Hi everyone!
How do you store rice after buying it at the supermarket? If you keep it in its original packaging you bought it from, it may not be very good for the rice. That’s because there could be small holes in the rice bag. This is because the bags of rice gets thrown around during transport and stacked up very high. And when there are holes the rice is exposed to the air. Over time, it cracks and dries and when you cook it, you get hard rice.

That’s why it’s so important to transfer rice to a new container or sealable plastic bag.

The best ways to keep rice

1. Put rice in a sealable plastic bag.

When you close it, make sure you release all the air from the bag.

2. Put it in a cool, dry pantry.

A dry pantry is a good place to store rice because it can avoid high-temperatures, humidity and sunlight. The coolness can also protect it from any insects.

At 279, we use a rice container like this, stored in our cool and dry pantry. Since we go through a lot of rice and we would use up this rice bin in a couple of days, and it’s very effective, but it is only recommended in a commercial environment. At home I would recommend buying rice in smaller amounts.

storage period changes depending on the season

*1 Rice doesn’t have strict expiration dates, so it’s important for you to know general guidelines below. It depends on the season because of the humidity and temperatures across the year.

• Spring and autumn: 1 month 

• Summer: 3 weeks

• Winter: 2 months

Extra tips

When you have cooked rice to store, please store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer while it’s still hot. When you defrost it in the microwave, it’ll come out with a fluffy, just-cooked texture. You can also add dried chilli in a rice container as pest control. It contains terpenoid compounds which acts as an insect repellent.

Thanks for reading our top tips for storing rice. It’s an easy way to keep your rice as fresh as possible.

Writer: Yuki Takatani

References:
*1 意外と知らない。お米はいつまで食べられる？賞味期限はあるの？
米を袋のまま使うのは危険！？米の保存には米びつがおすすめ
意外と知らないお米の正しい保存方法！おすすめの保存容器13選も
お米の保存方法とは？おすすめの容器や時期に合わせた最適な場所を徹底解説！