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Milling your own flour is a fun way to elevate your baked goods and give them a fresh, nutty flavor. But where do you buy whole grains in bulk for the best price? Let’s dive into the best places to buy grains for milling.
I’ve been baking with freshly milled flour for a while now, but in the last couple of years, I challenged myself to switch to 100% freshly milled recipes.
It has been so much fun! I’ve experimented a lot to perfect my recipes for staples, like freshly milled dinner rolls, and more fun, unique treats, like freshly milled strawberry sweet rolls.
Along the way, I’ve tried a lot of different tools, techniques, and milling grain sources.
I share everything about freshly milled flour here on my blog, so it’s time I fill you in on where the best places are to buy grains for milling your own flour!
If you’re new to milling your own flour, or you haven’t found a grain source you’re happy with, I’ll go into a few options below, including where I buy the majority of my grains.
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Where to Buy Grains for Freshly Milled Flour
One of the most common questions I get when I share about baking with whole grains is about where I buy my whole grains. It’s rare to see soft white wheat berries, for instance, at an average grocery store.
There are a few different options for where to purchase your whole grains:
- Azure Standard ā I exclusively purchase my grains from Azure Standard because I’ve found them to have the best prices and quality.
- Amazon ā This is the most convenient option, especially if you have a Prime membership, but you will pay more.
- Locally ā If you’re fortunate to have a local source of whole grains, this is a great option! I haven’t been able to find whole grains near me, personally. Good places to look are local health food stores, natural food stores, or homesteading shops.
I’ll go into more detail below on Azure Standard and the best whole grains you can find on Amazon.
What is Azure Standard?
Azure Standard is a unique company that specializes in organic, healthy foods and bulk sizes. According to their website, they are a “natural health food distributor bringing bulk and specialty health foods to communities all across the nation.”
For anyone looking for simpler ingredients, high-quality food products, or large quantities at bulk prices, Azure is one of the most affordable options. They deliver all over the country, including many areas where health food stores and membership warehouse clubs are not present. So, they fill in a big healthy grocery gap for many communities!
How Ordering from Azure Standard Works
Ordering from Azure Standard is different than other grocery shopping options. It does require a little planning ahead, as they deliver only once per month.
Once you make an account on Azure’s website, you can select the “drop location” nearest to you. A drop location is where all members will meet each month to unload the truck, sort the delivery, and then leave with their ordered items. Each drop location has a volunteer drop coordinator who can answer your questions and ensure the drop goes smoothly.
From there, you can start working on your order! When you’re logged in, you can find the next order cutoff day in the top right corner, and you have until then to finalize your order. After the cutoff time has passed, you’ll receive an email with the day and time of the drop.
Why I Love Azure Standard
While it requires a little bit of planning and flexibility, the variety, quality, and prices of Azure make the inconvenience well worth it! It’s a family-owned and operated business with strong values in wholesome, quality food and community.
Besides bulk grains, I buy most of my dry pantry staples from Azure Standard and store them in large glass jars or food-grade buckets. Buying nonperishables in bulk is such a great way to save money and keep my weekly grocery shopping trip minimal.
Whole Grains on Amazon
As I said above, it’s hard to beat the convenience of Amazon, but you will pay premium prices for that convenience. Still, if Azure doesn’t have a drop near you or you need grains fast, Amazon is a great option for quality grains in bulk quantities!
I have the best whole grains on Amazon listed in my storefront, and many of them are eligible for Prime shipping, so you can get baking in a day or two! And I must admit, it’s pretty great having your groceries delivered right to your doorstep.
You can also find my top tools for whole grain baking, such as a digital scale, a stand mixer, and a Dutch oven for all of those delicious whole wheat artisan bread loaves!
How to Store Whole Grains
Wheat berries and other whole grains can last a very long time if stored properly. It’s important to keep them away from air, light, and moisture as much as possible. I store my milling grains in food-grade plastic buckets with gamma lids, which twist on and off for easy access and an airtight seal.
Smaller quantities of grains can be kept in large jars, like a half-gallon mason jar. I like to keep these smaller containers on my counter, right next to my mill, and refill them as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are new to baking with fresh milled flour, I recommend getting a hard white wheat and a soft white wheat to start. Hard white wheat is best for yeasted breads that need a good gluten structure, like freshly milled sandwich bread. Soft white wheat is best for more delicate, soft pastries, like fresh milled banana bread or whole grain blueberry muffins.
Great question! I cover all of the details you need to know in my tutorial on milling your own flour.
A good quality mill makes a world of difference when it comes to baking with whole grain flour. I personally use and love the Mockmill professional grain mill.
I get these from Azure Standard as well! You can purchase 5-gallon and 2-gallon buckets as well as my favorite gamma lids for an airtight seal.
Fresh flour does not last nearly as long as all purpose flour, so it’s best to mill just what you need for a recipe whenever possible. If you do have some that needs to be stored, it will last for 1-3 days at room temperature, in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for around 6 months. Keep the flour in an airtight bag and be sure to use it as soon as possible or freeze it to maintain its freshness.
If you want to start baking with freshly milled flour, I hope this article helped you get started! Whole grain flour is such a fun addition to your from-scratch kitchen, and the baked goods truly taste incredible.
When you’re ready to start baking, check out my top 40+ freshly milled flour recipes or try one of the favorites listed below.
