2022 Frugal Living Challenge

basketcase

There's probably an obvious answer to this query, but bear with me because I've never done it before!

I've read about freezing flour as a precaution against mites etc.  Please could you tell me:

1. How long you freeze it for
2. How do you defrost it (asking in case there's a wrong way and you end up with a gooey mess!)

Thanks

florianatwobob

When I was growing up we had the most wonderful border collie x Labrador x Alsatian. He was very furry and used lie against the doors for the draughts, he really was the most effective draught excluder we ever had. If it was cold he would occasionally be obliging and let you wiggle your cold toes under him, other times he’d give you a baleful look and wiggle sideways out of reach. 

On really cold mornings when we got up we’d find the cat and dog cuddled up to each other. As they were both black and white you were hard pressed to work out where they both started and ended, until they realised their breakfast was ready. 

basketcase

Most of our pets seem to adjust, but my daughter's rabbit seems to feel the cold.  She just stays hidden away, presumably to conserve heat.  We have a long hot water bottle, which I fill up at night when I do mine.  We lay it on the floor along the back of the cage near where she sleeps.  (I know!  She was a wild 'rescue rabbit'.  She's a wimp!)

We did have an elderly, failing hamster.  Again, we used a hot water bottle.  This time as underfloor heating.

As others have said, pets normally adjust - unless it's bitterly cold, minus temperatures.  They do have fur coats!

Jazee

basketcase said:

There's probably an obvious answer to this query, but bear with me because I've never done it before!

I've read about freezing flour as a precaution against mites etc.  Please could you tell me:

1. How long you freeze it for
2. How do you defrost it (asking in case there's a wrong way and you end up with a gooey mess!)

Thanks

I put the package in a plastic bag and freeze for 24hours, then take it out of the plastic bag and put it in an airtight container. Never had any problems.

Primrose

basketcase said:

There's probably an obvious answer to this query, but bear with me because I've never done it before!

I've read about freezing flour as a precaution against mites etc.  Please could you tell me:

1. How long you freeze it for
2. How do you defrost it (asking in case there's a wrong way and you end up with a gooey mess!)

Thanks

I,ve never tried but assume you just put in freezer in aplatix bag in case it burst and leave for a couple of days, then remove immedtely from plastic  in case any condensation forms while it,s coming to room temperature again.

flour does have the capacity to contain unhatched bugs in it when purchased which is why it,s importent to store it in a cool place.  Weve had occasional bugs hatch in the past. It seems a waste to toss the flour and if this happened in wartime or food rationing I imagine some people might be tempted to freeze the flour anyway to kill the bugs, try to remove them if they can be identified and then use it anyway,!

Sounds  gross but my granny always used to say "you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die" and I,m sure her six kids probably ate some weird things in World War I rationing snd all lived til their eighties and nineties to tell the tale !

basketcase

@Jazee and @Primrose

Thank you - especially for the advice about plastic bags.  I wouldn't have thought of it bursting!

Primrose - all extra protein...?

cw18

London_1 said:

and a rescue greyhound who is a bit old lad .he feels the cold dreadfully as he hasn't an ounce of fat on him so DD got him a couple of coats to wear indoors One on, and one off so they get washed fairly frequently.

I'm a walking volunteer for a greyhound rehoming place.   We have volunteers who use fleece material to make PJs with legs for greyhounds, that are then sold to bring in funds.   I'm pretty sure the dogs in the kennels also get to wear them, as I've seen some on tables when I've got there for walking duties in the colder months.

They also do knitted coats - some with higher neckbands.   And some that look more like jumpers (high neck band plus part way down front legs).

newlywed

basketcase said:

@Jazee and @Primrose

Thank you - especially for the advice about plastic bags.  I wouldn't have thought of it bursting!

Primrose - all extra protein...?

I always freeze new packs of flour for 24 hours now…. Having once opened a jar of flour and realised it wasn’t granary and was moving! 

I just do it first to prevent anything.

I have also kept flour in the freezer… still pours or scoops fine straight from frozen and nice and cold for pastry… that was back when I had more space in there and no cupboards!

basketcase

@newlywed

Firstly - bleuch!

Secondly - I may try leaving some in the freezer for pastry...

Thanks

Siebrie

I know someone who did missionary work in the tropics, and she told me they used to siff their flour, and then again 10 days (?) later. This got rid of all protein