When Will Your Stored Food Go Bad?
When there’s a sale on foods you eat, you may love to stock up on them. You’ll fill your pantry, freezer, and fridge with items when they’re at their best price, and then you can avoid paying full retail when you suddenly need them in the future. It’s a great practice, and in theory it works well for most things.
You probably don’t, however, buy ten gallons of milk at once because you know you’ll never be able to drink that much before it turns sour. But if you think shelf-stable products and things stored in your freezer will keep indefinitely, you’re wrong. Everything you store will eventually go bad, and some sooner than others. So how do you know when to stock up, eat it, or toss it? Here are some guidelines.
Frozen Meat and Poultry
Meat and poultry are some of the most expensive grocery items to purchase. There are hardly ever any coupons for them, so when there’s a good sale, people stock their freezers. You probably don’t have unlimited freezer space, but either way you shouldn’t buy more meat or poultry than you can eat in nine to twelve months, because that’s how long they’ll last when frozen.
After you make your purchases, you should put poultry into the freezer within one to three days, and meat in the freezer within three to five days. Make sure you wrap them well, or they can get freezer burn. Freezer burn won’t make them go bad sooner, but it will affect their taste.
Canned Goods
If you’re preparing for a natural disaster or the end of the world, what do you stock up on? Canned goods, because they will stay good for the longest amount of time and don’t require refrigeration. Canned goods will last longer than all your other stored foods, but they don’t last forever, either. Most canned goods like vegetables can last anywhere from two to five years. Canned goods that are acidic, like fruit or tomatoes, will last for about one to one-and-a-half years. Make sure to store them in the dark for maximum freshness, because light can increase deterioration.
Bottled Beverages
Is there a sale on soda or bottled water? Bottled water can last indefinitely if it hasn’t been opened, but it’s best to use it within two years. Soda and other bottled juices can be safely stored unopened for about three months before the quality begins to deteriorate. While they may be good for a bit longer, their color or taste may begin to change – they’re still safe, just markedly less appealing.
Snacks and Packaged Foods
There are varying guidelines for your snacks and packaged foods. They may have expiration dates, but potato chips generally last for one month past it, and crackers and pretzels for three months past the expiration date. The preservatives keep them lasting longer. Boxed pasta should be used within a year of purchasing it. Some items, like store-bought bread, will last longer if you put them in the fridge instead of the pantry (one to two weeks for the bread).
Jennifer Hawkins a professional chef and nutrition freak who loves to blog about anything from new recipes to tips on serving quick and easy dinners.
When there’s a sale on foods you eat, you may love to stock up on them. You’ll fill your pantry, freezer, and fridge with items when they’re at their best price, and then you can avoid paying full retail when you suddenly need them in the future. It’s a great practice, and in theory it works well for most things.
You probably don’t, however, buy ten gallons of milk at once because you know you’ll never be able to drink that much before it turns sour. But if you think shelf-stable products and things stored in your freezer will keep indefinitely, you’re wrong. Everything you store will eventually go bad, and some sooner than others. So how do you know when to stock up, eat it, or toss it? Here are some guidelines.
Frozen Meat and Poultry
Meat and poultry are some of the most expensive grocery items to purchase. There are hardly ever any coupons for them, so when there’s a good sale, people stock their freezers. You probably don’t have unlimited freezer space, but either way you shouldn’t buy more meat or poultry than you can eat in nine to twelve months, because that’s how long they’ll last when frozen.
After you make your purchases, you should put poultry into the freezer within one to three days, and meat in the freezer within three to five days. Make sure you wrap them well, or they can get freezer burn. Freezer burn won’t make them go bad sooner, but it will affect their taste.
Canned Goods
If you’re preparing for a natural disaster or the end of the world, what do you stock up on? Canned goods, because they will stay good for the longest amount of time and don’t require refrigeration. Canned goods will last longer than all your other stored foods, but they don’t last forever, either. Most canned goods like vegetables can last anywhere from two to five years. Canned goods that are acidic, like fruit or tomatoes, will last for about one to one-and-a-half years. Make sure to store them in the dark for maximum freshness, because light can increase deterioration.
Bottled Beverages
Is there a sale on soda or bottled water? Bottled water can last indefinitely if it hasn’t been opened, but it’s best to use it within two years. Soda and other bottled juices can be safely stored unopened for about three months before the quality begins to deteriorate. While they may be good for a bit longer, their color or taste may begin to change – they’re still safe, just markedly less appealing.
Snacks and Packaged Foods
There are varying guidelines for your snacks and packaged foods. They may have expiration dates, but potato chips generally last for one month past it, and crackers and pretzels for three months past the expiration date. The preservatives keep them lasting longer. Boxed pasta should be used within a year of purchasing it. Some items, like store-bought bread, will last longer if you put them in the fridge instead of the pantry (one to two weeks for the bread).
Jennifer Hawkins a professional chef and nutrition freak who loves to blog about anything from new recipes to tips on serving quick and easy dinners.
