You’ve probably heard the claims. Certain foods last forever, sitting unchanged in your pantry for years on end. Honey found in Egyptian tombs supposedly tasted as fresh as the day it was bottled. Approximately ninety percent of Americans misinterpret the dates on labels and throw out food that could still be consumed, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, and this confusion can lead to about 30% of our food supply being lost or wasted. The problem is, many foods marketed as “eternal” actually have much shorter lifespans than most people realize. Recent research reveals that several pantry staples we trust to last indefinitely can spoil, lose their potency, or even become unsafe far sooner than expected.
White Rice: The 30-Year Myth Falls Apart
White rice enjoys a stellar reputation as a forever food, with many believing it can last decades in storage. The best temperature to store grains, including rice, is 40°F or below; however, rice stored at a constant 70° F with oxygen absorbers will store well for up to 10 years. While properly stored white rice can indeed last much longer than most foods, the reality is more nuanced.
Most types of rice such as white rice have a shelf life of 30+ years if stored in a sealed, oxygen-free container that is in a cool location, yet once a container is opened and used regularly the rice should be consumed within one to two years. The catch? When stored properly, dry rice will stay fresh for up to two years, depending on the variety, with white rice lasting longer than brown simply because brown rice contains higher levels of fatty oils.
Temperature fluctuations, exposure to moisture, and improper storage containers can dramatically reduce rice’s lifespan. Even sealed rice can develop an off smell, become hard and dry, or harbor mold under less than ideal conditions.
Honey: Ancient But Not Invincible
Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible, with its unique composition preventing bacteria from thriving. However, modern honey faces different challenges than its ancient counterparts.
Honey stored in sealed containers can remain stable for decades and even centuries, but honey is susceptible to physical and chemical changes during storage as it tends to darken and lose its aroma and flavor or crystallize. Watch out for additives in the honey, as it is possible to buy honey with water and sugar added, and this honey generally doesn’t crystallize like pure 100% honey does when stored for a long time.
Commercial honey often contains additives that can affect its longevity. While pure honey may indeed last indefinitely under perfect conditions, most store-bought varieties have shorter practical shelf lives due to processing and storage compromises.
Salt: The Clumping Problem Nobody Mentions
Pure salt doesn’t expire, according to Morton Salt, though salt that has been mixed with other ingredients, such as iodine or spices, can deteriorate with time but likely will last for at least a couple of years. The issue isn’t spoilage but functionality.
Salt has been used for centuries to preserve food due to its ability to draw moisture out of food and inhibit bacterial growth, but while it does not “go bad,” it can form clumps if stored improperly, so ensure it’s kept dry to maintain its potency. Iodized salt, the most common type in American households, can lose its iodine content over time.
Morton recommends using its many salt-based products anywhere from two to five years, depending on the product, and USU Extension recommends storing salt the same way as baking soda. Anti-caking agents added to table salt can break down, leading to hard, unusable blocks rather than the free-flowing crystals you expect.
Peanut Butter: Natural Varieties Spoil Surprisingly Fast
Peanut butter seems like it should last forever, stored at room temperature in countless pantries. Peanut butter in a jar (unopened) lasts up to 2 years in the refrigerator, while powdered peanut butter lasts up to 15 years. The reality depends heavily on what type you’re buying.
Most commercial peanut butter lasts a while in the pantry if they’re unopened like six to 24 months, but natural peanut butter lacks preservatives and may only last several months unopened, with its shelf life decreasing dramatically once opened. Natural peanut butters, increasingly popular for health reasons, contain oils that can go rancid relatively quickly.
Most natural peanut butter must be stored in the refrigerator once opened. Even commercial varieties can develop off flavors and separate over time, especially if exposed to temperature changes or stored improperly. Oils will go rancid, peanut butter too, as one food storage expert warns.
Spices: Losing Potency While You’re Not Looking
Spices (dried) will lose their aroma and flavor over time but are safe to eat indefinitely. Though technically safe, expired spices become culinary dead weight, adding no flavor to your dishes while taking up valuable pantry space.
Ground spices lose their potency quicker than whole spices, as they are exposed to air and light, so invest in whole spices and grind them when needed for better flavor. Even though they’re not technically food, spices don’t last forever, and ground spices lose their potency quicker than whole spices as they are exposed to air and light.
Most ground spices lose significant flavor within two years, while whole spices can maintain potency for three to four years when stored properly. That dusty paprika from five years ago? It’s essentially flavored dust at this point.
Olive Oil: The Three-Month Reality Check
Olive oil enjoys a health halo and reputation for longevity, but it’s more fragile than most people realize. As with many other foods that go bad faster than you think, light, heat, and air will ruin olive oil, with exposure to these elements leading to degradation in even the best brands of olive oil and affecting the taste and quality while losing precious antioxidants.
A cool, dark cabinet or pantry should keep your olive oil in good shape for up to three months, though avoid the refrigerator as there’s some evidence that frequently moving olive oil between hot and room-temperature environments can compromise it. Just like coconut oil, olive oil can keep for a year or more if kept in a dark, cool location.
Extra virgin olive oil is particularly susceptible to rancidity. Once opened and exposed to air, even properly stored olive oil begins losing its beneficial compounds and developing off flavors. That bottle you’ve had for two years likely tastes nothing like it did when fresh.
Canned Goods: The Dent and Temperature Factor
Canned foods stored in a cool, dry location, that are not bulging or leaking, can be safely eaten for several years past their best-if-used-by date printed on the can. The U.S. Army conducted a study on the shelf-life of canned goods which revealed that canned meats, vegetables, and jams were in an excellent state of preservation after 46 years.
However, commercially canned foods that are canned in liquid should maintain their best quality until their expiration date, which is usually two to five years from the manufacture date, while unopened home-canned foods have a shorter shelf life of one year and should be used before two years. Temperature fluctuations, dents, and storage conditions dramatically affect these timeframes.
Significant amounts of vitamins A and C were lost over time, but protein and calcium levels remained high, and the vitamin content of stored foods typically decreases with the passage of time while the caloric and mineral content remains constant. Cans stored in hot garages, damp basements, or areas with temperature swings lose quality much faster than those in climate-controlled environments.
