Kitchen

[AuntG]

I only purcahse flour about three times a year.  Today I saw a bug/worm on my counter and immediately thought it might have come from my flour.  Sure enough, I saw that they had even made tunnels in the flour so I dumped out the canister.  Do you think if I had stored my flour in Lock n Lock containers I might have prevented the bugs from getting in?

[chickenbutt]

Yikes!   Absolutely, 100% that it would have kept them out.  BUT, if they were already in there when you purchased the flour they'd still be in there.

I don't know how you had it stored, but if it's not in an airtight container, or something that would preclude entry, it's probably inevitable that bugs will get in there.

Lock & Lock is great airtight/liquid-tight (except for the ones with pour spouts and such.  Don't bother with those) storage.  Nothing else beats it AND it's very inexpensive.

[Lucky Duck]

Buy a new bag of flour.  Place bay leaves around your kitchen to drive away the bugs.

[Kachina624]

Bay leaves work!  I put a couple in the bottom of my flour canister.

[soonersis]

I don't bake with regular wheat flour any more.  But when I did I always kept it in the freezer in glass containers.  Never any bugs that way.

[Katcat1]

I keep my flour  in the refrigerator in a plastic container w/top.  Never have any problems because I seldom use flour.  In the fall I will make a homemade apple pie so I use flour for the crust  and baking at Christmas -- that's about it.  For some reason, I got into the habit of keeping my sugar in the refrigerator too.

[RedTop]

I have always stored my flour, sugar and cornmeal in containers like Tupperware or Lock and Lock, and have never had issues with bugs.  Right now everything is stored in the large Lock and Lock containers that have the tiny wheels on one end.  

[Abrowneyegirl]

Another vote for Lock and Lock

I keep my brown sugar, sugar, powdered sugar and all my flours in L&L and since then no bugs, no hard brown sugar.

[luv-the-Q]

Put your flour in the freezer for about a week.  You will never find mealy bugs.  Be glad for bugs.  It means your food is not full of pesticides.

[homedecor1]

Since I moved to FL (I swear it should be called the bug state vs. sunshine state!) the first thing I was told was to put my grains, flours, sugars, cookies, chips, etc. in either glass jars or sealed containers.  I keep all my baking powder, soda, etc. in small ball jars and chocolate chips, coconuts, nuts, etc. in larger ball jars with wide mouths.

I ordered I think every LNL pantry style set (they are 6 yrs old and still seal great). That said I've NEVER had a bug, weevil or anything else in my pantry. 

Interesting enough I keep all my pastas in LNL -- about 6 months ago I took advantage of a bogo sale on Ronzoni -- I was pouring the NEW box into the container and upon sealing noticed these little black specs, they were bugs!  I brought them home from our local store! Yikes! I threw the container and all in garbage (killed me to lose a LNL but I have more). 

Lnl are great as far as I'm concerned!