Shelf Life Of White AP Flour

[DuppyDo]

A local IGA food store is having a sale on 5lb bags of flour $.99 a bag. Sounds like a great price to me, 20 cents a lb..
Have any of you SS stored white flour longer term..? I was wondering what the shelf life of flour stored in sealed mylar bags with oxygen absorber would be.I have hard red wheat and soft white wheat stored the same way for longer term storage.
I don't have and flour stored away, i'd like to stash some flour at that price if it will last..Any shared experience would be appeciated,,,

 

[ORChick]

I used to stock up on all purpose white unbleached flour from the supermarket when the price was good. I have a rubbermade tote in my pantry, and the bags would go in there, in their original wrappers. I never had any problems with this set up, though I don't suppose I ever had more than 40 or 50 lbs at a time. Recently I bought a 50# of organic unbleached white, and transferred it to homemade cloth bags, and put them in the same tote. I hope they last awhile, as, now that I have a grinder, and am using more whole grains, I won't be using it up as fast.

 

[Rebecka]

We go through roughy 40 lbs a month. I typically stock 3 months in advance. But, I recently found a bag that was dated as purchased in Feb and it was just fine. I could not tell the difference between that and a newly purchased bag. I don't keep it sealed or in a tote or anything. Just on the shelves in the store room.

 

[ORChick]

We go through roughy 40 lbs a month. I typically stock 3 months in advance. But, I recently found a bag that was dated as purchased in Feb and it was just fine. I could not tell the difference between that and a newly purchased bag. I don't keep it sealed or in a tote or anything. Just on the shelves in the store room.

Lucky you - no mice! Everything in my pantry is in glass, or metal, or the aforementioned rubber tote. And the cats have access through a catflap. But still, occasionally, I find signs of the wee creatures .

 

[Wannabefree]

I've stored it over a year in the freezer. I get about 100 pounds when it goes on sale. DD is allergic to ingredients in storebought bread, so when it's cheap...we stock a LOT for making her bread! Needless to say we use quite a large ammount of flours. It seems to stay fresher in the freezer and makes great bread.

 

[Emerald]

I have found that older flour, compared to freshly ground flour, tends to make a better bread. It just behaves better as dough.
The really fresh flour gets really unruly and tends to spring back and not want to roll or form well.

 

[MorelCabin]

I store up to 5 bags at a time and use about a bag every 6 months...so it stays in my pantry "as is" for up to 2 years and it is fine. I don't have bugs or mice here, but used to store it in it's packaging in plastic totes before that.

 

[Mackay]

But with whole wheat flour, you really got to freeze that don't you to keep it from going rancid for long term storage. I have an opened bag of ww at 6 months now. Wonder how long it would be good for.

 

[FarmerChick]

just seal it up nice and tight and it should be fine for a long time

I use about 1---3 lb bag every 6 months....I don't use alot of flour and this bag opened is good for that long easily.

99 per bag. I would grab some definitely. great price

 

[DuppyDo]

I guess its best to just stick with the wheat berries and make my own flour as needed, as far as long term storage.
I'll buy a few bags of flour on sale, as i don't use a whole lot of flour at this point. I was thinking, at that price it would be nice to stockpile some, but i prefer to store long term and wheat berries last a long time stored properly.