When Do Pantry Items Expire?

1 Olive Oil

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If olive oil is stored the right way, it'll last for one-and-a-half to two years past the bottling date — unopened. Once opened, it's recommended to use the bottle within 30 to 60 days.

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2 Garlic

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A fresh head of garlic will last up to two months in your pantry, and once you've broken the head, you should use the cloves within 10 days. This ensures the freshest garlic (no yucky brown spots) and the strongest garlicky flavor in your food.

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3 Honey

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Don't be(e) fooled if someone asks when honey goes bad — it's a trick question! Honey is essentially the only food that can last forever; it does not go bad. You don't need to refrigerate honey. If your honey crystallizes and becomes more solid than liquid, it doesn't mean it's gone bad. All you have to do is put the jar in a pot of hot water, and it'll return to a liquid state.

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4 Salsa

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Salsa doesn't last very long: an unopened jar is good for one to two months past the printed date, and an opened jar in the fridge should be eaten within one or two weeks.

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5 Flour

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Not to mention the fact that flour can be contaminated if it's not heat-treated, but it also might not last as long as you'd think. The shelf life of flour is six to eight months in the pantry, or 12 months in the freezer.

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6 Maple Syrup

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First things first: maple syrup should be refrigerated after opening and will stay good for a year in the fridge. But before it's been opened, maple syrup should last two years stored in the pantry.

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7 Rice

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Uncooked white rice lasts for four to five years in the pantry, while brown rice only last six to eight months in the pantry.

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8 Jarred Pasta Sauce

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Jarred pasta sauces in your pantry will last for one year past the printed date. Cream-based sauces have a slightly shorter shelf life in the pantry: six to eight months. Once opened, pasta sauces should be used within five to 10 days.

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9 Dried Beans

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Dried beans like cannellini beans and black beans are cheap pantry staples that thankfully last indefinitely, but they'll begin to lose their moisture after one to two years, resulting in a tougher texture. Canned beans last for about a year.

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10 Mayonnaise

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If you haven't opened your jar of mayo yet, it'll last three to four months unopened. Once you've opened it and moved it to your refrigerator, you should toss it after two to three months past the date on the package.

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11 Pasta

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Dried pasta lasts for one to two years past the printed date, and fresh pasta will last four to five days in the refrigerator.

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12 Oats

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Dried oats like steel-cut and quick-cook oats last for at least one year in the pantry.

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