. Here’s how long you can keep food past its expiration date.

    The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie (3)TASTE OF HOME

    Check out the (not so secret) color codes:

    • Monday – blue
    • Tuesday – green
    • Thursday – red
    • Friday– white
    • Saturday – yellow

    There’s an easy way to remember this at the grocery store: The colors are in alphabetical order by day of the week. We bet you didn’t know these foods had an expiration date.

    This certainly isn’t a foolproof system. Your local bakery may have its own method of determining freshness. But the colorful code is widely used in many commercial bread bakeries across the country.

    Originally Published: August 25, 2021

    Author

    Rashanda Cobbins

    Rashanda is a former food editor for Taste of Home. While studying for her bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, Rashanda interned in Southern Living’s test kitchen and later spent nearly a decade developing recipes and food content at ConAgra Brands. In her spare time, she loves scoping out local farmers markets and having picnics in the park.

    The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie (4)

    The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie (2024)

    FAQs

    The Secret Meaning Behind the Color of Your Bread Bag's Twist Tie? ›

    While this isn't exactly a science, it turns out that colors of the tags or twists serve a very specific purpose: to indicate the age of the bread.

    What is the meaning of twist tie? ›

    twist tie. noun. : a tie used for closing or securing (as a plastic bag) by twisting the ends together.

    Why isn't bread made on Wednesday? ›

    The color indicates the day of the week the bread was baked. Typically, commercial bread is baked and delivered to grocery stores five days a week. This gives bakeries two days off–Wednesdays and Sundays. The color system helps the store staff as they rotate in the freshest bread and remove the older loaves.

    What is a bread tie called? ›

    A bread clip is a device used to hold plastic bags closed, such as those in which sliced bread is commonly packaged. They are also commonly called bread tags, bread tabs, bread ties, bread buckles, or bread-bag clips.

    What color is bread? ›

    Bread can come in white, tan, or dark brown, depending on the type of bread. White bread and sourdough bread come in white, though the crust is brown. Whole wheat bread is usually tan, though it comes in white as well. Pumpernickel bread is dark brown.

    What is the correct meaning for twist? ›

    to turn something, especially repeatedly, or to turn or wrap one thing around another: twist and turn The path twists and turns for over a mile.

    What are the two meanings of tie? ›

    a. : to fasten, attach, or close by means of a tie. b. : to form a knot or bow in. tie your scarf.

    What are the colors of Sara Lee bread ties? ›

    The most commonly-used code for five-day delivery schedules is blue for Monday, green for Tuesday, red for Thursday, white for Friday, and yellow for Saturday. Most stores don't get deliveries on Wednesdays and Sundays.

    What is the color of bread after 24 hours? ›

    The color of the bread after 24 hours ​remains same, rather it takes at least 3 days for the colour change. Explanation: The color change of bread is determined by the Cole-Parmer colorimeter. Crumb color mainly based on the kind of flour.

    What is the meaning of bread Day? ›

    World Bread Day is a celebration of the humble yet essential food that has been a staple in human diets for thousands of years. It's a day to appreciate the artistry and diversity of bread-making traditions from around the world.

    What does "blue tie" mean? ›

    Blue Ties. Blue is a colour that is associated closely with confidence, peace, calmness, stability and trust, which means blue ties are always a great option for weddings when all those qualities are important. Blue ties are also incredibly smart and will go well with lighter coloured shirts.

    When was the bread twist tie invented? ›

    The wire is often made of stainless steel or galvanized steel with a diameter between 19 and 31 AWG (0.2 and 0.9 mm). They were invented by Charles E. Burford in 1961.

    Why is bread not fresh anymore? ›

    Bread that isn't sealed and stored properly can become stale or dry. As long as there's no mold, stale bread can still be eaten — but it may not taste as good as fresh bread.

    What does it mean when someone is brown bread? ›

    It's rhyming slang for “dead”. For instance if someone said “Burt gone and drank the soddin' bleach and now 'es brown bread”... and now he's dead. 3. Neil Turner.

    What is the blue color on bread? ›

    Molds come from the same family as mushrooms. In fact, if you look at molds with a microscope, you'll see that they often look like little mushrooms: stalks with spores on the top. These spores give molds their pretty colors — such as the blue-green shading lining your now-inedible bread [source: USDA].

    What is another name for a twist tie? ›

    It is also called garden twist wire. A twist tie is used by wrapping it around the item to be fastened, then twisting the ends together.

    What does twist relationship mean? ›

    I might say "My brother and I have had a lot of twists and turns in our relationship." This means that we have probably had a lot of surprises that affected our relationship with each other, or other unexpected developments such as betrayals or fights.

    What is the difference between a twist tie and a cable tie? ›

    Additionally, since they are easily reopened and closed, flexible twist cable ties allow you to make quick changes to the layout design if necessary. With a cable or zip tie, you'll need to cut off the old tie and install a new one if cabling changes are necessary.

    What does it mean to be twisted in knots? ›

    Confuse, upset, or bewilder, as in He tied himself into knots when he tried to explain how the engine works . This metaphoric idiom transfers a knotted tangle to mental confusion. [ Late 1800s]

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