How to use up A LOT of cornstarch

[jessicacarr]

So I cleaned out& organized my pantry and found THREE BOXES of cornstarch!!! THREE BOXES!
Any suggestions on how to use up at least 2 boxes of it?

 

[Andy M.]

Why don't you just keep them until you need them?

Corn starch is an ingredient that gets used up slowly as you typically only need a couple of tablespoons at a time.

Give a box or two away.

 

[MostlyWater]

You can use it like baby powder. You can use it to thicken sauces instead of flour,

 

[Wyogal]

I second the baby powder idea. You can mix it with a scented talcum powder, shake over your sheets on a hot summer night...

 

[mcnerd]

Most baby powders are cornstarch, not talc, these years. Check the label. I was surprised. You can still find talc powder if you search a little.

The stuff is good for wok cooking as a coating instead of flour. Much crispier.

Cornstarch is also a great substitute for products like Carpet Fresh. Just sprinkle cornstarch on the carpet as you would any powdered carpet deodorizer and vacuum it up. Your rugs will smell clean and fresh.

Also great as a "dry bath" for your dog, if they don't like normal baths. Sprinkle into the hair and then brush it out.

 

[jessicacarr]

Why don't you just keep them until you need them?

Corn starch is an ingredient that gets used up slowly as you typically only need a couple of tablespoons at a time.

Give a box or two away.

yeah, giving boxes away was the first thing i considered after realizing it would take at least a couple of years to use it up at the rate i actually do use it. but i would feel kinda silly asking around for if anyone needs cornstarch. someone else suggested using it as carpet freshener...that is something i could work with

 

[jessicacarr]

I second the baby powder idea. You can mix it with a scented talcum powder, shake over your sheets on a hot summer night...

hmmm. i have never heard of powdering sheets...i'll have to consider that thanks

 

[jessicacarr]

Most baby powders are cornstarch, not talc, these years. Check the label. I was surprised. You can still find talc powder if you search a little.

The stuff is good for wok cooking as a coating instead of flour. Much crispier.

Cornstarch is also a great substitute for products like Carpet Fresh. Just sprinkle cornstarch on the carpet as you would any powdered carpet deodorizer and vacuum it up. Your rugs will smell clean and fresh.

Also great as a "dry bath" for your dog, if they don't like normal baths. Sprinkle into the hair and then brush it out.

great ideas! especially the carpet deodorizer. thanks!

 

[BreezyCooking]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The stuff lasts forever. I'd just keep them & use them as needed. They won't go bad.

 

[babetoo]

i dredged fish in cornstarch this past week. crispy coating that was really good when seasoned up with paprika, pepper, garlic powder. may not us flour anymore.

 

[Claire]

I might have missed it in previous posts, but when I was young people used to use it to "powder" the floor at a dance hall! But if they're sealed, I'd bring them to a food bank and donate them.

 

[bethzaring]

i use cornstarch to make puddings, just google cornstarch pudding recipes, I make chocolate, butterscotch and vanilla, and I recently used a bunch of cornstarch for a lemon meringue pie.

 

[Dumpandstir]

Most tempura batter is mostly cornstarch. Make sweet and sour chicken and make a tempura batter to batter the chicken. Oh and of course a little to thicken the sweet and sour sauce.

 

[NAchef]

I use corn starch all the time for different stir fry sauces.

 

[GB]

If you had a bit more then you could make a non-newtonian fluid and walk on water.

YouTube - A pool filled with non-newtonian fluid

 

[Katie H]

Yep, GB. What those people are playing in is something called a "colloidial mass."

I've made a colloidial mass using a small amount of cornstarch and used it to amaze my grandchildren. Check out this cool experiment.

I just mix the whole amount in a large bowl and have the children punch it with their fists. Then, I tell them to swish their fingers around it it. You should see the looks on their faces.

 

[GB]

I will be trying that with my kids Katie. It looks like so much fun!

 

[BreezyCooking]

One more terrific use if you have kids around - homemade "Playdoh". The recipe used to be right on the box (if not, I'm sure it's on the internet somewhere).

My mom & I once made a whole miniature "play restaurant" of food out of cornstarch "Playdoh" - meats, poultry, fish, veggies, sides - all in miniature & "painted" after they dried with watercolors. Lots of fun. Even then I was cooking-oriented - lol!

 

[Katie H]

It IS a lot of fun even for big kids like you and me.

 

[CookLikeJulia]

I can suggest you try these dessert. My friend usually do this but, I don't know what's the exact portion for each ingredients.

Cornstarch
Milk (evaporated)
Sugar
Corn kernels
Butter.

I haven't tried to make one so, I still don't know what is the procedure.