The cheapest and most permanent way to keep ants out of the kitchen is to eliminate their access to foods that attract them, such as jam, sugar, crumbs, and grease. Get rid of foods you will not use and seal the rest in airtight containers. Scrub down all counters and shelves and leave a few bay leaves on cupboard shelves.
In wet weather ants may come into the house to escape from waterlogged nests. They will disappear again as soon as the ground dries out-if there is no accessible food.
To get rid of persistent ants, your best bet is to place commercially available swee