How to store fresh flour, and why it should not live in the tin for a year
Whole-grain flour keeps its germ and its oils. That is what makes it taste good, and why it needs a little care.
The Farm Flour kitchen · 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
Fresh-milled flour still contains the germ of the grain, and the germ contains oil. Over time and with warmth, that oil goes stale. You will smell it before you taste it: a flat, slightly bitter note.
The simple rules
Keep flour in an airtight container, away from the stove and out of sunlight. Use a dry spoon. In the hottest months, the fridge is a good home for anything you will not use within a couple of weeks.
Bajra is a winter grain. It likes being eaten fresh.
Buy less, more often
Grains with more oil, like bajra, keep for less time than wheat. That is why we print a best-before date computed from the grain in your blend with the shortest shelf life, and why Monthly Mill sends a fresh pack every few weeks instead of a sack once a year.
Last reviewed 14 October 2026.
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