Hi there. I also tend to carry a lot of food - usually a weeks worth of good eating or sometimes more. If you're going to be carrying a lot of goodies I'd suggest maybe investing in a bear-vault type container. Thus far, for me, bears have never been a problem but raccoons, crows, seagulls, squirrels and mice have been. I've had a raccoon unzip my panniers and run off with a load of raisin bread in less than three minutes. I've seen squirrels open it, too, then the crows come in and mash up my bananas. In Oregon it was so bad I finally ignored common good sense and kept my food in my tent because it was completely impossible to keep the pests away otherwise. Even then, I had to watch that they didn't try to come in and get it. After a week of that, I decided that the bulk and three extra pounds was worth being able to sleep at night and had my bear vault mailed to me.

Since it's only been non-dangerous animals getting at my food, I might try a lighter hard-sided container, like a locking tupperware bin, but I can't report on rather that'll actually keep them out or not. If you're staying in motels, or dispersed camping, you might be okay - I've only ever had problems in actual developed campgrounds. Otherwise, you're risking losing most of your food stash if you sleep too deeply or take too long in the bathroom.

Also - as far as dry food odor... the two things, aside from bread, that critters always, every time, went for first were oatmeal and sugar, which I usually doublebagged in freezer ziplocs, and don't really have too strong of a smell compared to soup mixes and such.