The Best Way to Store Steel-Cut Oats

Stale steel-cut oats taste unpleasant.

Steel-cut oats are the whole inner portion of an oat kernel that has been chopped into several pieces with a steel blade. The oat pieces are light tan in color and look similar to small grains of rice. As steel-cut oats are naturally processed, they go stale and lose flavor easily if you store them incorrectly. Store your steel-cut oats properly to keep them from going stale for up to two years.

Things You'll Need

• Sandwich bag
• Airtight plastic container
• Refrigerator or freezer

Instructions

1. Pour the steel-cut oats in a sandwich bag and seal. Press as much air from the bag as possible when sealing to prevent the oats from going stale.

2. Place the freezer bag into an airtight plastic container and seal. If you have multiple bags of oats, you can place them all into the same container.

3. Place the plastic container into the refrigerator if you plan to consume the oats within six months.

4. Store the plastic container in the freezer if you plan to consume them within the next two years. If you have oats in the refrigerator that you did not finish in six months, place them into the freezer. This will keep them good for another six months.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you seal both the plastic container and bag tightly every time you open them.

References

• "75 Ways to Love Your Oatmeal and Other Treats, Tips & Tricks"; Jenny Grothe; 2010
• "The Oatmeal Cookbook"; Publications International Staff; 2009