Food Storage Shelf Life Chart
I frequently get asked the shelf life of food storage products. How long will peanut butter last? What about dehydrated foods or powdered milk? For my book, Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival I compiled a food storage shelf life chart that includes the most common food storage options and I’m sharing it with you here. Download this chart as a printable PDF here.
These shelf life estimates apply to foods that are properly packaged and stored unopened in a cool, dark, dry environment.
1-3 Years
Yeast at room temperature
Peanut butter
Nuts
3-5 Years
Vegetable oil and shortening
Drink mixes
Hot cocoa
Coffee
Brown rice
Peanut butter powder
Home or commercially canned fruits, vegetables, and meats
5-7 Years
Powdered eggs
Butter powder
Bullion
Yeast stored in a freezer
Brown sugar
Barley
10 Years
White flour
Sour cream powder
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) products
Shortening powder
Cheese powder
20 Years
Dehydrated fruits and vegetables
Freeze-dried cheeses
Powdered milk
Dehydrated carrots
Quinoa
Rye
25 Years
Freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, and meats
Instant beans
30+ Years
Dry beans
Lentils
Rolled or whole oats
Pearled barley
Pasta
Potato flakes
Cocoa powder
White rice
Corn
Wheat
Indefinite
Sugar
Honey
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cornstarch
Shelf life is very much affected by storage conditions and will be shortened considerably by storing the food where it is subjected to extreme heat, wide temperature fluctuations, moisture, or exposure to pests.
The very best way to make food storage shelf life not matter so much is to rotate your food storage and use the food in your every day meals. If I am using my food storage properly, I won’t have any of it in my pantry for thirty years since it will be used and replaced long before it expires! Then it doesn’t matter if my peanut butter expires in 2 years or 30 years since I used it within a year of purchasing it.
For more assistance with your own food storage plan plus lots of other helpful tips, get your own copy of my book, Food Storage for Self Sufficiency and Survival.
Keep preparing! Angela
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I read your review on Tatter Lids and Rings. Can you use these for dry Goods, or are they just for canning? Please let me know if you get time. I know you are probably a busy lady.
Yes, you can use them for dry goods. They even work with the FoodSaver jar sealer so can be vacuum sealed onto the jar.
I recently found a large canister of raisins in my cupboard that I had bought to make cookies. The container had been opened and was about 1/2 full. I tried them, and they were just as fresh tasting as new, even though they had “expired” 3 years before. I ended up eating the rest of them.
I bought your book but I’m not able to go to the website you have listed there to print out all of the food storage organization things in the back of the book. The website looks like it’s been under maintenance for months since it says it will be out of service from such and such a time April 21st. Is there a way to get these sent via e-mail or on your website here? Thanks, I really love and appreciate the talent you have for this stuff and your book is terrific! I’ve got pink highlighter all over it! :)