How to Store 00 Flour (4 Tips)

You just spent big bucks on Tipo 00 flour for your pizza and now you’re worried it’ll spoil before you use it up!

I mean, you could eat pizza every week (or every day), but your 00 is only for those occasions when you have time to do it right.

Here’s how to store 00 flour:

Tipo 00 flour should be stored in a cool, dry place, in an air-tight container (keeping air and moisture out is vital). The shelf-life of Tipo 00 flour is at least 9-12 months, though it can last longer if stored properly. It can also be stored in the freezer!

Check the expiration date on your package for additional guidance.

Pizza flour (your 00 flour) has the advantage of being one of the most refined flours which makes it keep longer than its less-refined cousins, all-purpose and whole-wheat.

Storing 00 flour is simple and straightforward–and you don’t even need fancy containers.

Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of your Tipo 00…

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How Long Does 00 Flour Keep?

Properly stored, 00 flour should keep for 9-12 months.

We don’t recommend longer than that but it COULD make it up to 18 months.

And don’t forget to check the expiration date on your flour! Depending on where you buy your Tipo 00 flour (or the specific kind/brand of your pizza flour), it might have already been sitting for a little while, so you’ll have to make more pizza to use it up by that expiration date. 😉

Can 00 Flour Go in Freezer?

Yes! The freezer is a great place to store flour and possibly the best option if you don’t use it often.

9+ months? You’ll definitely want to store it in the freezer.

Remember, air and moisture are your enemies. Storing flour in Ziploc bags in the freezer is an air-tight, low-moisture box with the added advantage of a temperature that stops bacterial growth. Every time you open your freezer, though, you’re introducing air.

Make sure your flour is stored in an air-tight container (bonus, this also keeps smells from your freezer from being absorbed by the flour. Who wants frozen broccoli-flavored crust? 🥦)

Heat speeds up spoilage rates.

So if your kitchen runs hot, consider storing your flour in the freezer.

Note: You MIGHT want to let your flour get to room temperature before using it.

What Is the Best Way to Store Flour for Long-Term Use?

Determining how to store 00 flour is just like storing anything you want to remain fresh.

Here are a few tips:

Put it in an air-tight container.
Remove any air from the container (press it out)
Keep it out of bright light (sunlight, specifically! UV rays there aren’t good for anything)
Avoid letting it get too hot.

A cold kitchen pantry works, but your freezer was designed for this.

If you want your 00 flour to perform and taste at its best, don’t put it on display, store it away. The freezer is often the best option for casual pizza makers as the freezing temperature extends the life as much as possible.

The fridge can also work if your freezer space is at a premium.

4 Tips for Storing (Any) Flour

Here are the BIG, uber-important notes for storing flour:

Select a container with an air-tight lid. Period. Air lets humans breathe and the same goes for bacteria!
Temperature: If your house or kitchen runs hot, including if you live in a hot climate, opt for the freezer or the fridge at a pinch.
Humidity: Humidity will wreck your flour fastest of all so make sure you use an air-tight lid or container if your climate is humid.
Container: If storing your flour in a bag, push the excess air out before creating the air-tight seal.

Side note: there’s really no need to buy expensive, fancy containers. Anything airtight is ok.

The Best Containers to Store Flour:

You probably already have containers around the house you can use to store your Tipo 00 flour.

Ziplock or other zip-style bags work great and are ideal for the freezer.

You want freezer-safe zip-top bags which are tougher, not just zip-top snack bags. Stasher or silicone zip-top bags are a green option that is also more durable.

Plastic containers with an air-tight lid can be ideal for the pantry or other shelf storage.

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Remember, every time that top opens, the air gets in. Make sure the lid stays shut unless you intend to open it.

There are all kinds of fancy air-tight pantry containers, including some that squeeze the air out. Most of these are overkill.

In fact, remember your flour will spoil. That means you need to regularly wash your flour container. Food storage containers can seem really convenient since you can dump in your new bag but you might be ruining it if it’s been too long since the last wash.

What is Tipo 00 flour?

Tipo 00 flour is an Italian flour used specifically in Neapolitan pizza. It has a higher protein content and is more refined than all-purpose flour or even bread flour.

It’s also made from soft flour (similar to what is used for pastries), versus bread flour which is made from hard red flour.

Soft wheat is for softer baked goods like pastries and cakes.
Hard wheat is for stronger baked goods like bread and many pizzas.

Tipo 00 flour is unique because it’s soft, but has high protein, which allows it to rise like yeast bread.

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Soft wheat with a high-protein content is a special combination ideal for pizza baked at high temperatures, like Neapolitan.

The refined texture (partially achieved by sifting the flour until only the finest granules remain), gives a unique feel, taste, and structure to the dough. Since Neapolitan dough uses so few ingredients, quality flour is even more important and the texture will be more noticeable.

For you flour nerds, it’s important to realize that wheat grown in Europe (such as imported Tipo 00) will be a different variety than the wheat grown in the U.S.

That means there may be a different taste depending on the brand of 00 flour you use.

However, when making pizza dough, even the water can affect the taste since there are limited ingredients in pizza dough recipes.

Replicating pizza from any restaurant is always though (but that’s ok!! maybe they can’t replicate YOUR homemade pizza) 😉

What’s Different About 00 Flour? (Than All-Purpose or Whole Wheat Flour)

Here’s the low-down:

00 Flour

Made from soft wheat, such as used for pastry, cake, cookies, etc. (i.e. not for yeast bread)
High protein (which is why it works for yeast dough)
Highly refined, this level of sifting is not possible in the average home kitchen

This is often called “pizza flour” because that’s what it’s designed for.

All-purpose flour

Made from a combination of hard and soft white wheat
Low to average protein content
Average sifting level (between 00/cake/pastry flour and whole wheat flour)

All-purpose flour is one of those wonders created to make the home cook’s life easier by only needing one type of flour. But that means it’s not actually created to excel at anything but being average.

Whole Wheat Flour

Usually made from hard red wheat which is a more flavorful or nutty wheat.
After sifting, some of the germ and bran are re-added to the sifted (i.e. white) flour to create “whole wheat.” (i.e. this is just as processed as white flour, normally)
Medium to high protein content
Coarse texture due to the germ and bran.
Quickest to spoil due to the natural oils in the germ and bran.

Note that home-ground whole wheat will be quite different from store-bought whole wheat (described above).

When talking about pizza, recipes usually need significant alterations to work with home-ground whole wheat but the taste can be well worth the extra effort if you enjoy a nuttier, hardier dough.

This is almost the opposite dough to Neapolitan dough made with 00 flour. Most whole-wheat pizza is made from a little whole-wheat flour and mostly white flour (try bread flour, save your 00 for Neapolitan).

So now you’re a flour expert!

Store your Tipo 00 flour with care, and it’ll last a long time.