Although many people assume that flour lasts forever, the terrible fact is that flour spoils. Flour may have a shelf life of three months to 20 years, depending on the kind and where it is kept.

Storage is the crucial term here. Even delicate flours, such as coconut and gluten-free flour, may have a longer shelf life if kept in an airtight container or resealable freezer bags with an oxygen absorber. Consider mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for long-term storage.

Hey! My name is Shea, and I cook using a lot of flour. I usually have flour on hand whether I’m creating a three-tiered cake or frying up some coconut shrimp.

Having said that, I’ve identified the greatest flour storage choices. After all, I don’t want to attempt to use old, boring, stale, and unpleasant flour. No, thank you!

Lets learn about flour storage.

Best Ways to Store Flour for Long Term: Six Ways

There are various excellent methods for storing flour over time, whether you choose to keep it in your cupboard or don’t mind chilly flour from the freezer. If you take the appropriate precautions, you may prolong the shelf life of your flour to its maximum.

1. Original Packaging in the Pantry (Shortest Shelf Life)

The first solution is to keep the flour in its original container, however this is not the only choice.

If you’ve ever attempted to open a package of flour, you know how difficult it can be. You’ll probably wind up with tears, rips, and a few flour splatters on the floor. It’s a hassle, and it’s almost hard to reseal the package.

All of those nicks and rips will mean easy entry to air, moisture, and even rodents. What are your options?

Keep your flour in its original package, but store it into a sealed freezer bag. Get rid of as much air as possible. When storing it in the pantry, place it at the back in a dry, dark, and cold location.

2. Airtight Container in the Pantry

The ideal alternative is to avoid the annoyance of flour packing entirely and instead use sealed containers. I purchased these containers and am really pleased with my purchase. They’re beautiful, simple to use, and keep my flour (and other goods) fresh.

Simply pour your favourite four into the airtight container and seal it shut. As with the resealable freezer bag, store the container at the back of the pantry in a dark and chilly setting.

3. Airtight Container in the Fridge

There’s nothing wrong with keeping flour in the pantry. It gives simple access to smooth, ready-to-go flour and takes up little space, particularly if you have a huge pantry like mine.

Pantry storage, on the other hand, has the lowest lifespan. So, if you aren’t going to use the flour within a few months, I suggest storing it in the fridge.

The same containers as indicated above may be used. However, for fridge storage, I like to use shorter and broader storage containers. They are not as tall and slim as the ones discussed above, making them simpler to keep in the refrigerator.

It doesn’t matter where you keep your flour; hang it on the side or put it in the back of the fridge. The key purpose is to keep it away from liquids and strongly scented items that might harm the flour.

4. Airtight Container in the Freezer

The flour will last longer, but nothing beats the freezer. The freezer is the perfect location to keep every kind of flour, from all-purpose to almond and everything in between.

Your go-to freezer storage container will continue to be an airtight container. And, as with the fridge, the only thing to keep in mind is to keep the container away from moisture and strong odors.

Before storage, double-check that the container is well sealed to maintain freshness.

The texture of the flour will not change much when frozen, and you may scoop it out as you would if it were kept in the cupboard. Nonetheless, flour should be allowed to come to room temperature before use. Too-cold flour might have a detrimental impact on your baked products.

5. Small Resealable Bags in the Freezer 

My best technique to keep flour for a long time is in little, resealable freezer bags. I usually keep flour in one-cup increments. That way, I can take out just how much flour I need and let it defrost on the countertop, totally covered, before using it in my recipes.

Not only that, but keeping in little bags saves a lot of freezer room over utilizing sealed containers. I’m not sure about you, but my freezer is usually stocked with appetizers, meat, and leftovers of all kinds. Small bags can still easily make their way into my freezer.

6. Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers (Longest Shelf Life)

Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers are a less frequent yet impressive option to keep flour for lengthy periods of time. These one-of-a-kind bags are made of a metal-like substance that inhibits light, moisture, and oxygen, all of which may damage your flour.

If you insist on using resealable freezer bags or airtight containers, try adding an oxygen absorber to increase their longevity by months, years, or even decades.

FAQs

Whether you use an oxygen absorber or not, the freezer is the ideal place for your flour. If you want to understand more about this fascinating subject, read the commonly asked questions below.

How do you store flour for 2 years?

If you only need your flour for two years, the best place to store it is in the freezer. Remember that you may store the flour in a large airtight container or in one-cup increments inside resealable freezer bags.

Can you store flour for years?

When oxygen absorbers are used within a resealable bag or airtight container, flour may survive up to 10 years or more. Flour may readily last 20 years or more if oxygen absorbers and mylar bags are used.

Can you use flour 2 years out of date?

Flour may easily survive two years beyond its best by date if kept correctly. Look for indicators of spoiling, such as a musty or sour odor, discoloration, clumping, bugs, or an unusual flavor.

How do you store flour in a Mason jar?

To be honest, I’ve never kept flour in a mason jar. However, I don’t understand why the procedure would change. Place an oxygen absorber inside the jar with the flour. Put it in the back of the cupboard.

Final Words

Flour has a variety of long-term storage possibilities. Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers are less frequent, although they have the longest shelf life. Another alternative is to store it in an airtight container or resealable bags with an oxygen absorber inside the freezer.

How do you store your flour long-term?