How to Store Wheat Berries
Hi Friend,
You finally have your wheat berries and you are ready to start milling. But how do you keep your wheat berries fresh until you are ready to use them? Can you store them in the pantry? Do they need to be frozen?
Wheat berries have a remarkable shelf life. Grain has been found by archaeologists in Egyptian tombs that are still healthy and viable. Just think of how many thousands of years they have been tucked safely away.
As we talk about storage solutions for wheat berries, there are two requirements to keep in mind:
Moisture Free
Bug and Rodent Free
Now let’s talk about storage solutions.
Storing in Bulk
A favorite way to store wheat berries in bulk is in large food-grade buckets with a lid. It’s important to have a tight-fitting lid to keep bugs, pests, and moisture away from the wheat berries.
Personally, I keep my bulk wheat berries in 3 gallon food-grade buckets from Uline with a gamma seal lid. A gamma seal lid attaches to the bucket like a normal tight-fitting lid, but the top screws on and off. This makes it quicker for me to get to my wheat berries (like during the dinner rush when the farm boys are starving) and I can get a tighter seal with the lid.
A popular and practical option for storing bulking bulk wheat berries is in large food-grade buckets with tight fighting lids.
You can find food-safe buckets and lids through Uline, Amazon, Lowe’s, and local farm and ranch supply stores like North 40. If you are looking for a budget friendly option, ask your local grocery store bakery if they sell their leftover frosting buckets. We’ve picked up several from Walmart for a $1, and while they are smaller, they definitely get the job done.
Our Instagram followers love their gamma seal lids, and I’d personally have to agree with them. Gamma seal lids screw on and off for quick access to the wheat berries, and seal tight when you are finished.
Pantry-Friendly Options
Pantries vary so much in use and size. In our farmhouse we have a store room where we keep our bulk foods, but then I keep a smaller amount on hand in my kitchen pantry. My kitchen pantry is a tall cupboard, so it is important to me that my storage options are reasonable in size and attractive.
Personally, I use a set of airtight canisters to store my wheat berries in my pantry. These were customized with horses by a dear friend of mine.
If you are the same way, don’t be afraid to get creative. Remember, the only requirements are that the containers be bug, pest, and moisture resistant. Airtight kitchen storage containers and canisters are perfect. Mason jars are aesthetically beautiful and functional. Even a Ziploc gallon storage bag will get the job done (and is easy to pour from into a measuring cup or mill).
Mason jars with lids are a stylish way to store small quantities of wheat berries and other grains in your pantry. Few things are prettier than a line up of grain-filled Mason jars.
Limited Space-Friendly Options
Are you limited on storage space? If so, we have the solution for you. We sell soft white wheat berries from our family farm in 5 lb quantities that come in 2.5 lb resealable, food safe bags that are moisture resistant. The best part is you only open what you need, keeping the rest of your wheat berries fresh.
Short on space? Our 2.5 lb bags are moisture, bug, and pest resistant, and can be squeezed in tight places.
We also have a subscription service so you can have your wheat berries automatically shipped to you when you need them. No need to keep large quantities on hand.
And that’s all there is to storing your wheat berries. Remember, storage containers need to be:
Moisture Resistant
Bug and Rodent Resistant
No need to refrigerate, freeze, or preserve.
We hope this helps as you get started on your milling adventures. If you have questions about how to store your freshly milled flour, you will want to read How To Store Freshly Milled Flour.
Best,
The Sieverkropp’s