Image from Amazon. Product by Shazo
Life Span of Pantry Products
If your pantry is anything like mine, there are more than a couple of staples lurking in the back that haven’t seen the light of day in months.
And if you’re like me, you agonize over questions like, “Can I still use the half-empty can of baking powder I bought three years ago?” or “Why the heck is my apple cider vinegar cloudy?”
Why did my cupcakes rise and spill all over the oven? Most times an ingredient is still safe to use, but it’s always a good rule of thumb to make sure of that before cooking.
Here’s a useful guide for when you should and shouldn’t toss out an ingredient.
Flour:
The lifespan of flour depends on what kind we’re talking about. Refined flour (white flour) will last a up to two years if stored in a cool, dry place. After that? It can take on a sour smell. Another thing to remember: Keep refined flour in an airtight container, otherwise an insect called the flour weevil may find its way in. The female flour weevil loves to lay its eggs under mountains of refined flour, which hatch into rather unappealing bits of added protein. If you find any, toss your flour out. One of my readers Swimbakelily, used old flour to make these cupcakes. She was kind enough to allow me to use her photo.
Whole wheat flour brings its own challenges. Unlike refined flour, it’s best stored in the refrigerator, or even the freezer. Even then, it’ll only stay good for a few months. Once it begins to smell like burnt rubber or pencil erasers, toss it out. On the plus side? The flour weevil can’t digest whole wheat, so it steers clear.
Sugar:
If stored adequately, even old sacks of sugar are probably still good. “Sugar, properly stored (tightly closed and in a dry place), has an indefinite shelf life because it does not support microbial growth,” explains Domino Sugar’s FAQ page. Don’t worry about hardened brown sugar, either as it results from the evaporation of its natural moisture and is still safe to eat. But softening that sugar is revealed in a future Tip Friday. Still, sugars can attract bugs if improperly stored. If you find a creepy crawly in your sugar, it’s time to throw it out and restock.
Olive Oil:
Have a fancy bottle of extra-virgin olive oil stashed away for a special occasion? Don’t save it a moment longer. Unlike fine wine, olive oil doesn’t get better with age. Over time, it oxidizes and goes rancid. Rancid olive oil will still look the same as good stuff, but its funky taste and smell will be unmistakable. Properly stored away from heat and light in a dark glass bottle, extra-virgin olive oil will stay good for up to a year and a half. Just make sure to actually use it. And don’t remove it from the bottle and put in a different container. That dark glass is used for a purpose.
Corn Meal:
Most corn meal sold in the United States is refined. That means that the hull and germ, which are more susceptible to rancidity, are removed so that corn meal can last a good long time on the shelf. If stored in a cool, dark place in an airtight container (or better yet, the fridge), it’ll stay good for about a year. You’ll know when it’s gone bad when it starts smelling a bit like rotting trash or sprouts unsightly spots of mold.
Corn Starch:
Corn starch producer Argo says that as long as cornstarch is kept dry and stored in an airtight container, it’ll practically last forever. That said, if it looks like it’s turned to paste, liquid has found its way into the container and it may be rancid. Throw it out!
Baking Powder and Soda:
Both ingredients are chemical leaveners, which means that they bubble in reaction to high temperatures and certain ingredients, producing perfectly fluffy pancakes and wonderfully airy chocolate cake. Baking powder will remain potent between six months and a year, while baking soda is good for up to two years. If you’re not sure if your baking soda or powder is still chemically active, Food52 has a nifty trick: “All you have to do is drop a little bit of the baking soda or baking powder into hot water (and vinegar if testing baking soda) and look for a bubbling reaction. If there’s fizzing, it’s still good to use!”
Vinegar:
Cloudy vinegar got you guessing how fresh it is? Don’t worry about it. According to the Vinegar Institute, a vinegar trade association, “color changes or the development of a haze or sediment” is “only an aesthetic change.” All kinds of vinegar such as apple, white wine, balsamic, and so on last pretty much forever.
Chocolate:
It’s truly a shame when good chocolate goes to waste. Thankfully for most of us that will never happen. Two things to look for: “Fat bloom,” which is when cocoa butter begins to separate and rises to the chocolate’s surface, and “sugar bloom,” when the sugar crystallizes after exposure to humidity or being moved quickly from cold to hot temperatures. Fat bloom results in white, chalky chocolate, while sugar bloom gives the chocolate a grainy texture. Neither makes the chocolate dangerous to eat, just unappetizing, so toss it out and start fresh!
Want to know the 3 Ways to Keep Brown Sugar Soft?
Inspired by Today
Important Note: when removing products from original packaging make sure you ADD THE EXPIRATION DATE to the label. There is no need to guess later on down the line.
I love your list! I’ve bookmarked it for future reference. I agree that the nose is one of the best ways to determine if food is bad or not. I loved your comment that if the corn starch looks like it’s turned to paste (ewww) to toss. I don’t think I’ve seen corn starch look like paste in its original container and I hope I don’t ever see that. 😉 Thank you for the info. I found you on Blogger’s Pit Stop #207. ~Adrienne
I am glad you liked the pantry article. I refer to it every spring when I purge my kitchen. Thank you for the bookmark! Enjoy your week.
Great information! Thanks for sharing at last week’s What’s for Dinner party – hope to see you there again this week. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Thank you Helen. I am glad you liked the tips. Enjoy your week ahead!
Very informative! I’ve started dating the arrival of certain foodstuffs (and not just the items that go in the freezer, like before.)
Thank you. I am glad you like the article. I find I refer to it every year when I clean out my spices. Thanks for the comment and enjoy your weekend!
Great information for every househol. Pinning.
Have great weekend,
Kippi
Thank Kippi. I know I have to be reminded every year what the expirations should be. Thanks for the pin and enjoy your weekend!
Thank you for the great guidelines, Marilyn!
You are welcome Irene. I am glad you found the article useful!
Great tips, Marilyn. Thanks for sharing—I think I’m good on most things I store. I do buy large quantities of flour, but remove from the bags, instantly! And ALWAYS follow your nose or taste test…grins. A finger in flour will immediately tell your tongue if it is….past prime! Grins, Sandi
I like your suggestions too! I am glad you liked the post. I know that I need to check my dates more closely. And also put the date on my containers. LOL. Thanks for commenting!
thanks for the list i needed that
suz
You are welcome Suzan. I am glad the list is something you may benefit from. Enjoy your week!
Thanks for the list. I am probably the worst at keeping the products on my shelves fresh, but so far there haven’t been any cooking failures. – Margy
It is amazing how much I need to remember those dates in mind. Thanks for commenting. Have a great week!
Great post, looking at my cupboard most of it needs to go in the bin. I have dry goods going back to 2016. lol If you want the job of doing mine let me know.
I hear you Anita. I am amazed every year when I check. I have a problem with spices. Last year in the back of my cupboard I found a 6th, yes 6!, cinnamon tin. From 1973!! I never know if I have any so I buy more. LOL. Enjoy your week!
Great advice. You made me laugh about those ‘added bit of protein’ in flour, the first time I saw them really freaked me out!
Good to know that cloudy vinegar is ok to use, I hate wasting food unnecessarily.
I remember those weevils when I was a kid. I thought I had worms!! I found some really cool info putting that together. Did I say fruitcake last 10 years unrefrigerated?? LOL.
I have these Marilyn and I love them. TFS
I need to get some. Mine arent holding up in the dishwasher.
This is such a useful post! We’ve just finished giving our pantry a proper organize for the first time in about 18 months – there was so much junk lurking!
Thanks so much for sharing with #FridayFrivolity 🙂
I never get to the back of my pantry or spice shelf. Then I realize just how long it has been!
Marilyn, Thanks so much. I have often wondered about baking soda and powder, also cornstarch! These are great tips, pinned so I can find it again!
Glad it is useful Nikki! Have a good week.
Marilyn, thanks for sharing the shelf life of these ingredients. I like storing my flour and sugars in the freezer, hopefully safe from the bugs in there. I wasn’t aware that olive oil would go bad so soon or that the bottle’s color was like that for a reason. Also I’m really glad you shared about how to test baking soda and powder, every time I use mine I wonder if it’s going to work. It’s usually not that old either, just always worried about its potency, and whether it has any. Thanks again for this wealth of information!
I always wonder if something will rise as it should. Glad you found these interesting. The oil one shocked me too.
Thanks! This is very useful info. I appreciate you sharing it at Sunday Fitness & Food 🙂
Glad you found it useful Angela. Have a great week.
My chocolate seems to do the fat bloom – but not on the bar, on me!! LOL
Great tips Marilyn – Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
I have that problem too. That is why you will never see me post a pic from the shoulders down. The hubby does on Facebook though and I hate it!
You are truly the “Tip Queen” Marilyn. This is a great post just filled with information that we need for our pantry products. Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you for dropping by and leaving such a sweet note. I hope you have a great week!
I wish I had known this months ago! I used old wheat flour (stored in pantry), and…Holy Mackarel! It gave off the most TERRIBLE flavor! NOW I know to store it in the refrigerator for longer life. Thanks for this! #smallvictoriessundaylinkup
It is amazing how bad expired items can make a recipe go wrong! I think my worst was using key lime pudding fom my grandmas pantry after she died. I baked that graham cravker pie for three hours and it was still soup. Burnt soup!
Definitely a great post! 🙂
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you Jess! Have a great week!
I pinned this one to make sure I don’t lose it.
Thank you Sandra for the pin. I always come back o this one! I hate throwing away food.
Super helpful! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
You are welcome Sara!
Marilyn, great tips! I keep my flour, cornmeal and such tightly sealed in the refrigerator. I know you probably shouldn’t but I don’t like those little weevils lol
If you keep out the moistire then go for it. Don’t push it all the way to the back and allow some space around them. The object is to keep them from starting to frost! You are nailing it!
This is great advice! Pinning to my Handy Tips board, thank you 🙂 We just started a new link party over at grandmashousediy.com called the “To Grandma’s House We Go” party that you might be interested in, thanks!
Thank you for the pin and stopping by. I am always looking for another awesome party to add to my list and Pinterest Party Board. I will be sure to add it and check it out. Have a great week.
*waves* Thank you for sharing with us!! I pinned your share to our party board too!
Great tips, as always. Don’t get me started on pantry moths and other critters. Invest in airtight containers!
I remember as a kid having weevils in the flour. My mom said it was supposed to! Akk! Thanks for sharing.
Good tips! Crisco will also go rancid after a while, especially if it is too warm. Years ago I made cookies with some my mother-in-law had, and boy were they disgusting! Thanks for sharing.
I never even thought about Crisco! Now I need to check mine. I only use it at Christmas cookie time. Thanks Helen! Enjoy your week.
I recently found a jar of olive oil in the back of my pantry and yes it went rancid. Yuck.
I love my big pantry but it holds too many secrets! Thanks for visiting. Have a great day. Remember to laugh often. It is great cardio!
Marilyn, you live too far away from me. Have you ever considered living in the south? My pantry closet needs cleaning out right now! This is all good information to know.
I can’t move, but I can spend a few months. You DIY and menu plan and I will bake. Deal? Just have to decide who we lasso to do the dishes!
Good to know info. Going to bookmark it. Visiting from Merry Monday Link Party #121.
I am happy you found this useful! Dealing with expired products is so frustrating to me! I hate surprises when I am baking. Make sure you laugh a lot this week. It is great cardio!
Such a helpful post! Thanks Marilyn. I’ve always wondered about how long I can keep certain staples in the pantry. #OverTheMoon
Thank you Nicole for your thoughts and kind words!
Fellow Blogger at Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up, where I spotted your post. Great tips on what to save and what to toss from our pantry. I pinned it and hope you’ll share the love. Nancy A @ http://obloggernewbie.blogspot.com
Thank you Nancy for the pin and thoughts! Going to visit now. Have a good week. Remember to laugh a lot. It is great cardio!
Thanks Marilyn for your comment and invitation to drop by. Thanks also for mentioning to laught a lot. Laughter is so good for our health and well-being! Whenever you want fresh and lively information about getting healthier, please drop by my blogs and website http://www.nancyandreswriter.com.
You are welcome! See you soon.
oops forgot to mention I use the FIFO pantry method- rotating your food so that you use the oldest items first.
I do too. It’s the canisters and spices I have the biggest trouble with!
great list, pinned.
Sending you happy weekend hugs! xo
Thank you kind Katherine! Remember to laugh this week. It’s great cardio!
I think organization is an important part of keeping stuff fresh. We are putting new shelving in the pantry and it allows me to see what I have better.
That is o true Charlotte. My problems are hen I put things in containers and using spices! Remember to laugh this week. It’s great cardio! When I use you affilite to go into Amazon, choose my stuff and log in, do you still get your commission?
I would think so Marilyn. If I understand correctly Amazon affiliate cookies last 24 hours. I would hope signing in shouldn’t affect them. Thanks for asking, it’s a good question, as a new blogger I am still learning. Did you find a dehydrator you like? Enjoy your weekend, ours has been crazy with a yard sale, running a 5K with my son, and then he had a soccer game in 90* weather!
I will be ordering my giveaway gifts and a birthday gift. Thinking of the dehydrator for another giveaway. ???? You will be my Amazon lady.