Do you want to keep flour for longer? Discover the fridge or freezer method

Anyone who loves spending time in the kitchen certainly knows how to use the many different types of flour, and will have a pantry stocked with flour all year round. But even those who don't have much time to spend it cooking, will certainly always have at least one packet of flour at home. For the former, there is the risk of having to throw away flour if when it reaches the time of the year when temperatures rise and the threat of food moths returns. For the latter, on the other hand, the problem arises of keeping just a few packages that are purchased for a long time but avoiding the risk of the flour going bad or becoming prey to moths.

So how to store flour to avoid having to throw it away? It sounds strange, but you can keep it in the fridge or freezer.

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This is a handy tip especially in very humid homes, or in very hot periods in which the proliferation of insects and bacteria is dangerous for all forms of food, including flour.

• In the refrigerator: put any type of flour in an airtight container. The containers can be glass or plastic, or even airtight plastic bags. The important thing is that no moisture enters the package. White flour can last up to a year in the fridge, and the wholemeal flour can last about 6 months.
• In the freezer: the containers used are the same, but you have to be careful to let all the air out of the bags. The best solution is to create the vacuum (with a machine is preferable, but you can also do it with a straw). Freezer temperatures kill off any unwanted pests, and white flour will be useable for up to two years, wholemeal flour for up to a year.

Then when the time comes to use the flour, let it come back to room temperature by itself, without defrosting in a microwave or similar. And in all cases, when you take flour from the freezer, once it has thawed, it cannot be frozen again.

These are handy tips for when you go away for a while in the summer, and they will reduce the risk of returning and finding the pantry full of moths! Have you ever put flour in the fridge or freezer?