--- slug: how_to_store_flour category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/storage_organization/canisters_jars title: "How to Store Flour" lead: "Move flour out of its paper bag into an airtight container and keep it somewhere cool, dark and dry; white flour keeps for months this way, while whole-grain flour should go in the fridge or freezer because its oils turn rancid fast. Freezing new flour for 48 hours kills any weevil eggs, and an airtight container in the freezer is best for long-term storage." recommendation: name: "Airtight container, cool and dark for white flour; fridge or freezer for whole-grain, with a 48-hour freeze to kill weevils" reason: "Flour's enemies are moisture, warmth, odors and pantry bugs, and its thin paper bag protects against none of them, so the first step is to tip it into an airtight container with a tight lid. Keep that container somewhere cool, dark and dry — a cupboard away from the stove is ideal, since heat and light speed up staling. Stored this way, refined white flour stays good for months (roughly six months to a year). Whole-grain and nut flours are different: they still contain the germ's oils, which go rancid within a month or two at room temperature, so keep those in the fridge or, better, the freezer. Weevils are the other common problem — their eggs can already be in the flour when you buy it, so freezing a new bag for 48 hours kills them before you decant it. For long-term storage, an airtight container or heavy sealed bag in the freezer keeps flour fresh for a year or more; just label it with the date and let refrigerated or frozen flour come back to room temperature before baking so it doesn't chill your dough." published: 2026-07-09 updated: 2026-07-09 ---