¢ Mothercents Monday ¢ - Freeze flour for an extra year of freshness.

My lifelong friend Angela has magic that whips up meals from odds and ends - or makes baking mix last up to a year longer.

Her magic came in handy when she worked as a head chef at a shelter.  She cooked for over one hundred people a day. Stretch her resources to keep serving healthy meals came with the territory.

One day, a fairy-godmother donor dropped off a superfluity of boxed baking mixes.  Angela knew that they wouldn't all keep in the pantry, so she moved them all to the walk-in freezer.  After a 24-hour debugging freeze, she could take out a couple at a time to use.

Image Credit: CCO Public Domain

Likewise, our freezers can extend the life of our flour and/or baking mixes.  Cooks who use up flour long before expiration can skip this step. Sporadic bakers like myself can benefit.

This flour storage guide provides details on freshness for various types of flour. They advise freezing in plastic bags, especially for open sacks of flour.

Unopened packages may not need this precaution, although it may keep ice and moisture at bay.