Food Shelf Life
We all make our monthly or weekly trips to the grocery store to replenish on food supplies. Stocking up on food stuff is something that every household does. However knowing the shelf life of food is very important if you want to keep your food fresh and nutritious.
Many times we store food, longer than advisable and end up with rancid or spoiled food. So it is essential to know the shelf life of food as well as its best storing technique. Dry food stuff like cereals, grains and pulses as well as flour and dry pasta last longer than perishable ones like fresh produce.
Canned food and other food that has preservatives in it needs to be stored in the refrigerator once it has been opened. The shelf life of cooked food is of course much less than uncooked food. Here we are going to discuss the shelf life of different types of food.
Chart for Shelf Life of Different Food
For the purpose of food safety, having a list of food shelf life comes in very handy. Following proper food storage guidelines will help you to extend the life of the food stuff. Many dry food as well as packaged food and dairy products comes with an expiration date. Always consume these products within the expiration date to avoid falling seriously ill.
Dry food like flour, pasta, rice, cereals and other legumes should be stored in air tight containers in a cool and dark place like the pantry. Fresh produce, meat, fish and dairy products should always be stored in the refrigerator. Given below is a chart for shelf life of different foods.
| Food Item | Pantry (70F) | Refrigerator (37-40F) | Freezer (0F) |
| Pantry Items | |||
| Flour | 2-3 months | 6-8 months | 1 year |
| Baking Powder | 18 months - unopened 6 months - opened | - | - |
| Bread Crumbs | 4 months | 6-8 months | 1 year |
| Ready-to-eat Cereals | 6-12 months | - | - |
| Cake Mix | 9-12 months | - | - |
| Cocoa | 24 months | - | - |
| Coffee instant | 12-24 months, unopened 2 months, opened | - | - |
| Coffee, whole beans | 1-2 weeks | - | - |
| Pasta, dry | 24 months | - | - |
| Pudding mixes | 6 months | - | - |
| Rice, white | 24 months | - | - |
| Olive oil | 24 months | - | - |
| Tea, bags | 18 months | - | - |
| Tea, loose | 24 months | - | - |
| Vinegar | 24 months | - | - |
| Sugar, granulated | 24 months | - | - |
| Brown sugar | 4 months | - | - |
| Powdered sugar | 18 months | - | - |
| Vegetables | |||
| Asparagus | - | 3-5 days | 8-12 months |
| Celery | - | 1 week | 8-12 months |
| Lettuce | - | 1 week | should not be frozen |
| Carrots | - | 1 week | 8-12 months |
| Bell Peppers | - | 1-2 weeks | 3-4 months |
| Tomatoes | - | 3-5 days | 3-4 months |
| Green onions | - | 3-5 days | should not be frozen |
| Cabbage | - | 1 week | should not be frozen |
| Radish | - | 2 weeks | - |
| Mushrooms | - | 1-2 days | 8-12 months |
| Cauliflower | - | 1 week | 8-12 months |
| Squash | 3-6 months | - | - |
| Fruits | |||
| Apples | - | 3-5 months | - |
| Bananas | 2-3 days | - | - |
| Apricots | - | 3-5 days | 6 months |
| Grapes | - | 1-2 weeks | - |
| Melon | - | 1 week | 8-12 months |
| Guava | - | 1-2 days | - |
| Limes | 1 week | 1-2 weeks | - |
| Cranberries | - | 3-4 weeks | 8-12 months |
| Plums | - | 3 -2 days | 6 months |
| Peaches | - | 3 -5 days | 6 months |
| Oranges | 3-4 days | 5-6 weeks | - |
| Watermelon | 3-4 days, uncut | 6-8 days | - |
| Dairy Products | |||
| Butter | - | 1-3 months | 6-9 months |
| Parmesan cheese | - | - | 1-2 months |
| Cheddar cheese | - | 6 months, unopened 3 to 4 weeks, opened | 6 months |
| Cottage cheese | - | 1 week | - |
| Cream cheese | - | 2 weeks | - |
| Buttermilk | - | 1 week | 6-9 months |
| Canned milk | - | 3-5 days | - |
| Ice cream | - | - | 1-2 months |
| Fresh milk | - | 7 days | 1 month |
| Cream | - | 3-4 days | 4 months |
| Yogurt | - | 7-12 days | 1-2 months |
| Sour cream | - | 7-21 days | - |
| Sorbet | - | - | 1-2 months |
| Bread | |||
| Fresh bread | 3-5 days | - | 3 months |
| Unbaked dough | - | 1-2 days | 1 month |
| Pancakes | - | 2 days | 1-2 months |
| Dounuts | - | 1-2 days | 3 months |
| Muffins | - | 3 days | 1-2 month |
| Meats, Fish and Poultry | |||
| Bacon | - | 7 days | 1 month |
| Sausage | - | 1-2 days | 1 month |
| Hotdogs | - | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Whole ham, cooked | - | 7 days | 1-2 months |
| Corned beef | - | 4-7 days | 1 month |
| Ground Beef | - | 1-2 days | 3-4 month |
| Lamb chop, veal chops | - | 3-5 days | 3-4 months |
| Steak | - | 7 days | 6-12 months |
| Chicken or turkey, whole | - | 1-2 days | 12 months |
| Turkey giblets | - | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
| Fried chicken | - | 3-4 days | 4 months |
| Chicken in broth or gravy | - | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Fatty fish | - | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Lean fish | - | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Crab, cooked | - | 1-2 days | 2 months |
| Lobster, shrimp, raw | - | 1-2 days | 6 months |
| Fish sticks | - | - | 18 months |
| Shellfish cooked | - | 3-4 days | 3 months |
This was a chart on the shelf life of different types of food. Shelf life of canned food is about a year if the cans are unopened and 1-2 months when kept in the freezer. Shelf life of spices is 1-2 years for whole spices and 3-4 months for ground spices when stored in air tight containers. Frozen food shelf life is generally indicated on its package as "best by date". It is not a good idea to exceed this date as it might lead to food poisoning. It is important that you know and follow the shelf life of food so that you consume nutritious and healthy food.
