If you want a truly well stocked pantry, you'll need a good supply of grains. Unfortunately, ground grains go rancid quickly. Therefore, for long term storage, you'll need to store whole, unground wheat. According to The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, unground wheat lasts indefinitely as long as you take certain precautions.
Storage Containers for Wheat
For long-term storage you'll need food-grade plastic containers with airtight lids. For best results, use gasket lids.
Sometimes used food-grade containers can be purchased at a small cost through feed or grocery stores, but it's vital to make sure nothing but food has ever been stored in the containers. No matter how well you wash the containers, chemicals can still remain, contaminating whatever food is stored inside afterward. In addition, containers that have held strong-tasting or strong-smelling food may change the taste or smell of your wheat.
You can purchase gasket lids at farm and feed stores, or through online sources specializing in long-term food storage products.
Most often, food grade containers hold about 5 gallons. It's unlikely you'll use 5 gallons of wheat at any one time, so consider buying mylar food storage bags from a website offering long-term food storage items. Choose bags in a size that makes sense for your needs, fill them with wheat, and seal according to the manufacturer's directions. (Usually an ordinary household iron can seal them.) Then place the bags inside a five-gallon container and seal with a gasket lid.
Moisture
Air and moisture both speed the decay of wheat and reduce its nutritional content. Mylar bags and gasket seals will take care of the air, but do be sure you don't store wheat on a humid or damp day. If the moisture content of the wheat is more than 10 percent, bacteria will begin growing in it. Adding an oxygen absorber is also a smart idea.
Other Considerations
Wheat should be stored in a cool, dark location. It should never reach a temperature below 40 degrees F or above 75 degrees F.
Wheat stored in this fashion isn't likely to develop a pest problem. But if somehow the wheat already had pest eggs in it when placed in storage, you'll soon have an infestation. To help deter pests, place two dry bay leaves in each mylar bag, or two dry bay leaves on top of every 3 inches of wheat in larger containers.
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