There will be no cooking tonight. The kids and dad are out at the movies and all you can think about is a little “you time” with your all-time fave bowl of cereal and milk.
That is, until you get an unwelcomed surprise.
Just as you open your favorite cereal treat, you realize that you are anything but alone. In fact, you’ve been joined by hundreds of nasty little invaders (otherwise known as BUGS).
Yuck!
“How did this happen?” you think. “Gross!”
If you’ve ever had an experience similar to this, don’t beat yourself up. Bugs (aka weevils) in dried foods are a fact of life. Lots of people get (and get rid of) them.
That said, there are six things you can do to prevent bugs in your dried foods. Are you ready to arm yourself against weevil invaders?
Here we go…
1. Store foods appropriately.
So you’re leaving opened dried food in the cupboard with no storage in sight? Big mistake.
While opened dried food can seem innocent, it is anything but. Really, it’s like sending a siren signal to unwelcomed invaders.
So what do you do? (Hint: it’s not grab a plastic bag.)
Before you automatically run to that handy Ziploc bag, you need to know that this isn’t enough. According to the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM), you need to “place it in containers with tight-fitting lids; plastic bags aren't adequate.”
If you have tight-fitting storage containers, use them. If not, consider buying a high-quality set of airtight storage containers. At the end of the day, this is one of the most handy invader stoppers known to man… and woman.
2. Don’t go on an all-out shopping spree.
Yes, we love Sam’s and Costco. But having too much food just may draw critters. So take heed when buying in bulk.
According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, you should “purchase food in package sizes that can be used up in a short time.” This means you don’t want to buy so much food that you just can’t eat it all in a reasonable amount of time.
Hmm…so what’s a reasonable amount of time? You’re not going to like this. “Do not store food products more than two to four months, if possible,” the University of Nebraska-Lincoln recommends.
In addition, you should try to eliminate the old before busting out the new. This reduces the amount of open food that you have in your precious (and hopefully bug free) pantry. So don’t open that new food that’s calling your name. Go for the original-and save the new for later.
Further, make sure you examine any foods that you buy for damage. Compromised seals can mean foods will pick up bugs at the store. (Gives a whole new meaning to the concept of carpooling, doesn’t it?)
3. Clean up any spilled flour in your pantry or cupboards.
You wouldn’t believe the number of people who spill flour in cupboards and then leave it there. Either they figure they’ll clean it up later, or they don’t want to put a dirty vacuum cleaner attachment in their sort-of sanitary cupboards.
Problem: bugs love those lingering flour flakes… and other leftover particles. Huge no-no.
That’s because pests look for this kind of stuff. It’s a real life free-for-all. Unattended.
To avoid this common mishap, the UC IPM says that you should “regularly clean shelves, bins, and all other locations where there is any possibility of flour or other food particles accumulating.”
“Certain pests need only small amounts of food to live and breed. Soap and water are great for cleaning flat areas, and vacuuming with a crevice attachment will help clean cracks, edges, and corners,” says the UC IPM.
So get out your handy cleaning devices and get to work. After all, you don’t want pesky critters invading your pantry. And remember this: when in doubt, clean it out.
4. Change out mouse bait often.
Ok, no one wants to admit to having a mouse problem. But mice are just a fact of life -- especially if you live near the woods or the water. And truth be told, if you see one mouse, you probably have more.
Here’s the problem: bugs can thrive on the bait used to kill these bad boys. Gross, we know.
According to the UC IPM, “pantry pests can also breed in rodent baits.” Therefore, you need to arm yourself against this issue. To keep from making this mistake, the UC IPM says to “be sure to frequently check and discard infested baits.”
In other words (wink wink), get your husband or pest control service to change bait often. You’ll be glad you did – for the sake of your food.
5. Don’t leave pet food open.
If you’re into purchasing pet food in bulk, buyer beware. This can attract nasty little critters. And that’s something you definitely don’t want.
News flash: your days of opened pet food in large, uncovered containers are over. The UC IPM says to “store bulk materials, such as pet foods, in containers with tight-fitting lids.”
If you’ve got too much pet food to keep it in one place, consider storing it in smaller portions in multiple containers. Or consider buying food in smaller portions in general.
While this may add a little inconvenience to your life, it will definitely eliminate the amount of excess, uncovered dried food you have in your house. And when it comes to pests, that’s a perk.
6. If you’ve found bugs, purchase Pheromone traps.
If you’re reading this item, chances are you’ve had a bug problem in your pantry in the past. To arm yourself against future invaders, you need to get Pheromone traps.
“Pheromone traps are readily available for several different pantry pests,” according to the UC IPM. Ideally, you want to find a trap that will call in the troops of multiple species of critters. The UC IPM says that Pantry Patrol is a good option when it comes to this task.
And yes, we know what you’re thinking now. “Great, but how do I use them?” Don’t worry, it’s not complex. According to the UC IPM, you want to “place the traps in the area of a previous infestation and check them weekly. Most traps remain effective for about three months. Whenever you catch a new batch of moths or beetles in traps, it is time to inspect food packages again for an infestation.”