If I had to start my pantry completely over tomorrow, there are only three grains I'd buy for all my baking and cooking. And two of the grains most beginner guides recommend aren't even on my list!

When you first start milling your own flour, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices. Hard red wheat, hard white wheat, soft white wheat, spelt, einkorn, rye... the list goes on!

But after nearly 20 years of grinding my own flour, I've learned you don't need a pantry full of different grains to make delicious homemade bread, cookies, cakes, and pastries.

In today's episode, I'm sharing the three grains I always keep stocked, why I prefer them, and how to choose the right grain for whatever you're baking.

In this episode, we'll cover:

• 🌾 The three grains I'd buy if I were starting from scratch.

• 🍞 The difference between hard and soft wheat, and red and white wheat.

• 🧁 Which grains work best for bread, cookies, cakes, and biscuits.

• 🥖 How fresh-milled flour affects sourdough starters and rising times.

• 💰 The two budget-friendly grains I'd recommend for beginners.

• 🫙 Why storing whole grains makes so much sense for a well-stocked pantry.

Whether you're brand new to fresh-milled flour or you've been grinding your own grains for years, I hope this episode helps simplify your baking and gives you the confidence to get started.

• Different Types of Flour: Which Is Best for Baking? – My complete guide to choosing flour for different baked goods: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/best-flours-for-baking-flour-guide-101/

• Baking With Fresh-Milled Flour: 6 Tips for Success – Helpful tips for adjusting recipes and getting better baking results: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/grinding-flour-6-fresh-flour-baking-tips/

• Ancient Grain Einkorn: Health and Baking Guide – Learn how einkorn differs from modern wheat and how to bake with it: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/ancient-grain-einkorn-baking-guide/

• How to Choose a Grain Mill and Grind Flour at Home – What to know before purchasing a grain mill: https://melissaknorris.com/how-to-choose-a-flour-mill-grind-your-own-whole-wheat-flour/

• Where to Buy Grains in Bulk – My favorite sources for wheat berries, spelt, einkorn, and other grains: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/where-to-buy-grains-in-bulk/

• Sourdough Baking Tips and Tricks – Tips for working with sourdough and choosing the right flour: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/sourdough-baking-tips-tricks-for-success/

Ready to start milling your own flour? Shop NutriMill: https://melissaknorris.com/nutrimill Use coupon code MELISSA20 for $20 off selected collections.

For the past several months, I've felt the Lord laying a message on my heart: Get your house in order.

For our family, that has meant deepening our relationship with Him and taking a fresh look at how we're caring for our home and pantry.

I'm not predicting a catastrophe, and I don't believe we're called to live in fear. But I do believe there's wisdom in paying attention, preparing with intention, and being good stewards of what God has given us.

In this episode, I'm sharing:

- 🏡 What getting my house in order means for my faith, home, and pantry

- 🌱 Lessons from my dad's Great Depression childhood about preparing with wisdom

- ✝️ Trusting God's provision and seeking His direction without fear

- 🥫 How I'm evaluating our pantry and food storage

- 🤍 Why our family has intentionally created more margin and rest

- 🙏 The importance of listening when God puts something on your heart

Resources Mentioned

- Kitchen organization tips: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/how-to-organize-build-your-homestead-food-storage-kitchen/

- 8 Tips for Bulk Food Storage: https://melissaknorris.com/8-tips-for-bulk-food-storage/

- Lessons Learned From Eating Only From Our Food Storage: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/8-lessons-learned-eatingonlyfromfoodstorage/

- Heritage Revival: https://heritagerevivalevents.com/

- Modern Homesteading: https://modernhomesteading.com/ -

For more details and resources, check out the accompanying blog post here: https://melissaknorris.com/podcast/5-areas-to-get-your-house-in-order/

This isn't about fear. It's about asking the Lord where we need to grow, what we need to prepare, and where we may have become too comfortable or dependent. My hope is that this episode encourages you to prayerfully look at your own home, faith, food supply, and family and ask: Is there anything I've been putting off that I need to take care of now?

This episode is a little different than what I normally share, but it's a message that has been on my heart for months: Get your house in order!

After walking through a difficult season with my family, the Lord has been teaching me more about listening for His voice, following His direction, and preparing from a place of wisdom rather than fear.

In this episode, I'm sharing what that looks like for me both spiritually and practically, from strengthening our walk with the Lord to making sure our pantry and home are well prepared.

We'll talk about what Scripture says about preparation and provision, why food storage and cooking from scratch still matter, and how to prepare wisely without letting fear drive our decisions.

For more details, visit the blog post: https://melissaknorris.com/521

Resources Mentioned:

🌱 Heritage Revival Women's Conference https://heritagerevivalevents.com

🌱 Modern Homesteading Conference https://modernhomesteading.com

Thank you to Azure Standard for sponsoring this week's podcast. Be sure to check out Azure's great bulk options (like grain, flour, salt, rice, popcorn and sugar!) for stocking your pantry for the year! If you're brand new to Azure Standard, you can save 15% on your first order of $100 or more (to a drop location) with code "MELISSA15" at checkout: https://melissaknorris.com/azure-standard