Prudent Food Storage

The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. - Proverbs 21:20

Section 5 Shelf Lives
C. Shelf Life of Common Foods

C. SHELF LIVES OF SOME COMMON STORAGE FOODS.

RECOMMENDED FOOD STORAGE TIMES
FOOD	At 70° F. Keep the product:	STORAGE TIPS
Baking powder	Till can date	Sealed & bone dry
Baking soda	2 years	Sealed & dry
Biscuit, brownie, muffin mix	9 months	Sealed, cool, dry, weevil proofed
Bouillon, cubes or granules	2 years	Sealed, cool and dry
Cake mixes, regular angel food	9 months 1 year	Sealed, cool, dry, weevil proofed Sealed, cool, dry, weevil proofed
Canned food: metal can, non-acidic metal can, acidic glass jars	2 years 12-18 months 2-3 years	Cool & dry Cool & dry Dark , cool & dry
Chocolate, semi-sweet or unsweetened, bars or chips	18 months	Cool and dark
Chocolate syrup	2 years	Cool & tightly sealed
Cocoa, powder or mixes	8 months	Sealed and cool
Coffee, regular instant	2 years 1-2 years	Cool, dry and sealed
Coffee creamers, powdered	9 months	Sealed and cool
Cornmeal	1 year	Keep dry & weevil proofed
Cornstarch	18 months	Keep dry
Crackers	3 months	Keep dry & weevil proofed
Flour, refined white whole wheat	8-12 months 4-6 weeks	Dry & weevil proofed Keep dry, refrigerate or freeze for longer shelf life
Frostings, canned mix	3 months 8 months	Cool Dry and cool
Fruits, dried	6-12 months	Cool, sealed, weevil proofed
Gelatin, all types	18 months	Protect from moisture
Grains, whole	2 years	Dry and weevil proofed
Hominy, hominy grits, masa harina	1 year	Dry and weevil proofed
Honey	2 years	Cool, tightly sealed, dark
Jellies, jams, preserves	2 years	Dark, cool, tightly sealed.
Molasses & syrups	2 years	Tightly sealed
Mayonnaise	6 months	Cool & dark
Milk, condensed or evaporated non-fat dry	1 year 6 months	Turn over every 2 months Bone dry and cool
Nuts, vacuum canned other packaging in shell	1 year 3 months 4 months	Cool and dark Cool and dark – better refrigerated or frozen Cool, dry and dark – better refrigerated or frozen
Pancake mix	6-9 months	Dry and weevil proofed
Pastas (macaroni, noodles, etc)	2 years	Dry and weevil proofed
Peanut butter	6-9 months	Sealed, cool, dark
Peas and beans, dry (not soybeans)	2 years	Dry and weevil proofed
Potatoes, instant	6-12 months	Dry and weevil proofed
Pudding mixes	1 year	Cool and very dry
Rice, white brown flavored or herb	2+ years 3-6 months 6 months	Dry and weevil proofed Dry and weevil proofed, better refrigerated or frozen Sealed, dry and weevil proofed
Salad dressings	10-12 months	Sealed, dark, cool. Better refrigerated
Salad oils	6 months	Sealed, dark, cool. Better refrigerated
Sauce and gravy mixes	6-12 months	Cool and dry
Shortening, solid	1 year	Cool, dark, tightly sealed.
Soup mixes	1 year	Cool, dry, and weevil proofed
Sugar, brown confectioners granulated	2 years 18 months 2+years	Tightly sealed, dry Tightly sealed, dry Dry
Syrups (corn syrup based)	8-12 months	Sealed and cool
Tea, bags instant loose	18 months 3 years 2 years	Sealed and dry Sealed, dark, dry Sealed and dry
Vegetables, dried	1 year	Cool, dark, dry, weevil proofed
Vinegar	2+ years	Sealed
Yeast (dry)	Pkg expiration date	Cool, sealed, dry. Better frozen

Updated: 9/18/96; 4/16/97; 7/21/97; 10/20/97; 9/15/98; 11/02/99; 12/01/03

Excluding contributions attributed to specific individuals or organizations all material in this work is copyrighted to Alan T. Hagan with all rights reserved. This work may be copied and distributed for free as long as the entire text, mine and the contributor's names and this copyright notice remain intact, unless my prior express permission has been obtained. This FAQ may not be distributed for financial gain, included in commercial collections or compilations, or included as a part of the content of any web site without prior, express permission from the author.

DISCLAIMER: Safe and effective food storage requires attention to detail, proper equipment and ingredients. The author makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this text, or damages resulting from the use or misuse of information contained herein. This FAQ is not intended for, nor should it be used in, any commercial food applications.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements & Foreword

Section 1 - Shelf Lives