About Flour

Pictured: Left: whole wheat kernels.  Top right: store-bought wheat flour.  Bottom right: white flour. 

Most of these recipes call for whole wheat flour, but that doesn't mean you can't use white.  

Use whatever your family likes best, be that 100% fresh ground wheat, 100% white, or any combination of the two.

Whole Wheat Flour (fresh ground):

• contains fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients not found in white
• makes you feel full sooner and longer
• less elastic than white 
• less rise than that of white breads
• requires the use of a wheat grinder (like the Wonder Mill)
• 1-year shelf life as a whole grain, 6-24 month shelf life in flour form (only when stored in fridge/freezer)

Whole Wheat Flour (store bought):

• contains fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients not found in white but less than that of fresh ground
• slightly less elastic than white 
• slightly less rise than that of white breads
• 2-3 month shelf life (or longer in fridge/freezer)

White flour:

• best for desserts.  Let's face it: we're packing them with sugar anyway, right?  Keep white flour around for those special occasions.  :)
• less nutritional value
• 1 year shelf life
• better rise and elasticity