Food What is the best way to store flour?

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
This month I got 4 5# bags of flour in commodities. Besides putting it in the freezer, what is the best way to store flour?

TIA

Judy
 

summerthyme

Administrator
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should fit in one 5 gallon bucket - mylar & 02 absorbers are your food's best friend ....

Agreed... it will keep for years (at reasonable temps) in mylar with O2 absorbers. Next best would be in either glass jars or heavy plastic soda bottles, filled to the brim (you want as little airspace as possible, to minimize exposure to oxygen) and tightly sealed. If you are using clear glass or plastic, store them in the dark.. inside a closed cupboard or in cardboard boxes.

Summerthyme
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Thanks Ladies for your information. I have some one gallon buckets that would be easier to use and not expose it all. I have some flour that has been in a canister sitting on the counter for several months that is smelling off, I tasted it and it was okay so I used it, its not self rising. I keep my baking powder in the freezer so it holds up for a long time.

I used the flour the other day and made biscuits (one of the few times I've ever made biscuits) and they were okay. I watch videos on making biscuits and I can see where tweeking the recipe that I used would make them better. DH has decided he wants biscuits in the mornings, he hasn't been feeling all that great, sinus issues. His doctor put him on antibiotics and they made him sick to his stomach, he quit taking them after about 5 days and not feeling any better, now he does.

Judy

Judy
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
I was going with freezer....

For white flour, it's really not necessary to freeze it, and if you choose that method, it still needs to be well wrapped and sealed, or it will absorb odors and flavors ftom other foods and you won't like the results!

Whole wheat flour should be refrigerated (for use within a month or two) or frozen (up to a year... possibly more if a non-self-defrost freezer which is set at 0 degrees F or lower) as soon as possible after grinding. I just store the wheat berries and grind as needed for bread.

Summerthyme
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
So, if I start buying non self-rising flour, I can just store it in jugs that are tightly sealed, and it won't go bad? If that's the case, I'll stop buying self-rising, and switch. I've only been using self-rising, and storing it in my freezer. I could sure use all that freezer space? I did not know that freezing baking powder would make it last longer.

Man, I learn something new here from you guys and gals everyday, almost! LOL.
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
I look to long term, in case there is no electricity.

Judy

Understood. I haven't really considered the 2nd step. We know our deep freezer is good for 5 days. Then once the flour is out in the air, good for up to 6 months. At that point we are just about out. Beyond that, we haven't planned much.
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
For white flour, it's really not necessary to freeze it, and if you choose that method, it still needs to be well wrapped and sealed, or it will absorb odors and flavors ftom other foods and you won't like the results!

Whole wheat flour should be refrigerated (for use within a month or two) or frozen (up to a year... possibly more if a non-self-defrost freezer which is set at 0 degrees F or lower) as soon as possible after grinding. I just store the wheat berries and grind as needed for bread.

Summerthyme

Heck! Our freezer is vacuum sealed food and flour..... so far so good. Yet I appreciate the information!
 
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