How to Keep Ants Out of Your Pantry During the Holiday Season

How to Keep Ants Out of Your Pantry During the Holiday Season

The holidays bring family, festivities, and plenty of food—and in South Florida, they also bring increased ant activity. From Ghost Ants to the so-called “Sugar Ants” (usually Ghost Ants or White-Footed Ants), pantry-seeking ants can quickly spoil baked goods, sweets, and leftovers. With more cooking, more dishes, and more foot traffic in the kitchen, it’s no surprise that pantry ants in Florida become a top complaint this time of year.

But here’s the truth:

Even the cleanest homes in South Florida need routine professional pest control. Our climate keeps ants active year-round, not just during the holidays. While prevention helps, established ant trails rarely go away without expert treatment.

Below, we explain why ants target kitchens during the holidays—and how to keep them out of your pantry before the in-laws arrive.

Why Ants Target Florida Kitchens During the Holidays

South Florida’s warmth and humidity make ants active throughout the year, but holiday conditions amplify the problem:

• Extra baking ingredients, open sugar bags, syrups, cookies, and candies
• Holiday leftovers, sugary drinks, and desserts
• More beer, wine, and soda drinks, which create attractive residues
• Guests coming and going, leaving behind crumbs and spills
• Increased travel and busy schedules that make it easy to fall behind on cleaning

When sweet smells travel through the air and a single crumb hits the floor, ants quickly establish trails into pantries, cabinets, and counters.

How to Keep Ants Out of the Kitchen During Holiday Cooking

While you can’t control the Florida climate, you can reduce what attracts ants into your kitchen. Here are five effective holiday ant prevention tips:

1. Seal Food in Airtight or Glass Containers

Open packages invite ants straight into your pantry. Transfer flour, sugar, cereal, snacks, and baking ingredients into sealed, glass containers that prevent odors from escaping.

2. Clean Up Food and Drink Residue Immediately

Ants can detect a sticky spot from soda, beer, or wine long after it’s dried.

• Wipe counters
• Clean spills around the oven
• Rinse sugary drink glasses
• Keep pantry shelves crumb-free

3. Don’t Leave Dishes in the Sink Overnight

During the holidays, dishes pile up fast—but dirty plates and utensils are one of the biggest ant attractants. A quick rinse helps prevent overnight trails.

4. Take Out the Trash More Frequently

Holiday cooking produces sugary, greasy trash. Empty kitchen bins at least once a day and clean the lid and sides regularly.

5. Avoid Overripe Fruit and Open Sweet Foods

Fruit bowls, cookie jars, and dessert trays should be covered, stored, or refreshed often.

These steps help reduce “bugs in the pantry,” but they won’t eliminate an active colony. Once ants establish trails, prevention alone usually isn’t enough.

What Attracts Ant Infestations in Food Storage Spaces

Ants target pantries because they’re easy access points for the foods they prefer most—especially sweets. In South Florida kitchens, ants are frequently drawn to:

• Sugary baking ingredients
• Cookies, pastries, and desserts
• Soda, beer, and wine spills
• Overripe fruit
• Crumbs in corners and cabinet seams
• Loose packaging or improperly sealed bags
• High-moisture areas, especially under sinks

Ghost Ants, in particular, love sugary foods and can quickly fill a pantry with trailing lines. Once they find a food source, they communicate it back to the colony within minutes.

When DIY Prevention Isn’t Enough

Holiday homeowners often try:

• Vinegar sprays
• Over-the-counter repellents
• Random sweet baits
• Wiping out trails with household cleaners

These solutions may temporarily scatter ants—but they don’t eliminate the colony. In many cases, DIY approaches actually make a problem worse by splitting colonies or causing “budding.”

And remember, sweet baits don’t work on every species, and some ant species completely avoid them. Without knowing whether you have Ghost Ants, White-Footed Ants, Big-Headed Ants, or Argentine Ants, the wrong choice can waste time and money.

The last thing you want is a failed DIY ant control attempt right before holiday guests arrive.

Keep Your Kitchen Pest-Free with Hulett’s Holiday Ant Control Services

Ants are a constant challenge for Florida homeowners—but you don’t have to deal with them alone. Hulett offers:

• Expert identification of ant species
• Correct selection of baits and non-repellent treatments
• Targeted crack-and-crevice applications
• Ecofriendly, pet- and family-friendly solutions
• Routine maintenance plans that keep ants out year-round

Preventing holiday ant problems starts before the season even begins. A routine service plan is the most effective way to keep ants out of your pantry, protect your food, and maintain a clean, stress-free kitchen—especially when family is in town.

Stay ahead of holiday pest pressures. Call Hulett today for a free inspection and personalized ant control plan—Just Call Hulett!