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Pantry foods: how long they keep

Fridge, freezer and pantry times for 104 kinds of pantry foods, from USDA FoodKeeper.

Pantry foods
Photo: John Nathan Cobb · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

All of them

Almond butter

Pantry: 1 year

Almond oil

Fridge: 2 years

Almonds (no shell)

Fridge: 8 months · Freezer: 10 months

Almonds (shell)

Fridge: 16 months · Freezer: 20 months

Applesauce (commercial)

Pantry: 12 to 18 months

Avocado Oil

Pantry: 2 years

Bacon bits (imitation)

Pantry: 1 year

Base (beef, vegetable)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Beets (pickled)

Pantry: 1 year

Black pepper

Pantry: 2 to 3 years

Black pepper

Pantry: 2 years

Breadcrumbs (commercial)

Pantry: 6 months

Cajun seasoning blend

Pantry: 1 to 2 years

Canned goods

Pantry: 12 to 18 months

Canned goods

Pantry: 2 to 5 years

Canola oil

Pantry: 1 year

Capers (in jar)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Cashew butter

Pantry: 3 months

Cashews (no shell)

Fridge: 6 months · Freezer: 12 months

Cereal (cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.))

Pantry: 12 months

Cereal (ready-to-eat)

Pantry: 6 to 12 months

Cereal or granola bars

Pantry: 6 to 12 months

Chia seeds

Pantry: 18 months

Chocolate hazlenut spread

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Chocolate syrup

Pantry: 2 years

Cinnamon

Pantry: 3 to 4 years

Coconut cream (canned)

Freezer: 3 months · Pantry: 2 to 5 years

Coconut milk (canned)

Freezer: 3 months · Pantry: 2 to 5 years

Coconut oil

Pantry: 3 years

Corn syrup

Pantry: 3 years

Crackers

Freezer: 3 to 4 months · Pantry: 8 months

Croutons

Fridge: 5 to 6 months · Freezer: 11 to 12 months

Cumin

Pantry: 3 to 4 years

Dry stuffing mix (commercially packaged)

Pantry: 9 to 12 months

Edamame (salted, dry roasted, out of pod)

Fridge: 6 months

Flaxseed (ground)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 12 months

Flaxseed (whole seed)

Pantry: 2 years

Fruit cocktail (canned)

Pantry: 18 months

Fruits, dried

Pantry: 6 months

Garlic powder

Pantry: 3 to 4 years

Genuine Maple syrup (unopened, glass)

Fridge: Indefinitely

Genuine Maple syrup (unopened, plastic)

Fridge: 18 to 24 months

Graham cracker/animal cracker

Pantry: 6 to 9 months

Granola

Pantry: 6 to 9 months

Grapeseed oil

Pantry: 1 year

Grits (boxed)

Pantry: 12 months

Gummy (fruit) snacks

Pantry: 6 to 9 months

Instant breakfast drinks (bottled)

Pantry: 6 months

Macadamias (no shell)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

Marshmallow crème

Pantry: 2 to 5 months

Marshmallows

Pantry: 1 year

Milk (canned evaporated or condensed)

Pantry: 12 months

Milk (shelf-stable)

Pantry: 6 to 12 months

Milk (ultra-pasteurized)

Fridge: 1 to 3 months

Molasses

Pantry: 1 to 2 years

Mushrooms (dried)

Pantry: 1 to 2 years

Mustard (dried, ground)

Freezer: 1 to 2 years · Pantry: 6 months

Nutmeg

Pantry: 3 to 4 years

Nutrition supplement drinks (bottled)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Nuts (jars or cans)

Freezer: 6 to 12 months · Pantry: 1 year

Onion powder

Pantry: 3 to 4 years

Peanut butter (commercial)

Pantry: 6 to 24 months

Peanut butter

Fridge: 12 months

Peanut butter (natural)

Fridge: 12 months

Peanuts (no shell)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

Peanuts (shell)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

Pecans (chopped)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 2 years

Pecans (no shell)

Fridge: 9 months · Freezer: 24 months

Pecans (shell)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

Pectin

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Pine nuts

Fridge: 3 months · Freezer: 9 months

Pistachios (shell or no shell)

Fridge: 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

Polenta (shelf-stable)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Popcorn (commercially popped in bags)

Pantry: 2 to 3 months

Popcorn (dry kernels in jar)

Pantry: 2 years

Popcorn (microwave packets)

Pantry: 6 to 12 months

Pork rinds

Pantry: 4 months

Potato chips

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Potatoes (instant)

Pantry: 10 to 15 months

Pretzels

Pantry: 4 to 9 months

Pudding mixes

Pantry: 1 year

Pumpkin seeds (raw, in-shell)

Fridge: Not recommended

Pumpkin seeds (raw, no shell)

Fridge: 6 months

Pumpkin seeds (roasted, in-shell)

Pantry: 6 months

Pumpkin seeds (roasted, no-shell)

Pantry: 6 months

Roasted nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Roasted red peppers (jar)

Fridge: 4 to 6 months

Salt (table, plain, or iodized)

Pantry: Indefinitely

Seafood (canned)

Pantry: 1 year

Sesame oil

Pantry: 2 years

Sesame seeds

Pantry: 5 years

Soup mixes (dry bouillon)

Pantry: 1 year

Sun dried tomatoes (jar)

Pantry: 1 year

Sunflower oil

Pantry: 1 year

Sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted, no shell)

Pantry: 12 months

Sunflower seeds (roasted, no shell)

Pantry: 12 months

Sunflower seeds (roasted, salted, in shell)

Pantry: Until the use-by date on the package

Syrup

Pantry: 1 year

Tapenade

Fridge: 9 months

Toaster pastries

Pantry: 6 to 12 months

Tomato paste

Freezer: 2 to 3 months · Pantry: 27 months

Tuna (canned)

Pantry: 3 years

Tuna (packet)

Pantry: 18 months

Walnuts (shell or no shell)

Fridge: 9 to 12 months · Freezer: 24 months

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