ShelfLife

Pantry staples: storage times

Tap a food for how to store it, how to tell it has gone bad and whether it freezes well.

FoodFridgeFreezerPantry
Store-bought broth or stock (carton, can)Bouillon cubes keep 1 year; made-up broth 3 to 4 days in the fridge.7 daysOpened: 3–4 days2–3 monthsUntil the use-by date
Homemade broth or stock3–4 days2–3 months—
Low-acid canned food (meat, fish, soup, beans, vegetables)—Opened: 3–4 days—2–5 yearsfrom purchaseOpened: Not recommended
High-acid canned food (fruit, tomatoes, juice, pickles)—Opened: 5–7 days—12–18 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: Not recommended
Canned coconut milk—Opened: 4 days3 months2–5 yearsfrom purchase
Canned coconut cream—Opened: 4 days3 months2–5 yearsfrom purchase
Coconut milk drink, in a carton, chilledUntil the use-by dateOpened: 7–10 days——
Crackers—Opened: 3–4 months3–4 months8 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 1 month
Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, mango, cranberries)—Opened: 6 months—6 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 1 month
Dates12 monthsfrom purchase1–2 years2 monthsfrom purchase
Evaporated or sweetened condensed milk, canned—Opened: 4–5 days—12 monthsfrom purchase
Honey——2 yearsfrom purchase
Pure maple syrup, glass bottleIndefinitely—4 years
Pure maple syrup, plastic bottle18–24 months—2 years
Pancake syrup—Opened: 6 months—1 yearfrom purchase
Nuts in jars or cans—Opened: 4–6 months6–12 months1 yearfrom purchaseOpened: 2–9 months
Walnuts9–12 monthsfrom purchase24 monthsfrom purchase2–4 weeksfrom purchase
Shelled peanuts12 monthsfrom purchase24 monthsfrom purchase4 weeksfrom purchase
Olive or vegetable oil—Opened: 4 months—6–12 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 3–5 months
Canola oil——1 yearfrom purchase
Regular peanut butter——6–24 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 2–3 months
Natural peanut butter (no stabilizers)12 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 3–4 months——
Popcorn kernels——2 yearsfrom purchaseOpened: 1 year
Microwave popcorn——6–12 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 1–2 days
Ready-popped popcorn——2–3 monthsfrom purchaseOpened: 1–2 weeks
Potato chips——Until the use-by dateOpened: 1–2 weeks

Fridge at 4 °C (40 °F) or colder, freezer at −18 °C (0 °F). Freezer times are for best quality: food kept frozen stays safe, but slowly loses taste and texture. These times are USDA guidance, not a guarantee. When in doubt, throw it out.

Storage times: USDA FoodKeeper (Food Safety and Inspection Service), public domain. Text by ShelfLife.