Storage Containers- None at All???

All it takes is one round of meal moths to change that! I kept things in their packaging until we had some moths get in (I traced it back to a sealed container of oatmeal) and dealt with a 2-year infestation. Now all dry goods are in plastic or glass containers.

No way I could that here in the south. The humidity would make everything go stale in less than a week. We can't even keep the cereal in the box. :/

We keep just about everything in plastic tubs or zip bags.
Shortly after moving into our house we had problems with mice that got into everything in the pantry. We also can easily have issues with ants getting in to everything. It also helps prevent massive spills of knocked over cereal boxes or whatever the kids get in to or push aside when going in the pantry for food.
They keep the foods from going stale as fast.
We do a lot better using storage tubs and zip bags.

I'm in south Louisiana. I use airtight containers after having had infestations of both pantry moths and mice (thanks to cats who bring live "toys" indoors and then lose them). Also, I find that the containers reduce losses due to humidity for things like rice, pasta, beans, flour, meal, and sugar.

I buy stuff in bulk and need something other than zip lock bags!

I also have broken most of the canisters I was using for baked goods. So, I need some new stuff. It does make baking easier, and I bake all the time.

Also, both kids struggle to get their own cereal without making a giant f'n mess. I'm hoping a canister will making pouring easier and neater.

All I can think is flour and sugar are really messy. Their paper containers really don't contain very well. Other than that, I want the directions on the package or the nutitional make up.

We live in the country and every fall once the soy bean field has been harvested we have a few weeks where we have a mouse invasion.
To keep the mice out of the food I put anything that's not in a can or jar into big clear plastic bins (with covers) that fit nicely on my pantry shelves.
We've never had a problem with pantry moths in this house but if we did then problem would be contained in one bin while the rest would be unaffected.

There are only 3 of us, so unless I am working on a catering job, it would take us forever to use all of that. I do have hand containers for the ingredients I use all of the time. The left overs, I just put in Ziplocks in a different cabinet.

I can understand people with large families or live far away from stores, especially with crazy weather, but in the long run it is not worth the loss of space and the chance it could go rancid,

I think that you should do that for as long as it works for you. The issues might even be regional.

I keep flour in the fridge because it keeps the weevils away. Also, I don't use it often enough to feel good about leaving it out for months and months once opened.

I put rice and sugar and flour in firm bins because I don't want to have to pour those from bags or be concerned with tearing bags, though I leave beans in bags. I don't know. It all makes sense in my head. Don't make me second-guess my system.

ETA: Oh, yeah--the humidity, too! (Good call, Mamaduck, P.!)

If I am getting a big bag from Costco of rice, beans, quinoa, etc I just keep it in the regular packing, which is usually built the right way to be dispensed without making a mess. If I am buying a giant sack of basmati rice, I'll put it into Tupperware.

If I am using smaller 1 lb bags of beans, I'll dump them into a Tupperware thing to make it easier to scoop out the amount I want, without having this limp bag hanging around in my pantry, ready to spill if someone drops it.

I NEVER put cereal in other containers--it doesn't last long enough for that.

Flour and sugar get used very rarely in my house, so I do have them in Tupperware.

ETA: Concerning the nutritional info. I do Weight Watchers, so when I buy something I calculate the points value, write it on the package, and then I always know how to track it. If I transfer the food into a Tupperware container I use a dry erase marker to write the Points value on the lid of the container.

I don't use containers, either. We've never had a problem. I put everything in zip-lock bags. We buy those nuts from Costco--I might have to start using those containers for something--brilliant!!

I put my rice and flour in containers because I got pantry moths once. They are a royal pain to get rid of. Just as we think they are gone, they are back. I also check the rice and other just in case.

It would depend on the size of package you buy. I like to buy the largest, most economical packages I can, then store in smaller, air tight containers. Also, dry goods that come in bags don't stack nicely in the cupboard and make good use of my small space.

B. -

Items like cereal, crackers, etc. we store in it's packaging. Most often, there is a bag inside a box, & the bag can be folded over & the box closed.

However, most baking goods, such as sugar, flour, powdered sugar, etc. come in a single-layer packaging.

As a result, this can become enticing to unwanted guests, such as mice & moths. They are harder to seal, & easier to access. Additionally, once there is a single small hole in the packaging, it is a mess in your pantry.

For that reason, many people store baking supplies in cannisters. This goes back generations.

More recently, I think, people got on the "if some is good, more is better" & began storing -everything- in a container. Cereal, pastas, rice, crackers, cookies... you name it. If a business could make a container for it, they would, & people would buy it, boosting the economy.

Realistically, if you use your food within a reasonable time, you are correct, it won't go stale. There is no health risk as long as there are no mice or bugs getting into your food.

Personally, I have three cannisters for baking goods (flour, sugar, powdered sugar). We also got a set of see-through acrylic canisters for items like pasta, rice & beans, but we are "lazy" & just keep the items in their original bag, & then pop the bag into the canister! The purpose is more to keep the bags organized, rather than in a haphazard pile on the shelf.

In any event, as long as your kitchen is clean, you use your food & keep your cupboards tidy, it sounds like you have a good system for what works in your family!!

T. =-)

We do not have the extra contianers, nor did my parents. There is no room in my kitchen for that.

I keep flour, cornmeal, pancake mix, and stuff like that in the original box to keep bugs from getting in them. I have a hard time seeing weevils but know they can happen in any kitchen. So I keep powder stuff in the fridge.

Other than that stuff is put into Rubbermaid or Steralite containers so the kids who ripped the cereal bags open won't spill the entire contents onto the counter and floors each time they want some

I'm like you. The only time I have really ever doubted, was when we got a moth infestation in my pantry. That was a real joy (sarcasm) getting to the end of. Took forever. Those little meal moths. EWW.

They can be in just about any cardboard container you bring into your home, with any kind of food... even dog food packaging.

I have tried using bins to put things in, but I find that it makes a bigger hassle keeping up with what we have in the pantry. I prefer the original containers, complete with cooking instructions, nutritional values, and expiration dates... right there ON the items. :)

I've been an adult now for oooohhhhh... 25 or so years... and only had an infestation of those moths once. So... I'm thinking it isn't necessary to close everything in the pantry with an airtight lid. And if EVERY THING is not in one, you still run the risk of getting them. Not worth it to me.
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Oh.. I do put flour in a rubbermaid storage container. That and sugar. Nothing else. My mother did that growing up (used tupperware for them) and I have repeated her habit. I live in the south, and the humidity is awful, but as long as I use clips on the interior packaging, things last just fine.

I put my flour in a bag in the fridge. I put brown sugar in a Zip-lock back in it's box. I keep sugar in a container otherwise it would be messy. Everything else (rice/pasta, etc.) stays in the pantry in its box. It's all good in my house. At least for the moment!