That Ancient Bag of Flour Taking Up Space
That bag of all-purpose flour you bought two years ago for holiday baking? It’s time to let it go. While your unopened all-purpose flour has a typical shelf life of a year when stored in the pantry, once opened, it should be used within six to eight months. So, if you’re an infrequent baker who pulls out the same bag of flour each holiday baking season, it’s time to ditch your stash and start fresh. The best way to tell if flour has gone bad is to smell it. If it smells rancid or shows signs of mold, you should throw it out. Old flour can also develop a rancid smell and attract pantry pests. Fresh baking soda ensures your cakes and cookies rise as they should, and fresh flour keeps your baked goods tasting their best. Trust me, your cookies will thank you for using fresh ingredients.
Expired Baking Powder That Won’t Lift Your Spirits
Unless you bake a lot, that shiny red tin of Rumford baking powder that has been sitting in your cupboard has probably already expired. In fact, the shelf life of baking powder — not to be confused with baking soda, which is a component of baking powder — is widely estimated to be not much more than six months. To find out whether your baking powder really has expired, you can test it by pouring a small amount into a bowl and adding some boiling water. If your mixture bubbles up, the baking powder is still active. If not, it’s time to toss it. According to Livestrong, the risk of using expired baking powder is not so much to your health, but to your carefully crafted sheet cake, which might not rise in the least, leaving you with a flat, dense brick to somehow dispose of. Unopened baking powder has a shelf life of about 6 months, while baking soda can last up to 18 months. Your next birthday cake deserves better than a pancake-flat disaster.
Rancid Cooking Oils Lurking in Dark Corners
Cooking oils such as canola oil and olive oil don’t last as long as you might think. They last only about 4 months when stored unopened. However, they can degrade even faster when exposed to light, air or heat. To check if your oils are still good, take a whiff to see if you smell any off odors. If the oil smells stale, reminds you of chemicals, has a fermented funk or even smells like crayons, the oil is past its prime or may be completely spoiled. It’s time to toss that oil. We hate to say it, but if you’ve had olive oils or vegetable oils floating around your pantry for more than 6 to 12 months, it’s time to purge and restock. According to FoodSafety.gov, once they’re opened, you’ll want to use these oil varieties within three to five months. Don’t risk ruining your entire dish with oil that tastes like paint thinner.
Stale Spices That Lost Their Spark
Expiration dates matter for spices, too. But they won’t “go bad” necessarily. Instead, you’ll see diminished flavor and aroma when extended beyond the recommended shelf life. Whole spices will hold onto their flavor and aroma for about two to four years, according to USDA. The range for ground spices is slightly shorter at two to three years. Plan to go through your spices once or twice a year and buy smaller containers of the spices you use less frequently in order to cut down on waste. Gabai recommends using your smell to determine whether they need to be tossed. “If it smells flat or just not aromatic, then it needs to be replaced since it will add very little, if any, flavor to what you’re cooking,” she said. That paprika from your college days isn’t adding anything to your cooking except disappointment. She added that ground spices usually last one to two years, while dried herbs will last one to three years.
Forgotten Quinoa That’s Gone Bad
By the looks of it, quinoa is indestructible. It’s just a dried grain sitting around, bothering no one. But according to the Whole Grain Society, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, quinoa only lasts for up to four months in the pantry and eight months in the freezer. As a whole grain, it has more fat content than flour, which gives it a bit more of a buffer against spoilage, but at the same time, its lack of processing has kept intact its oils, which are vulnerable to temperature shifts. If you haven’t been paying attention to the minor temperature ups and downs in your kitchen, just sniff your quinoa before using it. If you smell something — anything at all other than a faintly sweet fragrance — the grain is probably off. The shelf life of whole grains like quinoa and farro is largely dependent on their fat content. Heat, air, and moisture are the top three enemies of whole grains because the elements can negatively affect their healthy oils, which in turn can cause your grains to go rancid sitting in your pantry. That superfood isn’t so super when it tastes like cardboard.
Old Nuts That Have Lost Their Crunch
You’ll also want to check any packages of nuts and seeds you might have hiding in the pantry. Due to their oil content, nuts and seeds will eventually go rancid. “They can last about 6 months at room temperature, but if you freeze them they can last a year or more,” said Gabai. The top undeclared allergen: Peanuts and tree nuts, which includes almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts. With food recalls related to bacteria contamination hit their highest level in five years in 2024. That included 154 recalls from common pathogens E. coli, listeria and salmonella, according to data from the Food Industry Counsel law firm. Even when they’re not contaminated, rancid nuts taste terrible and can spoil your entire trail mix. Those walnuts you bought in bulk three years ago have definitely seen better days. Give them the sniff test – if they smell like paint or old socks, they’ve got to go.
Mystery Canned Goods Without Labels
If you’ve lost track of the label or can’t remember what’s inside a can, it’s time to toss it. Without proper labeling, you have no idea how long it’s been sitting on the shelf or if the contents are still safe to eat. Canned goods might last a long time, but they don’t last forever. Save yourself the guesswork and clear out any mystery cans from your pantry. While it’s true that many shelf-stable foods like canned goods are still safe to eat past their expiration date, you’ll still want to check for signs of spoilage. “You can tell canned goods have spoiled if they are rusted, or if you see the cans bulge or dent,” said Gabai. Due to their high-acid composition, canned tomatoes won’t last as long as many other canned goods with lower acid levels. According to FoodSafety.org, the “use by” or “best by” dates are less important when it comes to canned goods as long as the can is in good shape (no denting, swelling, or rust). Instead, try to use canned tomatoes 12 to 18 months from the date of purchase. Playing Russian roulette with your dinner isn’t worth the risk.
Stale Coffee Beans That Brew Disappointment
Coffee beans start to lose flavor and aroma after being opened, especially if they aren’t stored properly. If you have half-open bags of coffee sitting around for months, they’re likely past their prime. Use airtight containers to store your beans and keep them fresh. If your current stash has gone stale, it’s time to toss it. But yucky beer is no one’s idea of a good time, which is why you should pay close attention to the freshness of the beer you’re currently storing in your pantry or garage. As a general rule, canned or bottled beer can remain fresh on the shelf for up to eight months, a period that can be prolonged to 12 months through refrigeration. Your morning ritual deserves better than bitter, flavorless liquid that tastes like dishwater. Fresh coffee beans make all the difference between starting your day right or dragging yourself through it. Life’s too short for bad coffee – and we’ve all suffered through enough of it during office meetings to know the difference.
Ancient Oats That Have Overstayed Their Welcome
If you bought that giant container of oats the last time you were at your local warehouse store, it’s time to get cooking. According to FoodSafety.org, whole grain oats should be consumed within four months of purchase. You can double that time frame to eight months if you store your oats in the freezer, thawing them as needed. According to Gabai, grains, rice, and beans can last about one to two years, but brown rice and other whole grains won’t last quite as long due to their higher oil content. Whether you’re a pasta fanatic who loses track of all the different noodle shapes in your pantry or you rarely touch the stuff, there are likely opened or lost bags of pasta or rice deep in your shelves. Rice and pasta can last years in the pantry, but it may be time to reorder them first-in, first-out style so you use the oldest packages first. When doing this, throw out any unsealed containers or pasta or rice that are misshapen, discolored or smell rancid. That oversized container seemed like such a great deal at the time, but now it’s just taking up valuable real estate in your pantry. Your morning oatmeal shouldn’t taste like cardboard or smell musty – fresh oats have a clean, slightly sweet aroma that makes breakfast actually appealing.
