How long do these ingredients last?
Most unopened shelf-stable food should be stored in a cool, dry and dark storage area.
Before opening, shelf-stable foods should be safe unless the can or packaging has been
damaged. After opening, store products in tightly closed containers.
The storage of many shelf-stable items at room temperature is a quality issue unless the
product is contaminated (bugs in flour, for example).
Some foods must be refrigerated after opening, such as tuna or chili. |
| Baby food jars & cans |
Unopened |
Open refrigerated |
Open on shelf |
| Fruits & vegetables |
2 months after date |
2-3 days |
|
| Meats & eggs |
2 months after date |
1 day |
|
| Cereal, dry mixes |
Use-by date |
|
2 months |
| Formula |
Use-by date |
1-2 days |
|
| Baking ingredients |
Unopened |
Open refrigerated |
Open on shelf |
| Baking powder |
6 months |
|
3 months |
| Baking soda |
18 months |
|
6 months |
| Biscuit or pancake mix |
15 months |
|
use-by date |
| Cake, brownie and bread mixes |
12-18 months |
|
use-by date |
| Cornmeal, regular degerminated |
6-12 months |
12 months |
|
| stone ground or blue |
1 month |
2-3 months |
|
| Cornstarch |
18 months |
|
18 months |
| Flour, white |
6-12 months |
|
6-8 months |
| Flour, whole wheat |
1 month |
6-8 months |
|
| Frosting, canned |
10 months |
1 week |
|
| Frosting mixes |
12 months |
|
3 months |
| Beans, dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Canned goods, low acid |
2-5 years |
3-4 days |
|
| (such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn,
pasta, peas, potatoes, spinach) |
| Canned goods, high acid |
12-18 months |
5-7 days |
|
| (such as juices, fruit, pickles, sauerbraut, tomato, soup, and foods in
vinegar-based sauce) |
| Cereal, ready-to-eat |
6-12 months |
|
3 months |
| Cereal, cook-before-eat |
12 months |
|
6-12 months |
| Chocolate |
18-24 months |
|
1 year |
| Chocolate syrup |
2 years |
6 months |
|
| Cocoa and cocoa mixes |
indefinitely |
|
1 year |
| Coffee |
Unopened |
Open refrigerated |
Open on shelf |
| Whole beans, non-vacuum bag |
1-3 weeks |
3-4 months frozen |
|
| Ground, in cans |
2 years |
2 weeks |
|
| Instant, jars and tins |
12 months |
|
2-3 months |
| Condiments |
Unopened |
Open refrigerated |
Open on shelf |
| Barbecue sauce, bottled |
12 months |
4 months |
1 month |
| Catsup, tomato; cocktail sauce or chili sauce |
12 months |
6 months |
1 month |
| Chutney |
12 months |
1-2 months |
|
| Horseradish, in jar |
12 months |
3-4 months |
|
| Mayonnaise, commercial |
2-3 months |
2 months |
|
| Mustard |
12 months |
1 year |
1-2 months |
| Olives, black and green |
12 -18 months |
2 weeks |
|
| Pickles |
12 months |
1-2 months |
|
| Salad dressings, commercial, bottled |
10-12 months |
3 months |
|
| Salsa, picante and taco sauces |
12 months |
1 month |
|
| Cookies, packaged |
2 months |
8-12 months frozen |
4 weeks |
| Crackers |
8 months |
freeze or refrig. 3-4 months |
1 month |
| Diet powder mixes |
6 months |
|
3 months |
| Extracts, vanilla, lemon, etc. |
3 years |
|
1 year |
| Fruits, dried |
6 months |
6 months |
|
| Garlic, chopped, commercial jars |
18 months |
Refrigerate; use by date on jar |
|
| Gelatin, flavored |
18 months |
|
reseal 4 months |
| Gelatin, unflavored |
3 years |
|
reseal 4 months |
| Gravy, jars & cans |
2-5 years |
1-2 days |
|
| dry gravy mixes |
2 years |
|
Mix entire packet |
| Herbs, dried |
1-2 years |
|
Store in cool dark place 1 year. |
| Honey |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Jams, jellies, preserves |
12 months |
6 months |
|
| Juice, boxes |
4-6 months |
8-12 days |
|
| Lentils, dried |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Maple syrup, pure genuine |
12 months |
12 months |
|
| Marshmallows, marshmallow creme |
2-4 months |
|
1 month |
| Milk, canned evaporated |
12 months |
4-5 days |
|
| Molasses |
12 months |
|
6 months |
| Mushrooms, dried |
6 months |
|
3 months |
| Oils, olive or vegetable |
6 months |
|
4-6 months |
| walnut, macadamia, other nut oils |
6 months |
4 months |
|
| vegetable oil sprays |
2 years |
|
1 year |
| Nuts, jars or cans |
12 months |
4-6 months, Freeze 9-12 months |
|
| Pasta, dry, made without eggs |
2 years |
|
1 year |
| dry egg noodles |
2 years |
|
1-2 months |
| Peanut butter, commercial |
6-9 months |
|
2-3 months |
| Peas, dried split |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Pectin |
Use by package date |
|
1 mo. |
| Popcorn, dry kernels in jar |
2 years |
|
1 year |
| commercially popped in bags |
2-3 months |
|
1-2 weeks |
| Microwave packets |
12 months |
|
1-2 days popped |
| Potato chips |
2 months |
|
1-2 weeks |
| Potatoes, instant |
6-12 months |
|
6-12 months |
| Pudding mixes |
12 months |
|
3-4 months |
| Rice, white or wild |
2 years |
|
1 year |
| brown |
1 year |
6 months |
|
| flavored or herb mixes |
6 months |
|
Use entire amt. |
| Sauce mixes, non dairy (spaghetti, taco, etc.) |
2 years |
|
Use entire amt. |
| cream sauces with milk solids |
1 year |
|
|
| Shortening, solid |
8 months |
|
3 months |
| Soda |
Unopened |
Open refrigerated |
Open on shelf |
| Diet sodas, bottles or cans |
3 months after date |
2-3 days |
|
| Regular sodas, bottles |
3 months after date |
2-3 days |
|
| Regular sodas, cans |
9 months after date |
n.a. |
|
| Soup mixes |
12 months |
|
Use entire amt. |
| Spices, whole |
2-4 years |
|
sealed 1 year |
| ground |
2-3 years |
|
sealed 1 year |
| Paprika, red pepper, chili powder |
2 years |
Store in refrig. |
|
| Sugar, brown |
|
|
Sugar nevers spoils |
| Granulated |
|
|
Sugar nevers spoils |
| Confectioners |
18 months |
|
|
| Sugar substitutes |
2 years |
|
|
| Syrup, pancake, maple & other flavors |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Tapioca |
12 months |
|
12 months |
| Tea, bags |
18 months |
|
12 months |
| Loose |
2 years |
|
6-12 months |
| Instant |
3 years |
|
6-12 months |
| Toaster pastries, fruit filled |
6 months |
|
Keep foil packets sealed |
| non-fruit fillings |
9 months |
|
|
| Tomatoes, sun dried, packed in oil |
12 months |
6-12 months |
|
| packed in cellophane |
9 months |
|
3-6 months |
| Vinegar |
2 years |
|
12 months |
| Yeast, dry, packets and jars |
Use-by date |
Refrigerate open jars |
|
| Water, bottled |
1-2 years |
|
3 months |
| Worcestershire sauce |
1 year |
|
1 year |
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