Best Way to Store Flour

I store mine in one of those huge tubs that animal crackers come in from Costco. It's clear plastic and has a screw on top. I've been doing this with the same canister for 4 years and haven't had any buggies yet.

Fridge. All powder stuff in baggies in fridge. Or else it will get those little buggies in it. Yuk.

We keep ours in the fridge.
In a big ziplock bag, if it's opened. As is, if not.

No issues with that.

weevils do not 'get in'.
all grains have weevil potential. they hatch out when conditions are right.
since i don't like weevils, i keep extra flour and grains in the fridge.
i keep what can be used in a reasonable amount of time in the cupboard in airtight containers.
you don't 'get' weevils.
you HAVE weevils.
don't let them proliferate.
khairete
S.

I store mine in the freezer. I use ziplock bags for lots of stuff, but occasionally still get the grain weevils/flour moths inside! Sometimes (although we don't want to admit that) they come from the grocery store already in the product.... we just never see that if we use it quickly. I picked up a bag of rice at a grocery store (15 years ago, maybe?) and could see the larvae in with the rice...... gross, I know, but it does happen. I turned it into the customer service desk.

Zip lock bags have worked well for me so far.
But I've heard that some varieties of pantry moth larva can chew through zip lock bags.
So maybe I've been lucky.
I don't have room in my freezer for flour.
It might be worth it for you to get a flour bucket.
They come in small (holds 5 lbs), medium (10 lbs) and large (25 lbs).

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/small-flour-bucket

I store mine in the freezer. I have a canister on the counter that holds some of it...the rest in the freezer. Take out what I need and let it "warm" to room temp to use.

I worked for a woman who stored her extra flour in the freezer, and then put into airtight containers in smaller amounts when her containers ran low. You might try that. Also, if that doesn't work, consider those huge ziplock bags; you could put it in one of those, and then use as needed. It will keep the weevils out; cannot vouch for freshness, however.

I don't do the bread flour, but I always buy my all-purpose flour in the 10 lb bags. I just keep it in an airtight rubbermaid type of container. If it's air tight, you can bet your britches it's bug-tight! :)

I store flour in a sealed container so the bugs won't get in it. My container is Tupperware, but I don't think those big canisters have been made for a long time (I wonder if they have antique value). I have found bugs in the flour bin only once, and that was when one of my children accidentally left the top unsealed. I've also been known to put flour in a freezer-quality zip-lock bag and freeze it, if I know I'm not going to use it for a while. You need to be aware that some flour bags come "pre-stocked" with bugs, so you always want to look carefully when you use it.

I have a big rubbermaid container (like a tupperware thing) that I keep my flour in. And one for my sugar as well. I just stick it under the kitchen island.

I do it the same way you do.

Hi M.-

I get the 20 lb bags of flour from sam's...and I have a 5 gallon plastic bucket and lid (I think it was $5 from Lowes). I keep it on the bottom shelf of my pantry.

Best luck!
Happy baking!
michele/cat

Dang girl...you read my mind today. I was making bread and thinking...there has got to be bigger bags of bread flour out there. But the questions of where to buy and store it was perplexing.

Right now I keep my bread flour in a large Tupperware bin stored in the cupboard. No weevil issue so far because I make bread multiple times each week...doesn't sit very long.

Thanks for posting...I will read all responses.

Happy bread making!!

Canister is best, but if you bake bread often, you shouldn't have the bug problem

Updated

Canister is best, but if you bake bread often, you shouldn't have the bug problem

store it in something air tight, and always check before use for weevils.

I bought two giant containers from the pet store, it's made for keeping big bags of dog food. I like it because it has a removable lid (for when I fill it) and also a large spout so I can scoop it out. They were cheaper in the pet store than they were at the kitchen store and work the same way.

I use one for sugar & one for flour and have never had trouble with freshness or bugs.

I've found that with many things like rice or flour or baking powder, they're suseptible to these mealy worms. There was an incident in Florida several years ago when a mom thought the powdered baby formula was infested with maggots. Not the case. They may look similar but they go after different things.
Mealy worms are more the staples type, like flour and powdery stuff. I keep my starch and Bisquik in the freezer. I find an airtight container for flour. But freezer space works really well.

I keep my flour, pancake mix, etc....in the fridge.

My sister puts hers in bags and freezes it.

I buy the 10 kg bag as it is often only $1 more than the 5 kg bag. I split it up and store it in Rubbermaid containers.