What is the average shelf life of wheat? How long does wheat last in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer? What is the best way to store wheat to increase its shelf life? Find out the answers to these questions and more below:
Shelf Life of Wheat
| Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1-3 Months | 6-8 Months | 9-12 Months |
Wheat is used on a daily basis for making a different kind of food items and has become an essential part of our life. Wheat is the most nutritional food item with an amazing shelf life. You can store it for a very long time. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the wheat should be kept away from moisture in order to prolong its shelf life.
Basically, the shelf life of whole grains is up to 6 months if properly stored in airtight containers. If the flour is properly kept away from the moisture, it can really last up to 3 months. Some people freeze it for more storage time, but it’s not a proper way of increasing the shelf life of wheat.
Purchasing Wheat:
When buying it, you need to be very sure that you are purchasing the right kind of wheat. The wheat is transformed into different types, for example, baking flour, and common wheat, etc. It depends on what you are going to make and what kind of wheat is your recipe requiring. Make sure to check the expiry date if you are buying form a packaging container. Don’t ignore the seal of the packaging. Avoid buying from a store where turnover is slow because you won’t find a fresh stock.
Storing Wheat:
Wheat can be easily stored in a container or a plastic bag for 6 months. Mostly it is recommended that you must store it a tight container where the moisture is close to zero. Humidity can be very dangerous because it spoils the shelf life of the wheat. You can also freeze wheat in a freezer for 3 months, but it’s not the most used trick for storing wheat.
How to Handle Wheat:
Common wheat is easy to handle because of its daily use in making bread and other bakery items. Handling wheat is very easy; you just need to know the right proportion of it to make the correct food item. For instance, if you are planning to make bread, then you must know the right amount of water and oil to put in it and the right temperature.
Cooking Wheat:
Cooking wheat is smooth and done on a daily basis because of its nutritional and delicious value. There is no difficulty in cooking wheat. You just need to know the exact recipe, and then you can make everything you want from different kinds of wheat. For example, if you are planning to make a simple mug cake, then you have to take 2 tablespoons of wheat then add a small quantity of oil, cocoa powder, and milk, just like that, you can enjoy these kinds of various recipes. Wheat is used to making every kind of bakery items like pizza, chicken and vegetable bread, plain bread, donuts and in many more products.