The Longest-Lasting Pantry Foods That Help You Save and Stay Prepared

There’s something deeply satisfying about having a well-stocked pantry. The sight of all those neatly stacked jars and boxes is a nice reassurance that you could easily weather a few stormy days without leaving the house—or even simply just be able to pull together some meals on those hectic weeks when you can’t make it to the supermarket. And with the cost of grocery prices steadily rising, it just makes sense to stock up on essentials when you find a good deal.

While we wholeheartedly believe in having a backlog of nonperishables at the ready, it’s also important for safety’s sake to keep tabs on how long that stuff has actually been in your cupboard. Since not every item is technically nonperishable indefinitely, it’s good to have an idea of what needs to consumed soon or replaced.

Here’s how long you can expect some of the more common pantry staples—from rice and sugar to powdered milk and peanut butter—to stay fresh.

Remember: Storing pantry items properly is what will keep them in optimal condition over long periods of time. Abide by the general rule: Store in tightly sealed containers in a cool, dark, and dry place.

Lasts basically forever

Honey

Whether you the prefer delicate single-flower variety or just a good ‘ol supermarket squeeze bottle of the stuff, this all-natural sweetener is always good to have on hand—not least because it lasts indefinitely in the pantry (it’s naturally anti-microbial).

While crystallization is totally normal and does not denote spoilage, it can make honey harder to spread. To prevent this, keep honey out of the fridge, and ideally in a cool, dark place in your kitchen.

Salt

There’s a reason salt is used as a natural preservative all over the world: It inhibits the growth of bacteria and other microbes in food, keeping it from spoiling. It makes sense, then, that salt virtually never goes bad. That said, it is prone to caking. A good way to prevent that is to add a few grains of white rice to the container to absorb excess moisture, and ideally keep it in a dry environment.

Sugar

Similarly to honey, sugar—whether that’s white, brown, powdered, or raw—lasts virtually forever when stored properly, i.e. in an airtight container or plastic bag. Note that brown sugar clumps more easily due to its higher moisture content, so the “airtight container” rule is especially important. Lumps in sugar doesn’t mean it has gone bad though; it has just absorbed some moisture and you would need to break down the clumps.

Dried beans

Dried beans and lentils aren’t just delicious and economical; they’re also incredibly practical, lasting indefinitely in your pantry if stored properly. Store your legumes in airtight containers to prevent them from drying out or absorbing moisture from the air. Note that dried beans become tougher and take longer to cook the longer they sit, so try to use them up within a year or two.

Cornstarch

This effective and versatile thickening agent can last for years, and is usually perfectly safe to use well after the expiration date printed on the packaging. Keep it in a sealed container in a dry environment for better results.

Vinegar

Like many fermented foods, vinegar is self-preserving, which means it basically never goes bad. And while many vinegars tend to change color or develop a hazy appearance over time, distilled white vinegar—our favorite for pickling—remains “virtually unchanged,” according to The Vinegar Institute.

Lasts 2 or more years

White rice

Dried white rice is a true dinner-saver: It can be used to thicken soups and stews, as a base for stir-fries and curries, and even on its own with a sprinkle of furikake and a fried egg. White rice is also an ideal pantry staple due to its long shelf life—up to two years when stored in a tightly sealed container.

Low-acid canned foods

Did you know that many canned foods have the same nutritional value as fresh or frozen ones? It’s true—and it’s one of the reasons we load up our pantries with canned vegetables, beans, and soups.

Not all canned foods are created equally, however: Foods with a low acid content, such as meat, vegetables, and non-tomato-based vegetable soup, will last, unopened, for two to five years on the shelf. High-acid foods like tomatoes, on the other hand, cause cans to corrode more quickly.

Dried pasta

Pasta on sale at the supermarket? Don’t hesitate to load up. Boxes of dried pasta can last up to two years when stored, unopened, in an airtight container.

Powdered milk

It goes without saying that powdered milk—often sold as “non-fat dried milk”—lasts much longer than fresh milk. Stored at cool or cold temperatures, it can stay fresh for anywhere from three to five years if properly sealed. That—plus the fact that it’s easily reconstituted with water—makes powdered milk a great option for when fresh milk is too expensive or not available.

Spices

While spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and chili powder don’t technically expire—they won’t make you sick if you consume them past their expiration date, for example—they will lose their potency over time. We recommend tossing any spices older than three years, or any that smell musty or muted. Keep tightly sealed in a cool, dark spot, ideally far away from the stove or other heat source.

Instant coffee (freeze-dried)

Whether you use it for baking or for your daily dose of caffeine, instant coffee—particularly the freeze-dried variety—is a great product to have on hand. It can last for anywhere from two to 20 years—though, like with most shelf-stable products, it will last longer if kept sealed and in a cool, dark spot.

Bouillon cubes or powder

While we try to make our own chicken and vegetable stocks and broths whenever we can, we’d be lying if we said we never took a shortcut. Bouillon cubes and powder—both of which are made by dehydrating meat and/or vegetables and combining them with salt and other seasonings—add instant savory depth to your soups and stews. Cubes can last months or even yearsif stored properly in an airtight container.

Lasts 6 months to about a year

Peanut butter

Spread it on a sandwich; use it as a dip for apple slices; stir it into cookie dough—peanut butter has so many applications we can’t think of a good reason (other than allergies, of course) not to keep it on hand. Another reason we love it is because peanut butter—as well as other nut butters like almond and cashew—lasts for up to nine monthsin the pantry.

As with all oily foods, peanut butter will eventually go rancid, and should be refrigerated once it’s been opened.

Oats

Starchy, fiber-rich oats are a breakfast must-have. Plus, this granola-ready grain can keep for a year or longer, according to Bob’s Red Mill. As with most items on this list, oats are best stored in a tightly sealed container in a cabinet or other cool, dark spot in your kitchen.

Brown rice

Nutty and toothsome, brown rice is a great base for grain bowls and a wholesome addition to fried rice. It does, however, spoil slightly faster than white rice due to its larger oil content. According to the USA Rice Federation, brown rice should last around six months if stored in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place. You can even freeze or refrigerate dry rice for longer storage.

Flour

While white flours—such as all-purpose and cake flour—contain less oil than whole grain flours, making them a better pick for long-term storage, they should still be used up within about a year, according to the USDA. Keep sealed for as long as possible, and store in a cool, dark place.