flour and sugar?

[meyekey]

I havn't heard much talk about both sugar and flour. If done in the mylar bags with the O2 absorbers, will sugar and flour keep well?

[Tofu]

Sugar yes, flour would be better kept in the wheat form.

[arcangel911]

I have heard about freezing flour before you store it......... anyone know about this? (Supposedly has something to do with killing off bugs?)

[Matt In Oklahoma]

sugar keeps great and for a long time. Flour not so much. I would look into the canned stuff like here on JRH.

[Klayton]

Didn't one of our veteran posters state don't put O2 absorbers with sugar? I think they said that the "chemical" in the O2 absorber reacts with the sugar?

As for the freezer, yes the idea was to kill any potential bugs/eggs. However, IAW Mil-Std, the time for this freeze process is two weeks. Not a short day or two. :) I have read many times of people storing flour for upto 5 years. ((NOTE: no proof here, just heard it))

[crossbow]

don't use o2 absorbers with sugar, it will make the sugar get hard as a concrete, flour will go rancid when stored for a few months unless stored in a freezer, store it as wheat berries in mylar with o2 absorbers

[monkeybird]

It has been previously posted that flour is a NO NO, it spoils and the food it is used in doesn't taste good. It doesn't last very long. Wheat is the form in which it much be stored. Sugar needs no preservative.

[Benn Gleck]

I have heard about freezing flour before you store it......... anyone know about this? (Supposedly has something to do with killing off bugs?)

Lowdown 3 has some excellent videos on LTS and he says the freezing isn't necessary.

The videos are on Lowdown's post at the top of this section.

[sherldoe]

Well, I don't know anything about bugs from anywhere else, but these Texas bugs hate the freezer. As a matter of day to day survival, I keep my flour in the freezer. I buy on sale and keep my stockpile in the freezer. Keeps the little critters from hatching out and ruining my baking plans

[Benn Gleck]

It's the same in Ohio sherldoe. Those bugs get into flour here too. The freezer works great to store flour long term but what if the power goes out?
It's a good idea to store some wheat for LTS (long term storage), that way you'll be making bread and pies long after everyone else has run out of flour.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Don't plan on flour for long term storage. If I remember, flour will loose most of it's nutritional value withing a couple years. Wheat berries on the other hand can store 30 years if packaged properly. Watch the videos, as it will help you.

[abraham.a]

It doesn't last very long. Wheat is the form in which it much be stored. Sugar needs no preservative.I have read many times of people storing flour for upto 5 years.

[ronicolman]

I work in a bakery and we use several distributors. I think it depends on what part of the country you are in. I live in California and I use US Foods and Bakemark. I also shop at Smart and Final and Costco. Costco has really good prices on flour and sugar. You'll have to compare their prices on the other items you need. You could also try farmer's markets for the veggies - let them know you will be buying bulk and they will probably cut you a deal.