I'm starting to have too much in the pantry. At least, too much in small bags that slip around. I have smaller quantities of hazelnut flour, tapioca flour, nuts, etc, and they're in bags because that's how they come from the store.
I'm thinking some sort of stackable tupperware might work for holding it all. I'm curious - how do other people store ingredients when the original containers aren't working out?
http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/24450-flour-sugar-storage-dispenser.aspx
these work nice for small amounts...
I use them for salt, sugar and conditioners...
for yeast I use a tinted coffee vacuum container...
for small counter top amounts these work http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Commercial-FG9G6000WHT-Ingredient-Measuring/dp/B007TKHLX8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420311915&sr=8-1&keywords=in…
for bulk flour http://www.amazon.com/Winco-IB-21-Ingredient-Bin-21-Gallon/dp/B00845VT6C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420311679&sr=8-3&keywords=ingredient+bin works well
Remember any whole grain flour must be used quickly or stored in the refrig or freezer to keep it fresh. The oils in the germ of whole grain flours can go rancid and ruin your baking.
For small bagged items I use pint 16oz or quart 32oz (pictured) clear deli containers similar to these:
They cost around $0.50 USD each or less when bought in bulk. I mark them with tape+marker or with a grease pencil.
and it left me scratching my head and marveling at how most canisters and containers are *round*. Cylindrical, I mean. Why oh why oh why is this the default? Shelves, after all, are rectangular! Go figure. LOGIC FAIL.
Anyway, I did a lot of measuring and calculating, and was briefly tempted to replace ALL my various containers with nice new square stacking airtight ones... and then I got over that momentary folly of the wallet. I did buy a squared plastic container (Rubbermaid, I think?) for bread flour, but other than that I'm still living with my mixed collection of uncertain age. I did, however, get replacement gaskets for all my elderly bale jars, so that at least they seal well now. It happens that I have quite a few of these, and some of the big ones are square, which makes them very useful for storing largish quantities of white flour. I use smaller bale jars for some things, mason jars for others, and when I run out of jars the things that come in small bags just go into ziplocs, bag and all.
Except for the whole grain flours, which as BGM says belong in fridge or freezer. These too I put in outer ziplocs.
It's a low-tech mixed bag and it's not the spatially efficient pantry of my dreams, but it pretty much works for me.
I spent some time baking in the executive kitchen for the company that owns OXO.
All ingredients were stored in OXO Pops containers. They are both round and square and range in size from very small to of sufficient size to hold a five pound bag of flour. They seal tightly, open easily, and are stackable.
I loved working in that kitchen and part of ease of work was those containers.
They are, however, not inexpensive.
Fortunately my work for the company earned me a huge discount and I outfitted my kitchen with them. They are great and hold all my ingredients except two of my white flours. I put a premium on efficient use of space and ease of access and in my tiny kitchen they have served me well.
For my "go to" white flour, I have an antique hoosier cabinet with a built in flour bin and sifter. This is efficient to use. I live in a place where I do not have a lot of trouble with bugs and I love that I just turn a crank and dispense flour.
My other white flour is stored in a rolling pet food container as I have to buy large quantities at a time.
My instant yeast is stored in another type of OXO container meant for storing small portions. It lives in the freezer. They have a neat little set of six containers in a tray that is part of their OXO Tots line. This is great for things in very small quantities and the trays stack neatly.
I unapologetically add that I had the opportunity to buy those plastic OXO scoops at a nice discount and outfitted every storage container with one of an appropriate size so that the scoop is always at hand and I never need to look around for something to spoon the ingredient onto the scale.
Yes, I worked for the company that owns OXO - but it was consulting work in an area not related to product design or marketing and I only rave about their stuff because it does yeoman's work for me. I get nothing for my raves.
And yes, I do joke about my "all OXO kitchen", but everything earns its keep in my kitchen and if the stuff wasn't high quality, functional, and durable it would be gone.
This is how I store my ingredients and a lot of other things...
Hope this helps.
I have always wanted to have one of those hoosier cabinets, just for the ability to pour out flour and start working.
...not that I would admit this to anyone but you, (ahem)...you know those containers of frosting? Great for small storage needs when you give them a clean and strip off the paer. You can write on them with markers. They fit onions really well, by the way. Just say your aunt gave them to you. (Wink)
I store most of that stuff in their original package inside a ziplock bag, in the freezer. Chocolate, flour, nuts, smaller bags of whole grains are in the freezer. Large bags of rice and whole grains are in food grade buckets with gamma seal lids. I have a couple ceramic canisters that I keep on the counter for daily use of AP flour and sugar. For whole grains, I weigh and grind for each recipe. A few things are in small cambro containers or large canning jars.
I'm getting sick of my non diastatic malt powder becoming a solid rock before I can finish the bag so either I'm going to make it myself or start vacuum sealing it.
All my flours go in the refrigerator or freezer. Nuts are stored in the refrigerator. Some spices I use are also stored in the freezer and I have no problems. Living down south has made a difference on how I store some of my items.