Sugar and flour containers

What do you store your sugar and flour in? Jars? Tupperware? Lock n Lock?

I have been storing my sugar, brown sugar, and various flours in large gallon jars (you know, like the huge jars that pickles come in). One time at Ikea, I bought some neat jars with wide mouths, so that I can stick a one-cup measuring cup inside the jar, level the sugar off, and not make a huge mess. But this past summer, we had a big ant problem and they got into my sugar jar. It creeped me out so much that even cleaning and disinfecting the jar still doesn't mean I'd use it again. The clean jar is now in the basement on the "must take to the dump" pile as we'll be making a run to the landfill as soon as winter is over. 

Meanwhile I'm back to storing my sugars in the huge gallon jars. The problem is that these are not wide-mouth jars, so the largest measuring cup I can get inside is about 1/4 cup. I hate that. Four times for each cup of sugar when I make something. What a pain that is. I'm still using my flour container as the ants didn't get into that.

Any ideas of what I could use? I have my mom's old canister set. I actually made this set for her years ago when I was in my ceramics phase. But the lids aren't air-tight, so if we get another ant infestation, I'll have the same problem. I don't like plastic, not at all. I use my Lock n Lock for storing food in the fridge and in the freezer. I don't want to use it for sugar storage and I don't have anything plastic big enough to store at least 5 pounds of sugar at a time. I need a container for sugar and for my brown sugar. And for my confectioners' sugar, too. The containers must be air-tight and I really would prefer something in glass. I keep everything in the pantry closet, not on the kitchen counters. I'd want them big enough for a good 5 pounds of sugar, at least. And for two 2-pound bags of brown sugar, same for confectioners' sugar. I don't like messing around with small containers and having to fill them every time I bake something.

I should mention that I buy sugar in 25-pound bags and use it as I go. The big bag is stored in my grandma's old metal can. It's really tight and I've never had an issue with ants in the can. *knock on wood*

Any ideas? What do you use?

I just use fairly small glass jars with twist lids. The largest holds sugar, but it's only about half a gallon. One a little smaller than that holds flour, and the smallest holds brown sugar. 

l keep mine in the paper bags they come in   

Needless to say l rarely use sugar or flour. ln fact l only use flour for gravy          < double bag

How about some of those tall decorative jars? Many of them are made for pastas, but some of them have a rubber seal, like elastic band material, that would be pretty airtight. And some of them are gorgeous. l had a triangular (from the top) one that l had different coloured pastas in.

I use plastic, but I'm getting more and more into baking, and thinking of ditching them. I'd lean towards glass or ceramic, maybe with a seal tight lid because glass keeps things fresh longer.

We have metal canisters with glass tops. They seal very tight. The glass has metal edges and metal knobs. Our old house had a terrible ant problem;but they never got into the canisters! We got them when we got married and they are in as good a shape as when they were new!

Tupperware and in the fridge.  It's hot and muggy here and things need to be kept fresh.  And I have ants that threaten to carry the cats away.

25 pound bags would be a liability here!

I did like to keep things out and in good looking, well sealed jars, but, like you Winchester, access is difficult and stuff goes everywhere.

I do keep my flours in the freezer, especially the ones I don't use that often but keep on hand. I don't use rye flour often, for example, but do need it occasionally, so I keep it in a large freezer container and then get out what I need for a bread and let it come to room temperature. 

I might only buy two 25-pound bags of sugar a year, if that. I go through a good bag in the summer when I'm making pickles (pickles call for an enormous amount of sugar). And then with Christmas baking and candy-making. I get the bags at the store....I have to ask for them as they're not out on the shelf. I started buying the larger bag when the sugar producers went to 4-pound bags, which, I think, is just ridiculous....a 4-pound bag of sugar.   This last time I bought a bag, I shared it with my sister.

Thanks for your replies. I wanted to know how others stored their staples. I don't want a canister set on the counter; I don't have room and it's too much clutter for me. I don't want plastic....I do want something in glass. My biggest problem is ants. Will start looking for something.

Thanks!

http://www.clickclack.com/3530-p-89.html

this is what I use, in a white top. I wish I knew they had red tops!

Thanks, Draco.....I like those (esp with the red tops!), but I don't think they're big enough. 

They do come in different sizes. Mine holds a standard bag of flour and sugar