Freezing bread or bread dough

[Paula]

We're expecting company next week and I'd like to make up some bread and freeze it.

I'm wondering if I can just make the dough and after first rise, freeze it. Can I do that and then let it second-rise while it's thawing and bake as usual? Would I just wrap the dough in freezer wrap or what?

Or should I make it all the way done and then freeze it?

Help!

[Katie]

I was waiting to see what sort of responses you got to your question. I'm half bumping this up and half responding...

I haven't frozen my own bread dough before, but it seems one must be able to freeze it, then bake it successfully. Especially since they have the stuff in the freezer section at grocery stores.

I have tossed dough in the fridge and baked it another day and it worked just fine.

I usually just baked it all up and freeze the loaves once they've cooled.

So has anyone frozen bread dough before?

[Mom2boys]

I let it rise once, then punch it down and put it in bread pans to freeze. After it's frozen , I pop it out of the pans and put it in freezer bags. I take it out in the morning and allow it to rise and thaw at the same time in a bread pan. When it's risen, I bake it. It usually takes all day.

[April Braccio]

When you allow bread to rise once and then freeze, does it loose any of its nutritional value? I thought I read if it wasn't baked it does hold the vitamens, etc. My husband adores fresh bread so he likes it best baked that day.

Thanks.
April

[Mom2boys]

It does loose 3% of it's nutritional value.