Storing food and stockpiling is a great idea for being prepared. One issue that can arise is how long is it before food expires? How long do canned goods last, and how long can you store your staples?
I came across this dilemma just two days ago when I went through my pantry to rotate some food, having a plan to use up some older items in meals in order to add some new ones and keep everything fresh. I came across ajar of salsa. It contained no expiration date to guide me, and I hadn’t marked one on the jar, but I knew approximately when it was I purchased it. Was it still good?
How long food will last depends on several factors, including the perishability of the food (high-acid foods keep longest) and how it is stored. You can extend the life of items past these dates if you refrigerate or freeze them.
Here are some general guidelines. Remember to discard anything with an off-smell or color, even if the date falls before these guidelines. For unopened items:
Baking powder: 6 months; Baking soda: 2 years; Quick bread or cake mixes: 15 months; Cocoa and cocoa mixes: indefinitely; Cornmeal:12 months; Flour (white):1 year; Flour (whole wheat): 6-8 months; Molasses: 1 year; Sugar: indefinitely; Vanilla: 5 years; Barbecue Sauce: 12 months; Ketchup: 1 year; Herbs (dried): 1-2 years; Honey: indefinitely; Jam, jelly, marmalade: 1 year; Mayonnaise: 2-3 months; Prepared Mustard:1 year; Salsa: 1 year; Salt: indefinitely; Bread (not frozen): 1-2 weeks.
Canned goods such as soups, pasta, peas, potatoes, and spinach (low acidity or sugar): 2+ years; Canned goods such as juice, fruit, pickles (high acidity or sugar): 2+ years; Cereal (ready-to-eat): 6-12 months; Chocolate: 12-24 months; Coffee (whole beans from bulk bin): 2-4 weeks in air tight container; Coffee (instant): 1 year; Dried Beans: 1-2 years; Lentils (dried): 1 year; Pasta: 2 years; Peanut Butter: 9 months; Popcorn – Kernels in jar: 2 years; Potato Chips: 2 months; Potatoes – Instant: 6-12 months; Rice – White: 1-2 years; Rice – Brown: 1 year; Oil (olive or vegetable): 6 months; Spices – ground: 1 year; Vinegar: 5 years; Cookies (packaged): 2 months; Crackers: 8 months; Nuts (jars or cans): 1 year; Baby Food: Two months; Dried Fruits: 6 months; Evaporated milk (canned): 1 year.
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