| The holiday season is here! Over the next month or so, most of us, at one time or another, will gather in our kitchen with friends and family to prepare delicious meals…or maybe just to bake some fabulous pies or cookies! As you start to dig out your baking supplies, be on the lookout for any pantry pests that may have taken up residence in your pantry products.
Cooking and baking can be so much fun; however, nothing can spoil this fun faster than coming across bugs in your bag of flour. ICK! Pantry pests, such as merchant grain beetles & Indian meal moths, are easily able to tear through flimsy packaging and settle right into food supplies, contaminating common baking ingredients such as flour, chocolate, dried fruit and nuts. Here are some tips on how to keep these pantry pests away.
- Only purchase food in sealed packages that show no signs of damage.
- Once packages are opened, move ingredients into sealed glass or Tupperware-type containers with secure lids.
- Add bay leaves to canisters of dry goods. The herb’s pungent scent repels many pantry pests.
- Stay aware of product expiration dates.
- Keep counters, floors, pantry shelves, cabinets and sinks clean. Crumbs and spills are obvious pest attractants.
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