Ready to grind your own grains for the freshest homemade bread?
When I had my food conversion, I went a little more overboard than the average person who starts trying to incorporate healthier meals into their diet. One of the first changes I made was in regard to the bread we ate; I began experimenting with homemade bread recipes and we bought a Grain Mill, because in my research I found out a couple things about the flour you buy in the store:
- At worst it becomes rancid (spoils) long before it even gets to the store, and who knows what might be added to it to try and prevent this…
- At best it loses most of its nutritional value before it gets to you.
- Watch more about that in the Alex Clark interview on bread here.
- They talk about hashimotos and why you don't have to be off bread for life!
- Also about how gross bread is from the store.
- And about the vast difference between flour from the store and fresh-milled flour, and if you're using that flour in your sourdough, you're really not getting much nutrition into your family. (This is why in my sourdough boule recipe I explained that I always use at least some whole grain flour, usually about half.)
- The only part I disagreed with is when she mentioned using honey and olive oil in her bread recipes. Depending on the baking temp, I wouldn't suggest that because neither of those should be baked at high temps.)
So I was determined I was going to grind all our own flour from then on (I'm only up to “most”, but not “all”), and the Grain Mill that I found (“Nutrimill”), had all the features I wanted. (It's pictured at the top of this post.)
Now I use it often and love knowing how much more nutritious our recipes and meals are (and especially my homemade sourdough bread) when I'm using fresh flour I've ground myself.
I chose this grain mill because:
- It got the best reviews.
- It can grind more grain at once than the others.
- They say it's quieter than others, although it's the only one I've owned, so I don't have anything to compare it to. (It still seems loud to me!)
- It also has more options for course or fine flour, for different types of grain, etc., than the others did.
- Note that I'm updating this 2008 post now in 2025 and my Nutrimill is still going strong!
What grains to buy?
I buy spelt here or einkorn here for grinding, those two are my favorites because I like to get away from basic wheat whenever I can and use more ancient grains. Einkorn is the FIRST wheat and I believe spelt is the SECOND. I love knowing these are probably what Jesus ate. 🙂
Read more here about einkorn wheat: Could THIS be the answer to the gluten sensitivity epidemic?!
How do these grains work in recipes?
There are MANY recipes online where people are using all whole grain flour in all sorts of bread recipes and having great results. Personally, I usually use half whole grain flour (fresh ground einkorn or spelt), so we're getting that nutrition, and half white unbleached flour from here, so it's a lighter end-product but still flour that I trust not to have any junk added. (And yes, I do still use King Arthur organic flour from the store in a pinch when I'm out of my other flour.)
If you want a whole grain flour for muffins or cakes, look here for whole grain pastry flour. (I'd still use half that and half regular unbleached organic all-purpose flour so you get a result that your family will still enjoy.)
Here's where to buy a Grain Mill so you can grind your own grains
More info on the Nutrimill:
- Adjusts from course to pastry fine flour with a turn of the dial.
- High speed stainless steel milling heads.
- Large 20 cup flour capacity.
- Mills all hard and soft grains and legumes.
- Bowl locking system results in minimal dust during milling.
- Convenient cord storage. You simply pull out what you need.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
Note: Because you can't always grind your own grains right when you need some flour, I'll grind some and then keep it in the freezer. This isn't as ideal as fresh, but still better than the store-bought flour which has sat there for who knows how long.
Want one that's smaller and pretty so you can just keep on the countertop?
- I like the “Harvest” one with a wood finish that you see here, but it's currently sold out.
- Many rave about the “Mockmill” and there are different sizes and prices here based on your budget.
Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
More you might like:
John Russell says
Is there a grain mill that’s not over a hundred dollars?
KitchenKop says
Hi John,
There may be one that is small and runs manually but I’ve never checked into it. Another option that I just found out about is at some Amish stores they may sell grain and grind it for you for free. 🙂
Kelly
valerie says
I found Wheat Montana website and ordered whole grains directly. The shipping was not bad at all. 1 50 pound box of grains cost $28 to ship. Thats not really all that bad. https://www.wheatmontana.com
I compared it to another website (homegrownharvest) and found the shipping rates much better to my locale (CO).
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Yes, but you have to be SURE you dry them well or it will ruin your grain mill – more on this and all about soaking grains in a post within a week or two…
Anonymous says
Kelly, have you already told us how you soak the berries? Is it like you would do crispy nuts?
sue e.
nGogo says
Thank you for your suggestions. I won’t be able to check on the suggestions for a few days, but I will let you know what I find out. I am hopeful that I can find a cheaper source. I did find out that if I order 4000 lbs I can get very reasonable prices..but don’t need that much myself and don’t know enough people to make it work myself. Thanks again.
nGogo
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
You guys are such a GREAT resource, full of ideas for finding good deals!
Thank you for wanting to help!
Michigan Mom2three says
I wanted to add quickly – that if you go to the Country Life site – you need to download the catalog file (pdf) and I believe that you’ll find the delivery routes in there (either at the beginning or end of the catalog – I can’t remember… I’m going by my memory of my paper catalog.)
Shauna
Andrea says
Hello! We also have a Nutrimill and couldn’t be happier with it.
In regards to expensive wheat prices in other states(nGogo and Rose), have you thought about locating nearby Amish communities? Often they carry wheat berries in their community stores. We used to get ours in Shipsewanna (Indianna), which may be an option for Rose. I know there are closer ones.
Sister’s Natural here at the intersection of M6 and Byron Center is a Country Life drop off site (they order your Country Life orders without a co/op charge) as a service to their customers. It might be worth it to give the store a call and see if they still offer that service…they did last time I checked, and it wasn’t that long ago.
Blessings,
Michigan Mom2three says
Our co-op buys from a natural foods wholesaler that is an hour drive from my home (if we have a minimum of $400 order, the wholesaler will drive the order to our house!) They order in such large quantities, that they can sell the 50# Prarie Gold for $27. That price has gone up btw – 6 months ago, that same bag was $19!
You might also check with your local health food store. Some health food stores can order directly from Montana Wheat, and you won’t have to pay the shipping.
For readers interested, my natural foods wholesaler is “Country Life Natural Foods” (www.clnf.org) and they have routes that run into several neighboring states (Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconson I think.) They also have some affiliates that service areas further out. Their shipping costs are high, BUT if you meet the minimum order, shipping is FREE. We formed a “co-op” of about 20 families who order from Country Life so that we always meet the minimum and no one has to pay shipping. Our group orders every other month.
Kelly – I make 2 trips a year down to Pullman (Coutnry Life) because there are things in their store that aren’t in their catalog that I like to get. I also go to Patty’s bread class every January (she’s the one I learned to really make bread from, although I vary her recipe greatly as she is vegan and I am most certainly NOT. 🙂 )
Shauna
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Shauna,
I’m thinking I may have to make a trip to Pullman (Country Life) now and then to stock up on wheat…
ngogo,
Hopefully Julie’s suggestions will lead you to some better deals, but if not, even though Montana wheat is *really* good, I still get a good loaf out of mine from my local co-op. (Can’t remember the brand right now.) I do want to get some Montana wheat to compare though.
Rose,
My friend, Lyn, started a co-op nearby, and she has agreed to write a guest post about how she did it!
Kelly
Julie says
I have a similar problem finding wheat for milling. We used to get it in Colorado from Urban Homemaker’s twice a year truck sales of wheat, but here in New Hampshire, wheat is hard to come by. I finally got on-line and did a search for cooperatives and was able to find one in a near by town. Sometimes churches will have a buying club or cooperative, so check that out.
Rose in Illinois says
I also make our own bread using the
bosch and kitchen mill…We use Marilyn Moll’s (Urban Homemaker) bread recipe and love it! I agree the Wheat Montana grain from her is the best but we also can’t afford the shipping cost. Our coop can’t get it and it looks like we are losing our coop so I will have to find another here in Illinois for our supplies. We just bought a quarter of grass fed beef from Flying S beef and love it. They live about not to far from us so it is nice to have. We raise our own chickens and would love to find a supply for fresh raw milk and cheese close by. I wonder how hard it would be to start a coop? Any suggestions?
nGogo says
I have ordered the Bosch and the Nutrimill and am very excited to make my own bread. We found a source for farm fresh eggs and fresh raw milk and have them daily. We have bought an eighth of a grass fed beef. I am excited about eating healthy. But I cannot find a reasonable price for wheat. You pay $27 for Prairie Gold and the co-op here is $54 here plus shipping. (spelt is $77+) I am disappointed to be getting my new health tools with not much hope of using them due to the prices of wheat. How can prices be so different? Any suggestions? I am in WV.
nGogo
Michigan Mom2three says
I have a Nutrimill, and I love it! The only thing I don’t mill is the unbleached white flour that I have on hand to mix into a very few recipes.
Re: noise – it is basically the sound of your vacuum cleaner. The difference, is that it doesn’t have the shrill, ear-piercing tones that some of the others do! It’s done in a couple minutes (2-3) and when you turn it off, and it “comes down” it sounds like a jet engine reversing! My boys think it’s funny……..
I also use the Montana wheat (Prarie Gold) for my bread exclusively. I haven’t used anything other than that, but I am completely pleased with how my bread comes out every time. I get mine from Country Life – and we’ve got a co/op – so there is no shipping charge. I pay $27 for a 50# bag of Prarie Gold currently. If I had to pay to ship it, it would be far more costly!!!! One 50# bag lasts us about 2-3 months.
I use organic soft white wheat for pastry flour, organic spelt and organic corn (for homemade cornbread with chili night!). I have never ground legumes in my grain mill, but I know of people who have, and then made their own things like black bean burgers or falafal….. but my fear is this: legumes often have STONES mixed in them. You’ve got to sort your beans VERY CAREFULLY before you grind them, one little stone will permanently ruin your mill!!! (And damage to the grinder from a stone is NOT covered in the warrenty!!!) So- if you’re going to grind legumes, SORT them out first, and examine every one.
Shauna