How to store cereals so that bugs do not start: useful recommendations

Good day! Recently, I began to be anxious about the storage of products, especially cereals.

Before that, I was a little frivolous in this regard. I could open a can, and there is already a colony of some bugs.

Over time, she changed her position and now all of my products are in good condition and without outsiders. Want to learn how to store cereals so that bugs do not start? What conditions are optimal? I will share with you simple, but effective tips.

How to store cereals

Cereals, grain and flour have a rather long shelf life, but if stored improperly, they become the prey and habitat of very unpleasant bugs, worms and other evil spirits. To prevent this, the owners of cereal stocks resort to a variety of tricks.

Check in store

In order not to have problems with cereals and flour at home, carefully look at them before buying. Ideally, cereals in the store should be stored in compliance with all rules and regulations, with low humidity, in whole packages.

But often, cereals are sold in paper bags or cardboard boxes, which makes verification difficult. Here it remains only to look at the date of release of cereals and the recommended shelf life.

They brought him home - he turned out to be alive

After the purchase, some experienced housewives recommend frying the cereals in the oven. This will not harm the quality of the cereal, but it will be possible to get rid of the larvae of bugs, if they are still in the cereal. Others advise holding cereals in the freezer.

There is logic here - the cold is destructive for bugs and larvae. Only constantly keep cereals in the freezer is not necessary, just four days. If it happens in the winter, take the cereals out onto the balcony - it’s more convenient because there is more space and the freezer will be free.

In any case, newly purchased cereals should be checked. Although measures are taken at the factory to prevent the cereal from becoming infected with insects, troubles do occur. Even in clean at first glance grains can be larvae.

After you bring the cereal from the store, it is better to pour it from the store container. But you should not store cereals and flour in dense plastic bags - they "choke" and acquire an unpleasant smell and taste. Perforated bags are not suitable, as there is a risk of dampness of the cereal or infection with its bugs. Where to pour?

Rescue containers

It is best to store flour and cereal in glass jars or containers with tightly corked caps or lids.Our grandmothers also knew that in a three-liter glass jar with a lid, the flour would be completely safe.

But the shape of such cans does not allow to rationally organize the space, so choose square or rectangular containers for storing bulk products.

Containers should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Hide them in a closet - so your groats will be more intact. For greater safety, you can put a couple of garlic cloves, a chili pepper or a leaf of a parsley in a container with grits, which bugs really do not like.

A bag of salt will protect the cereal from moisture. But keep in mind that even perfectly “packaged” cereals cannot be stored forever.

How long are cereals stored

Those involved in agriculture will tell you that with proper storage, grain can be stored for a very long time. Of course, with prolonged storage, the taste of cereals deteriorates, but remain quite acceptable.

But still, most groats from the supermarket should be used within a few months after purchase. If cereals are stored in the refrigerator, the shelf life is slightly increased, but it hardly makes sense to store cereals for a year or more.

Therefore, in large stocks of flour and cereals, there is no particular reason if you do not have an equipped place to store them.

Rice and corn do not lose their qualities for the longest time. They can be stored for more than a year, but subject to all the previously described precautions. Grains of wheat, pearl barley, oats and buckwheat are well stored, but millet quickly becomes rancid.

Semolina and flour can be stored a little more than a year, but in the refrigerator. If you cannot imagine life without strategic food supplies, use airtight containers to store grain, cereals, and flour, and take a look at your treasures every few months.

Replace stale cereals with fresh ones and check for signs of infection with cereals by bugs.

How to store cereals so that bugs do not start?

Each good hostess should have an idea about how to properly store certain foods in her kitchen. It is important to know how to approach the issue of storage of bulk products and cereals. Very often young inexperienced hostesses store cereals in the purchased packaging, and this is not entirely correct.

Secondly, when storing cereals in leaky packaging all sorts of bugs and worms can start. This means that stocks can be safely thrown into a garbage bin, or to do a good deed - to feed the birds. So how do you store cereals?

Storage time

Now in stores you can find a large assortment of various sealed containers designed to store cereals and bulk products.

Modern manufacturers produce various beautiful design jars that will successfully fit into the kitchen in any interior.

Whether it’s a modern hi-tech or classic wallpaper sunflowers, you can buy the right packaging in almost any hardware hypermarket. However, what is important to know about the cereals themselves?

But millet should not be stored for more than 4 months, because after this period, the cereal can go rancid and have an unpleasant aftertaste.

Buckwheat is stored for a long time, about 20 months, but semolina must be used up within 14 months.Oatmeal is not recommended to be stored for more than 5 months, this applies to muesli.

Types of tanks

Plastic containers. Very often they are attractive in appearance, practical, comfortable and very light. Their weight plays an important role, because, for example, if you put on the shelf a lot of such containers filled with cereals, then the load on the cabinet will be minimal.

Metal cans. Good, beautiful and high-quality containers, convenient for storing various cereals. Unfortunately, there is one drawback to metal cans, over time, rust spots may appear on them. And such containers automatically become unsuitable for food storage.

Glass containers. A great, beautiful and convenient way to store cereals is to keep them in a glass container. There are many glass jars of various designs in stores.

You can store cereals in ordinary glass jars with lids, which our grandmothers used. And you can stylize them under the design of your kitchen with your own hands. It is enough to turn on the imagination and buy a couple of jars with acrylic paints, stained glass contours or paints on glass.

Ceramic containers. Ceramic containers are considered the best in the storage of cereals and bulk products.

Plastic bottles. You can adapt ordinary plastic bottles for storing cereals.

Store any cereals in a sealed container.

Folk secrets

To prevent bugs and worms from starting up in bulk products and cereals, bake the cereals you just bought in a frying pan or put them in the freezer for 24 hours directly in the packaging from the manufacturer.

When storing flour, put a piece of foil or an iron spoon in a container.
On top of the cereal, put a leaf of bay pepper, a slice of unpeeled garlic or a slice of lemon peel. Chestnut will also help from the establishment of uninvited guests in bulk products.

At the bottom of the container with the storage of cereals, you can put a gauze bag with salt.
Use these simple tips for storing bulk products and then in your grocery stocks uninvited guests will not start.

Proper storage of cereals, simple tips

Every housewife knows how difficult it is to store cereals. Either a moth will start in them, then they will become raw and deteriorate. Unfortunately, such problems are quite common, and not everyone can cope with them.

But we will help you with this problem and tell about the proper storage of cereals, which will help get rid of small but annoying troubles.

It is sometimes very important to save the cereal, but solving this problem is not always possible. You probably used a lot of methods, but nothing worked, and this is a common problem.

So, you can use the special jars that are sold in stores and supermarkets. But why spend the money, if for sure you have the simplest glass jar in the pantry.

In no case can you use packages or boxes, you will get a lot of problems and inconveniences. How you can store cereals in a bag and hope for their excellent quality is incomprehensible. So get the cans first.

This raises the question - which bank in terms of volume to choose? In fact, it does not matter, but it will be more convenient to store in a liter or three-liter container. Naturally, for each grain there should be its own "house".

If you are going to store buckwheat or millet for years, then you can roll it up at all, if not, then close it with an ordinary plastic cover. Even better, if you first put paper or bag on the neck of the jar, and only then close the lid.

Storage of cereals is a simple matter, but, nevertheless, many make the mistake of where to put these banks. It is best to make sure that she stands in a cool place and does not fall on the sun.

Of course, rice will not be cooked from the sun, but the fungus and bacteria really like to bask in the rays and eat your rice, or other cereals. Therefore, select a place for such cans on a shelf in the pantry.

In addition, they should be protected from moths and bugs. To do this, put a clove of garlic on the bottom in the jar itself, this is an excellent remedy for insects in cereals. But in order to get rid of these same “inhabitants” in the closet, put chestnuts or lavender branches there.

If there are no branches of lavender, you can use essential oil. You should also put laurel leaves, they will absorb moisture, and insects will not start.

In addition to glass jars, you can use modern plastic containers pre-steamed with boiling water. Of course, this method will not allow you to save your cereals for a long time, but if you are not purchased with bags, then it is quite convenient.

How to store cereals so that bugs do not start?

You open a bag with groats - and from there the mole flies open. What could be worse for a real mistress? How to store large so that they do not start bugs, moths and other animals?

After all, if moths or bugs are wound up in a package, then all its contents must be sent to a landfill. And if this is repeated all the time? And do not go broke for long. Consider simple and effective ways to solve the problem.

In warehouses, bags of cereals are stored in cold rooms, but when you bring the bag home, the climatic conditions of detention change dramatically. The kitchen is warm and humid and the larvae of bugs that originally lived in poorly processed cereals begin to develop.

Tips for storing cereals at home

Let's give some useful and simple recommendations that our grandmothers used.

Never leave groats bought in plastic bags, as the effect of the “greenhouse” is obtained, which provokes the development of bugs and moths.
Store all cereals in jars, preferably glass. You can buy special containers made of plastic for storing cereals.

To disinfect the purchased cereal, pour it from the bag into a cup and send it to the freezer for 3 hours. This will kill all the germs. You can also calcine the product in the oven.

Moths and bugs are mortally afraid of the smell of bay leaf, garlic, and orange. They will never start in a jar of cereal if you drop a few bay leaves, a couple of cloves of garlic or dried orange zest. You can also put a few chestnuts.

Never store large bags of groats (10 kg or more) on the floor, as they will draw moisture from it and the product will become damp or worse, it will mold. Put the bag on a small stand, for example, on a box inside which you can sprinkle salt or rice - they will absorb excess moisture. The same rule applies to bags of flour and sugar.

Instead of matchboxes, you can use small containers from under the kinder surprise, just remember to puncture holes in them.

Store sugar and flour according to the rules

Sacks of sugar and flour should not stand on the floor, as we discussed above. Put them on a stand. Moth and bugs in sugar do not start, but there is another problem - ants.

Here they just love sugar. To insidious ants do not regale your sugar - put in a jar or bag with it the zest of orange. Uninvited guests will not bother.

Flour can not be stored in polyethylene, it must be poured. The best place to store flour is a linen bag. You can sew it yourself by making a tightening tie made of ribbon or lace around the edge.

Soak the bag with strong saline and, without rinsing, dry - then the flour will not mold in it, and the bugs will not start.

Storage of cereals without troubles

Cereals are such a thing that is daily necessary in the household that does not interfere with having a small supply in the house. But in order to avoid trouble, you need to know how to store them correctly, in other words, what conditions need to be created so that the cereals are stored for a long time and without problems.

Do not store them in plastic or paper bags in which you bought them, because the bag may break, the cereal will crumble, and when you collect it, garbage will naturally fall into it, no matter how you try.

Groats in a plastic bag can “suffocate”, because a special perforated bag is needed to store it.

From time to time, you need to open banks with cereals and check them for pests. Do not eat already spoiled cereals.

What pests can be encountered in the kitchen, in cereals? Barn weevils, Surinamese flour-eaters, bread grinders and other pests can live here with pleasure. For a person, in principle, they are not dangerous, but unpleasant. These are bugs that can appear in your croup for several reasons.

If you want pests to forget your way, put a few cloves of garlic (in a peel) in a container with grits. When storing cereals, starch and flour, put gauze bags of salt at the bottom of the container and dry lemon zest, bay leaves or chestnut (one of the three foods) on top.

So that the taste of cereals does not deteriorate, do not make large stocks, but update them as you spend.

Capacities: make a choice

Metal jars. Of course, they look stylish and high-quality, but there is a drawback in such containers - they can easily rust, and this will happen not from the ingress of water, but simply, over time.

Not only does this look ugly, but also harmful oxidation processes will dissipate into your cereal, without adding to it useful and tasteful properties, but rather the opposite. Stainless steel jars do not provoke such problems.

When there are 10 jars on one shelf, then, you know, this fact will play a significant role, in the literal sense of the word. Alternatively, ordinary plastic water bottles are possible.

Glass containers. Probably one of the best and best options.Modern glass jars for cereals have a stylish design, they can vary in price, but if you do not chase brands, you can choose a very decent option at a very reasonable price.

And in general it is believed that ordinary cans with lids can also be used as containers for storing cereals.

Ceramic containers. Also a great and very stylish option, it is believed that this is the best solution for storing any bulk products.

Naturally, all of these containers should have a good airtight lid that will close tightly without leaving gaps. By the way, in addition to special containers, ordinary linen bags are perfect for such purposes, which must first be soaked in saline, and then ironed.

You can put the groats in a bag directly into a glass or any other container, so you will definitely forget about bugs and other annoying insects.

Do not let bugs and other pests

We figured out the capacities, everyone made his choice, but that's not all. It turns out that in order for the cereals to be stored as long as possible, and at the same time everything could be done without bugs, as well as the appearance of unpleasant odors, you need to resort to some tricks.

Millet is not at all a long-liver to make the porridge tasty, it can be stored for no more than 4 months, otherwise then the cereal will be bitter and give an unpleasant smell. Oatmeal also does not lie for a long time, optimally 4-5 months, especially if it is muesli with various additives.

In order not to get bugs in the rice and so that it does not give off a musty smell, put the pod of hot pepper in the container. If there is no pepper, then a few cloves of garlic are also suitable, and you do not need to peel the upper skin from them.

Another method that is suitable for all cereals is the use of gauze bags with salt, which can be put on the bottom of the container. Some housewives lay a dry bay leaf or lemon peel, which is also very effective.

If they still wound up

Flour usually starts up in flour when the humidity is too high. Defining this indicator is easy. You need to pay attention to whether the flour creaks between the fingers: if not, its humidity is increased.

After drying, it is poured into a paper or cloth bag, which is placed in another one. The bottom of the second sac should be lined with calendula flowers. They wonderful repel insects. Slices of garlic are also able to solve the problem of the appearance of bugs.

If insects were infected with semolina, then everything can be fixed. It is necessary to sift it through a large sieve, and then fill it with water (slightly salted). After some time, the larvae and worms will emerge. It will not work to dry such cereals, but you can still cook porridge or add it to meat patties instead of bread.

If buckwheat is infected, then the croup will have to be sorted out, then thoroughly doused with cold water and sent to the oven for drying. Ignite it at 60 ° C, and when it cools down, it is necessary to pour the buckwheat in a linen bag and take it to the cold, for example, to the balcony. There it will be well preserved until the summer.

After that, it is poured with warm water, a little baking soda is added (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water) and rubbed into the cereal with your hands. Now it can be washed and dried in the oven.

Thus, spoiled groats can always be saved.But it is better to prevent the appearance of insects.

How to store cereals

A kitchen cabinet with cereals, flour and pasta is a holy of holies for the hostess. It is important not only to keep it clean, but also to adhere to the rules for storing content.

Each cereal has its own shelf life, and with proper preservation, bulk products will remain fresh for a long time and will not lose their taste.

It should be noted right away that plastic bags are not a suitable option; bulk products cannot be left in the manufacturer’s packaging. Insects that start up in cereals also bring a lot of trouble. But the problem can be easily solved. About it "With Taste" will tell you further.

Suitable containers

Metal cans. Although the material is considered reliable and quality, make sure that they do not form rust. Dispose of spoiled metal utensils immediately.

Glass containers. You can buy these in many stores, and they are great for storing food. If you like glass containers, decorating ordinary cans is a good idea.

Ceramic tableware. Perhaps the most suitable container for storing cereals: natural material retains freshness well. The only minus is the high weight that not every shelf will support.

Tight bag. To store flour, it is best to choose a bag made of natural fabric. Sift flour, put in it a piece of foil or a metal spoon.

Whatever the capacity, it should be prepared before use: wash with detergent, and even better - sterilize and dry. Store cereals in a dark, dry place, for example, on the lower shelves of the kitchen cabinet with lockable doors.

How to get rid of insects in cereals

Bay leaf or clove of garlic will reliably protect the cereal from insects. To prevent bugs in the croup, put a couple of fragrant leaves or an unpeeled clove of garlic on the bottom of the container.

A freezer will help to drive out the bugs. Put a bag of cereals or pasta in it, and sort it out in a day.

Shelf life

It would be nice to mark the date you put the cereal in the container, as many bulk products have a short shelf life. The following is the number of months during which cereals remain usable:

• oatmeal - 4
• semolina and corn grits - 10
• barley groats - 15
• wheat groats - 14
• rice slice - 16
• pearl barley and polished rice - 18
• buckwheat and chopped peas - 20

Now you know how to extend the shelf life of products that are daily present in your family’s diet. It is important to take care not only about the taste of the prepared dishes, but also about the quality of the ingredients.

How to store cereals

The times have already passed when buckwheat, flour and sugar were stored in bags just in case. Now you can find any products on sale, but many still buy cereals in larger quantities than they need for a week, for example, in order not to go to the store often or products were purchased at a discount.

In this case, information on how to store food is useful, because if you neglect this, then soon bugs will start in buckwheat or rice, and a mole will be fun in the kitchen.

Flour. Flour is the product that should be in any home. Even those housewives who are not particularly keen on baking have stocks of flour, which is used to prepare many dishes.

Very often bugs and other “living creatures” start up in flour, and this happens due to high humidity.Before sending the flour for storage, it must be checked for moisture.

And they do it with the help of fingers - between them rub a pinch of flour. If it creaks between your fingers, then the flour is dry, if not, it’s wet, and the dried flour is warm to the touch, and wet flour will be cool.

If bugs and worms are brought into the flour, it must be sifted through a fine sieve (preferably a couple of times), and then sprinkled onto a baking sheet covered with clean paper, 3-4 cm thick and dried in a heated oven.

It is important to observe the correct temperature regime - up to 40-45 degrees. Already at a temperature of 50 degrees the content of wheat grains is “brewed” and it becomes impossible to bake from such flour.

It is better to put dried flour in a fabric or paper bag, preferably two. In the second, larger pouch, dried calendula flowers are poured onto the bottom. This plant repels insects well and at the same time the flour is not saturated with the smell of calendula.

You can also use a clove of garlic to scare away the bugs, but in this case the smell will be present. You can replace garlic with a “heel” of onion, which is usually thrown out during the cleaning process, but in fact it contains a large amount of volatile.

Millet. Usually, millet can be stored without loss of taste for four months, after which the cereal can become bitter and unsuitable for consumption. This is due to the fact that the upper shell of the millet kernels deteriorates.

In order to get rid of the bitter taste, the shell must be removed. For this, millet is first washed in cold water, and then poured hot and left for 3-4 hours. Then the water is drained, millet is poured with warm water, per liter of which 1 teaspoon of drinking soda is added.

After this, grains of millet should be rubbed between the hands. Then millet is again thoroughly washed, dried in an oven preheated to 35 degrees and it can be used for another month, not more.

Buckwheat. Everyone knows that this grits must be sorted out to get rid of unpeeled buckwheat grains. After that, it is thoroughly washed under running cold water and sent to the oven for calcination at a temperature of about 60 degrees.

Then, after cooling, the cereal is placed in a fabric bag and taken to a cold place (you can on the balcony, in the cellar or barn).

Rice. Rice, which is stored for a long time, can be affected by pupae of worms or cereal elephants. To get rid of them, grits should be mixed in a sieve until the rice grains are free from the cobwebs, and then the rice should be thoroughly washed several times and dried.

General tips

When buying cereals, you can put the whole package (without printing) in the freezer for a day, and then pour the cereal into a plastic bottle with a wide neck. These containers are tightly closed, so the cereal is stored perfectly in them.

On top of the cereals poured into the container, you can put a bay leaf or dry lemon peel instead of a clove of garlic - their strong smell will scare off insects.

From the appearance of bugs, a piece of metal foil (or even just an iron spoon), immersed in cereals, will also save. It is convenient to put a spoon in a bowl of flour - it will not only protect against insects, but will also serve to pour flour.

In the rice for storage put a pod of red hot pepper, which also does not give a musty smell.

It stores cereals better in glass or plastic containers with a tightly screwed lid.

How to store cereals, spices and bulk products?

All kinds of bugs: bread grinders, weevil weevil, rice weevil, flour Khrushchak, Suriname flour-eater, pea grains, grain and flour moth - this is not a complete list of those small pests that seek to destroy our food supplies.

And this is information for thought, a signal for immediate action and an urgent call to restore order in your pantry.

How to store products in order to prevent the appearance of all kinds of living creatures we do not need? I have my own methods for this ruthless struggle (I think they are familiar to many of you).

And the first thing I do ...

Completely empty all the cabinets

All jars, bags and sachets, spices, seasonings, cereals and everything else is unloaded on the table, any free surface, even on the floor. The kitchen, of course, at this time turns into something slightly resembling a landfill.

That is OK. This is not for long and can be tolerated. And the pleasure received when looking at the orderly rows of your packages, jars and other containers for storage on perfectly clean shelves completely compensates for the time and effort spent.

Stock Audit

Be sure to check all the cans with canned goods and spins. If I find something swollen, leaking fluid, rusted - they will face the same fate - a bin.

Then comes the turn of various jars, bags and boxes with various cereals, buckwheat, rice, millet, bags with flour, breakfast cereals, various mixes, breadcrumbs, pancake flour and everything else that is stored in my bins. The weevil beetle simply loves to settle in such products.

If you are not sure whether your product is infected with any pest (this can be difficult to check if you have large supplies, for example, a bag of flour), you can neutralize the pest with cold. Frost kills the larvae.

To do this, you can hold the product for at least one day in the freezer (again, if possible) or, if it is winter, freeze it, for example, on the balcony.

So you will definitely eat everything yourself, and the bugs will not have time to feast on your supplies. You can watch a few more tips on how to properly store cereals, flour and other bulk products in the video:

And in order to finally neutralize the activity of all insects in the destruction of family supplies (and, consequently, the money spent on their purchase), I proceed to the next decisive step ...

General cleaning in the pantry

I wipe the shelves and walls of the cabinets with a well-absorbing cloth soaked in soapy water. I usually use microfiber rags for this purpose, I really like them.

They must be removed, because they can become a breeding ground for breeding new food pests. I usually clean these surfaces with a vacuum cleaner with a crevice nozzle.

Then on the shelves, especially those where oil bottles, jars of pickled jam will be stored, I will spread either clean paper or pieces of clean cloth, or even better something that does not allow moisture to pass through.

And again - clean and tidy

Yes, before I put the entire contents of the cabinets in their places, I usually check that I’m already running out and what products I need to add to my grocery list, going to the store.

Numerous containers for storing products of various shapes and sizes, shelving and other useful appliances help to put everything in its place, to expel clutter and chaos from your favorite kitchen.

I try to use containers of various shapes, but round ones are undesirable. The round shape does not allow rational organization of space on the shelf.

I arrange the products so that those that are needed often or are already ready for use are in the foreground and it is easy to get them. And then I already arrange the packages and containers that I use from time to time.

I try to store loose products and various cereals in airtight containers, preferably transparent (then you can clearly see how much you have left) or in the store packaging, if it is not broken.

For storage of canned food I usually leave the lower shelves. It’s safer. It’s not very pleasant if a heavy can with preserves falls on someone’s head from the top shelf. In addition, if something leaks, then other products will not get dirty.

I also really like the hinged shelves that are hung on the inside of the cabinet door. Any small things can be stored there.

I store potatoes, onions, and garlic in a dry and, preferably, cool place and in special baskets for storing vegetables and fruits.

If the family has children or patients with diabetes, or just someone from the family members "sits" on a special diet - for them it is better to store products on a separate shelf.

Also, household kitchen appliances and various appliances (mixer, food measurements, sieve for sifting flour, etc.) are separately stored.

I try to sort the entire contents of kitchen cabinets by type of product or its purpose: spices - separately, canned food - separately, vegetables - separately, dishes and kitchen utensils - separately.

So very quickly and easily you can find everything that you may need at the moment.