Put into a plastic bag and freeze them....
I don't buy graham cracker crumbs unless I know I will use them all very soon....I do eat graham crackers, so I just buy the crackers and make my own crumbs. They get rancid too fast to store very long.
Linda c

Oxygen-free storage, as well as freezer storage will help to keep the crumbs fresher longer. Vacuum-seal them in a FoodSaver bag, or using the jar sealer, in a canning jar. Or you can toss them in the freezer as the others mentioned. Lack of oxygen prevents the oils from going rancid (oxygen + oil = rancidity), while freezing slows the process down, it doesn't completely prevent the oils from oxidation and rancidity. Left long enough in the freezer, the oils can go rancid there as well.

The last time I bought graham crackers to make a crumb crust they didn't even remotely taste like I remembered graham crackers tasting (I think the box may have been more flavorful) and the crackers were at least 25% smaller, so it's no wonder rancid graham cracker crumbs tasted "funky".

I've gone to making my own graham crackers - at least I have an idea of what's in them and they actually taste good.

-Grainlady

I can't find a graham cracker that isn't crap. They are all honey cinnamon and break into dust. I've stood in the grocery isle's reading ingreds and couldn't find one that I wanted to eat.

So now if I need a 'graham cracker' crust I use whizzed archway windmill cookies. Substantial cookie with lots of molasses flavor and tiny bits of almonds. Work wonderfully!

I do think that a year is a bit much to expect, even frozen

marys, I don't think I'd try to keep them a year either, even frozen, but if i were to try to keep them, I'd freeze them. The windmill cookie crumbs are a good idea, I'll try that, if only I can remember it, thanks!

I had to go through the cupboard the other day and toss out some cornflake crumbs, stale graham crackers and some saltines, it's been so humid that they were all hopelessly soggy and the saltines had taken on an "off" smell that I'd never encountered in saltine crackers before, and I'd only had them about three months. Even though the individual waxed paper/whatever packages were still sealed, they smelled funky.

I wonder what the heck they are putting in things anyway?

Grainlady, i agree, graham crackers don't even taste good anymore.

Funny...bought them a week ago and DD had an opened package on the counter just a few minutes ago and they reeked of vanilla. I just don't remember vanilla being such a predominant smell in Grahame crackers.

I agree, a year to stay fresh is asking a lot of a mere cracker. I usually only make a grahm cracker crust for cheese cakes. So I make them fresh when I do use them. Just smash them in a ziplock bag or whirl them in a mini food possessor. NancyLouise

Trader Joe's cinnamon graham crackers are really tasty but when I tried to use them in a recipe as one would use graham cracker crumbs, the result was not very successful. The texture was wrong.

We've stopped eating things with transfats out of principle/health/whim/whatever and haven't been able to find many graham crackers with more natural ingredients. Trader Joe's are really good, but I can see why they'd make bad crusts. If I need a crust (or for snacking when we're in a graham cracker mood) we use Earth's Best graham crackers (crunching honey sticks or something), which are sold as toddler food. They're pretty good, not too sweet and make a good crumb crust.

All this to say, Grainlady, tell me how to make my own!!!!

fori, here's one I used and liked, from King Arthur Flour. Beachlily sent me a pile of their "Baking Sheets" and this was in one of them.

Graham Crackers

Do you know why graham crackers are called graham crackers? Sylvester Graham, a minister who lived and preached in the first half of the 19th century, carried on a dietary crusade in favor of whole wheat flour, arguing that to separate the bran from the rest of the wheat berry was against the will of God. Thus whole wheat flour, or graham flour -- flour milled from the whole wheat berry, rather than just the endosperm. And thus graham crackers -- sweet, crisp crackers made from whole wheat flour.

These crackers aren't as light as the ones you buy in the store. But they're crunchy and delicious, just the ticket for spreading with peanut butter and enjoying with a cold glass of milk.

1 cup (4 ounces) King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey
2 to 3 tablespoons (1 to 1 1/2 ounces) milk (approx.)
additional milk for glaze
cinnamon-sugar (optional)

In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat egg till light, then add oil, honey and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir into dry ingredients until you have a fairly stiff dough, adding additional milk if necessary. Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill until firm, about 1 hour (or longer, if it's more convenient).

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently until it holds together. Roll dough out till it's about 1/16-inch thick; make sure rolling surface is well-floured, or you'll have trouble transferring crackers to baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 375ðF.

Cut dough into 3-inch squares, prick each square several times with a fork, and place on lightly greased cookie sheets. Brush the tops with milk, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar if you're so inclined, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crackers are lightly browned. Remove crackers from oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen graham crackers.

These are great with Nutella, by the way. and they weren't too hard, I should make them more often, although they stale quickly. funny how the lack of preservatives does that...

Annie

Mmmmm I have all the ingredients.......thanks! (No worries about going stale around here!)