I’m going to tell you a secret. This is a secret that has been passed down through our family. It is such an important secret that my mom bought me my own pair of secret weapons when I got married.
The Secret
You can successfully store flour and sugar in galvanized garbage cans without getting bugs in the flour. All you do is fill them up (each can holds 50 pounds) and then use them as your source of flour and sugar when you need it. Of course, you use one can to store flour and one can to store sugar. When I am getting low on flour or sugar, I start watching for good sales. As soon as I find one, I fill them up again.
I have two of these jars in my kitchen. I use them to keep the flour and sugar I use on a daily basis. When they get empty, I go to my basement and fill them up from the garbage cans.
There is security in having a store of flour, sugar, yeast, baking power, baking soda, salt, and other basic ingredients such as milk and eggs. If you are on a budget, baking bread, rolls, muffins, or cookies makes your family feel like they are living a high life, when – in fact – you are being economical. And if you are having a rough financial week, you can do more baking because you have plenty of these ingredients around.
And, of course, you can make pop-overs, pancakes, waffles, German pancakes… and on… and on….
(If you can’t find galvanized garbage cans locally, you can buy the cans at Amazon for $30 each. The glass cookie jars are usually available at Walmart or Target.)
Tractor Supply (TSC) has galvanized garbage pails in smaller sizes too…I have a one 6 gallon can I keep my birdseed in and it would be perfect for your idea of storing flour and sugar on a smaller scale. I also have a couple of 20 gallon cans too for various feeds.
Cool idea!! Thanks for passing it on!
Congratulations on your new site.
I always used this idea when I lived on the land as I lived a couple of hours away from the nearest town. Now that I no longer live on the land, I place all my flour, cornflour etc in the freezer to prevent weevils.
Oh, now I get why the house we lived in as newlyweds (dh’s great grandmother’s) had huge galvanized pull out bins in the kitchen! I wondered how that much flour would last without problems. I love being clued in. My mom taught me to keep flour in the freezer- which works too. Thanks!
Love the new site Ro! It’s great to see you up and posting again, welcome back!
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That’s great to know! I buy flour and sugar in 25 pound bags, then fill up the container in the cupboard and ziplock the rest. I love the thought of using these cans, though. Probably cheaper than buying the equivalent size in buckets and lids, too.
I too have seen older homes with the galvinized flour bins but always thought of it as a trendy thing in that period of our history. I thought people had probably moved on to much better ways of storing flour and sugar. Guess we’ve been moving backwards. I, too, have lost some flour in years past to bugs. I liked the idea of the smaller galvinized cans. I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine using up 50 pounds of flour in my lifetime! Question: So you open the flour and pour it into the galvinized cans or do you just leave it in the sack? Guess it really wouldn’t matter. How long would flour keep this way? I’m really thinking of doing this on a smaller scale. Also, I have a huge need to know how things work. What is it with the “galvinized” that keeps the bugs away?
Ro, you said you keep these trash cans in your basement. Would flour keep in a detached garage or does it need more of an even temperature?
Wow… you guys! I’ve been working away like mad and didn’t notice that I’d received so many comments. I’m EXCITED!
Diane…Yes, you can keep them in garage. I’ve done that before. And I pour the flour straight in the sack. The only time I’ve had problems with bugs was when the bugs came with the sack. I didn’t notice I had the issue until I was mixing up some bread.
EWWWWWWW!!!
I have no idea why the galvanization keeps the bugs away. I’m not that smart.
I just know that it works. Mom and grandma were right!
I bought one of these to store bird seed in so that the critters couldn’t get to it. I bought mine at Lowes. I also noticed Lowes had smaller ones too. The smaller ones might be good for people with limited space. I’m not sure but I think they may have been 25 gallon size.
I’ve never heard of this and I’ll try it. Any suggestions for those pesty moths that get into a pantry? I’ve had this happen 2 or 3 times in the past 12 years. I start by throwing everything that’s not in a can away. But how can you prevent them?
sweet!!! i’ve never heard of this…if only i had enough space for two garbage cans in my pantry…
I was just talking to my Aunt, who has one of those antique kitchen cabinets. She was explaining to my husband about the flour bin keeping the flour with out bugs and mice. I want one! We got little tiny ant this summer in my pantry, the grocery run to replace flour and the like was over 700.00. I have since coverted everything to airtight containers, ie tuperware. But I love the idea of a amaller galvanized trash bin, so I can keep more flour and sugar on hand. I am always running out of one or the other. And the smaller cans should fit nice and snug in my pantry! I would be concerned about putting my cans in the garage here in TX with the temps over 100, but how did they keep it back in my Great-great-great grandparents days? I am sure they did not have tile floors and a/c here.
Love your Blog. Cant wait to go buy some galvanized storage and use your time honored advise in my home
SOOOOO glad I stumbled onto this blog while searching for a new recipe!
Thanks, Kellie!
To: Bonnie C.
I had the misfortune many years ago of buggies in my pantry and discovered they came in a boxed cake mix from the store! Be careful when buying boxed or dry foods to check them at the store to be sure there are not small holes towards the bottom of the box, and that you don’t see any powdery residue on the shelf, this can be a sign of bugs. I now store any foods that are boxed or bagged in plastic containers and leave them in their original packaging inside the container. I add a few bay leaves in each container, which repels pantry buggies as well. No problems since.
I love the idea for galvanized containers. I’m thinking they keep varmits out because all the seams are welded and if the lid is left securely tightened, they remail pretty much impermiable. I’m not sure I would take the food products out of their original containers however, is galvanized metal food safe? I really have no idea, but that could be a reason for more modern homes not having the old storage bins in their kitchens?
Does someone have that answer and I’ve just missed it on the blog?
Yes, galvanized metal is food safe. I think that modern homes don’t have storage bins in them because people cook much differently. “Back in the day” everything was homemade. No convenience food available so serious baking supplies (and accompanying storage) were required. Pantries were full of food. Now I see pictures of pantries in blogs that are so artfully arranged with not a lot in them. I was raised with the idea that I would buy things on sale when I can. I’ve always had a SERIOUS pantry which has helped us a few times during job losses, financial set-backs, etc. I was able to turn to my pantry supplies, do more home cooking, and my kids didn’t even notice. If I hadn’t been doing that, well… then… things could have been dicey.
Flour – having a good amount of it – has always been a keystone item in the pantries of the women of my family. Galvanized garbage cans solved it for all of us – three generations. This is why I wrote this post!
And you’re SO right about bugs coming in with convenience mixes. I’ve had it happen to me with muffin mixes. That is one of the reason I don’t buy them much any more. Besides, it is fast and easy to mix up a batch of homemade muffins. So yummy!