Along with your holiday food shopping this November, add baking basic foods such as flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, brownie and cake mixes to your cart as well. You’ll find great prices this month. We experienced a flour shortage during the 2020 Pandemic, because people were baking more at home. Keep extra food on your shelf for future food shortages.
SHORT-TERM FOOD STORAGE
According to StillTasty.com, most baking basics have a short unopened shelf-life:
- all-purpose flour (1 year),
- wheat flour (1-3 months),
- baking soda (2 years),
- baking powder (18 months),
- salt (5 years best quality),
- brownie and cake mixes (12-18 months).
- Some of these items store best in your refrigerator or freezer.
- When you buy flour, first put it in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for a few days to kill any weevil bugs. Then store it in a sealed container in your pantry, fridge or freezer.
LONG-TERM SHELF LIFE FOOD STORAGE
- A 1-year supply of salt for an adult = 8 lbs. I buy mine from Sam’s Club and transfer it into another container.
- Our bodies don’t produce iodine, so I buy salt with iodine for baking, and sea salt for table food. Salt can have an indefinite shelf-life if kept very dry in a dark place.
- A 1-year supply of flour for an adult = 48 lbs. or 12 #10 Latter-day Saint cans. Adjust amounts for children: Age 3 and under, 50%; 4-6, 70%; 7-10, 90%; 11 and up 100%.
- You may purchase 10-year shelf-life flour in #10 cans in cases of 6 for $43.40 (2023) from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Cans protect flour from bugs and critters and are easy to store under beds or in closets.
I hope you find food storage baking basics for your family this month.
Best wishes and look for the good in others!
Valerie Albrechtsen
The Food Storage Organizer
Purchase my food storage and emergency preparedness items in my Etsy shop.
