I would accept a free bag of bleached all-purpose flour. Although I would take it to the Food Bank, you could also fortify it with flaxmeal, hi-maize resistant starch, multi-grain cereal (I mill my own, but something like 5- 7- 11- grain cereal would work), along with using it along with wheat, or other wholegrain flour.

I actually use bleached all-purpose flour in my garden. Bugs don't like it.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Keep Bugs Out of Your Garden

I, too, prefer to buy unbleached, but I'm not fanatical about it--if DH gets the 'wrong' one when he shops, or they're out of unbleached, I just use the bleached and notice little difference. For as long as a bag of flour lasts, the bleached isn't going to lead to malnutrition--LOL.

However, before you do--why don't you ask at customer service if the coupon couldn't be used for the unbleached? Where I shop, the specials are always interchangeable--bleached or unbleached--so maybe they'd let you take the unbleached of the same brand?

I buy the unbleached for my use, but I'd take the free bag. With holidays and countless pies in the near future, I could use 5# in no time. Or, I'd take it and give it to my 85 yr old neighbor who also bakes for the holidays, her budget is tight on a skimpy income. It wouldn't be wasted either way.

Yeah I was wondering if I could sub unbleached with the coupon. But it is "Pillsbury's Best" flour and I don't think they sell unbleached in that brand. I have used unbleached when doing baking at my mom's, and I've noticed a slight metallic taste to stuff, which apparently some others can detect from what I've been reading online. But might not matter if it is mixed half and half with whole wheat flour, which is what I usually do. Also might not be noticable in more flavorful things.

From your posts, it seems like money is tight so I would get it and not worry about it. Use it up in whatever way pleases you or give it to someone. It's one bag of flour, not a lifetime of flour and I don't think it will make ANY difference at all in your health but might help your wallet in a tiny way.
I go through the same thoughts, btw, all the time, and a friend of mine who is a RN manager, helped me to look at the big picture!

If it is free I'd be figuring out how to get more than one

LOL, CLBlakey, me too, because I'd give it to the local food pantry!

L, I think if you are using it with whole wheat you won't notice the difference as much. I also prefer the unbleached but has used the bleached on occasion when that's what I buy by mistake or Elery picks it up, etc.

As has been mentioned, a single bag will not bankrupt you nutritionally and if mixed with other items you probably won't notice that much difference. If you really think you won't use it there's always the food bank who would be glad to accept it.

I'd eat the peanut butter but not a snowball's chance in ....well...you know, that I'd eat Velveeta Shells and Cheese. I'd give that to Ashley, she loves the stuff!

Annie

Heck yes! You can always mix it with wheat germ.

Sure, take it. Even if you used it without mixing with whole wheat, you will be eating one or two or three servings, which, what, amounts to not a lot of flour. And before we got all fancy with whole foods and the like, we happily used Pillsbury bleached flour. Anyway, whole wheat has a stronger taste and will overpower. And flour does not have a pronounced flavor profile anyway.

Has Pillsbury stopped making unbleached flour? Pillsbury's Best always came in unbleached before, and I KNOW I've purchased Pillsbury's Best Unbleached. You may not have a problem at all and may be able to get the unbleached version with your coupon.

Yes, Pillsbury does make the unbleached. I see they have now started selling it at my market. We'll see if they will let me sub. This week, they were out of the "Vegetable Classics" Progresso soup that was the freebie, and they would not let me sub any other of the myriad types of Progresso soup, which was kinda dumb, IMHO. I was told to get a "raincheck" coupon, which they wrote up at the courtesy desk. For heavans sake, all that time to pay folks to write up those raincheck slips, rather than give them some other can of soup!

Bleached flour works better for pie crust and cakes. I keep both bleached and unbleached on hand.

I look for unbleached, my favorite flours are King Arthur's which never bleaches any of their flours. But I know Rose Berenbaum claims bleached flour makes a lighter cake with softer crumb. If I were offered bleached flour, I'd take it in a heartbeat.

Cheryl

It's good, safe food. It won't harm you, and I don't think the food police will be by.

Take it in good conscience and enjoy using it.

FYI - Pillsbury does make unbleached APF, it was the first brand I bought, many, many years ago, when food writers and nutritionists began disparaging bleached flour.

They also make whole wheat flour

Here is a link that might be useful: Unbleached Flour

Bleached and unbleached flour are nutritionally equivalent; neither has the fiber or vitamins of whole wheat flour. Bleached flour is actually unbleached flour with added chemicals to whiten it.

I'd sure take it. Why not? I doubt they'll substitute though. Be real surprised if they did.