Essential in cooking, flour and cereals are used to make breads and cakes of all kinds. It is therefore no coincidence that your kitchen cupboards are full of these ingredients. However, in order to preserve all of their benefits, it will be necessary to store them well. So, how can we go about protecting them from food moths? Explanation.
If you don’t know how to store your flour and cereals, the following lines will be of great use to you.
How to properly store flour and cereals and avoid food moths?
You are constantly on the lookout for new recipes. For good reason, you like to put your cooking or pastry skills into practice. For this, you don’t hesitate to get your hands dirty. As such and in order to succeed in all your preparations, you do not hesitate to opt for quality ingredients, especially when it comes to flour and cereals. But in some cases, this is not enough! Indeed, by not storing these products ideally, they will find themselves unfit for consumption . To avoid any appearance or proliferation of insects, butterflies or even food moths in your flour or cereal packages, here is what you need to do.
Choose airtight containers to store your flours and cereals
Whether cereals or flour, do not hesitate to remove them from their original packaging and place them in airtight containers or jars , if possible glass. In this way, they will be better preserved and protected from the ambient air which could cause their degradation. To avoid any risk, you can also write on each pot the date of purchase as well as the expiration date of the product in question.
Furthermore, remember to place your containers in a dry and cool place. Food moths prefer warm places . In fact, they generally lay their eggs at a temperature above 20 degrees.
In addition to this tip, you can also follow these tips to better preserve your flours and cereals.
Clean your kitchen cupboards with white vinegar : Aside from storing your flours in airtight jars and in dry, cool places, you should also remember to clean your kitchen cupboards to get rid of all moths, larvae and other insects.
You can use white vinegar for this purpose. In fact, moths hate its smell. To do this, simply fill a spray bottle with water and white vinegar, then spray your cupboards with this solution. If your flour or cereal is still in its original packaging, be sure to only put it back in the cupboard once the cupboard has been completely inspected and completely dry.
Scatter a few bay leaves between the jars : To protect your flour and cereals, you must also prevent the appearance of food moths by using bay leaves. The latter act effectively against this type of insects without having to resort to insecticides. So all you need to do is place a few bay leaves in your cupboards or inside containers . The powerful odor they give off will automatically scare away this type of parasite.
Whatever cereals you want to consume or store: durum wheat, oats or spelled, bay leaves will be your best ally in preventing the appearance and proliferation of food moths.
By following these tips, you will be able to sustainably preserve your flour as well as all your cereals in your kitchen. Furthermore, do not hesitate to use the natural ingredients mentioned above to prevent food moths from contaminating your food.