old flour--what to do?

[anniew]

I have a lot of pretty old flour (both white and whole wheat) that I stored in my refrig...I'm talking a few years old. As it is probably not so good (some is in living space at room temp) what can I do with it? Would it do any good or harm to spread on the garden, or could I give it to my poultry? Any suggestions or experiences would be appreciated...Ann

[amwitched]

You could sprinkle that flour anywhere that you have a grasshopper problem. It does a fine job of killing them.

I don't know what it will do to garden soil. I would add it to a compost pile, though.

If it's not moldy - make some biscuits or pancakes for your chickens.

[gryndlgoat]

Make play-dough! Christmas is coming up, and this stuff is GREAT for decorations!

2 c flour
1/2 c salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Enough water to make a clay-type consistency.

Make your items (paper clips inserted into the clay make great hangers), bake at 200 F until hard and dry.

Paint with acrylic paint and varnish (water base is fine) to seal.

[mandyh]

Christmas is just around the corner, you could use it to make ornaments. If you have children this is a lot of fun. Our girls make these for christmas presents. (Okay where's the Santa smiley)
1 c. salt, 2 c. flour, 1 c. water. roll out 1/4 thick, use cookie cutter's or cut your own shapes. Make sure you put a hole in top for string. Straws work great for this. Bake at 350 till lightly brown or air dry for 48hrs. on a sreen rack. After they cool, decorate with paint or what ever you can think up.

[suburbanite]

I have some wheat flour thats 'use by' date was march of this year. It has been in tupperware at room temperature.

What should I look for to know if it is still okay to eat?

[Rita]

Do you have a dog? Make some dog biscuits. You can make a big batch as they stay good a long time or can even freeze them for longer storage. If you didn't spread it too thick on the garden I don't see how it could hurt.

[Spinner]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

I have some wheat flour thats 'use by' date was march of this year. It has been in tupperware at room temperature.

What should I look for to know if it is still okay to eat?

It's probably not turned into poison or anything, just lost all it's vitamin content and probably flavor is gone or going. Flour should always be stored in a freezer to preserve it as much as possible. Once the wheat berry has been ground into flour, the vitamins evaporate (for lack of a better term) rather quickly. If possible, it's best to store flour in the berry form at cool temps, grinding it as needed. Once the berry is ground into flour, the nutrition starts going immediately, almost all vitamin content is gone in about 2 weeks.

[moonwolf]

Originally Posted by Rita

Do you have a dog? Make some dog biscuits. You can make a big batch as they stay good a long time or can even freeze them for longer storage. If you didn't spread it too thick on the garden I don't see how it could hurt.

I was going to suggest this, but maybe adding some extra nutrients or vitamins....perhaps some finely chopped fresh carrots of other vegetables mixed with the dough before baking.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Rita

Do you have a dog? Make some dog biscuits. You can make a big batch as they stay good a long time or can even freeze them for longer storage. If you didn't spread it too thick on the garden I don't see how it could hurt.

Agree- chickens and dogs can eat anything- just maybe plain flour would choke chickens? So sprinkle slowly small amounts in their usual feed? or bake into solid chunks.

[harrisjnet]

You can also make your own wallpaper paste out of flour.

[Windy in Kansas]

Really old flour will get a somewhat rancid smell to it. I'd use it up in livestock feed in baked dish form.

Not sure I'd want rancid smelling play dough around, but you might make baked tree ornaments out of it.

[susieM]

Tatse it first, it might still be okay. Or make papier mache stuff...flour-water paste and strips of newspaper. Cover a blown-up balloon and soon you'll have a pinata. Picture frames, moulding on furniture, arts and crafts for kids...

[suburbanite]

You guys are gonna have me grinding my own flour soon, dang it!

My suburb has gentrified (but proposition 13 keeps my taxes from skyrocketing). I've got all these aging yupp-oid people around me that are all into their possessions and showing off their status, with more invested in their four BMW's than I paid for my house, and here's me growing food in my back yard, driving a Honda, and mowing my own lawn. I can just imagine the talk if I start grinding my own flour...

I guess it's time to google 'flour mill' to find out where to buy one.