I recently received the following email regarding my previous article on food storage shelf life:

Hello,

I was just reading your article on Food Storage Shelf Life. This is all good information, but what about smaller families?

I am always tempted by the sales on #10 cans, but once a can is opened, how
long do you have to use it? I can find dozens of articles online about how
to store unopened cans, but can find no articles on proper storage after the
can has been opened, or how long you have to use the contents before tossing
them in the garbage. I know flour, sugar and salt will last almost
indefinately, but what about powdered milk? powdered cheese? tomato powder?

As a result, I have not been putting #10 cans in my food storage simply
because I don’t want to prepare one meal out of the can and end up not using
the rest before it goes bad because I have no idea how long I can keep it
around safely once it’s opened.

What we have been doing is just buying canned foods at the supermarket and
rotating our food storage by using the old and replacing it with new. (take
from the front of the shelf, replace from the back)

We have also been adding freeze-dried foods to our emergency
storage plan, but again we’ve been opting for single-serving pouches rather
than multi-serving cans for the same reason.

Thank You.
B.W.

Great questions, B.W., and a good opportunity to expand more on this topic. We have discussed the cardinal rules for extending the life of stored products (Keep it cool, keep it dry, keep it dark). This applies even more to products that have been opened. If you do the following things, you can keep your opened products good for a year or more, to give you time to use them up. Even if you have a small family, you can benefit from the cost savings of buying in larger sizes.

Let me make it clear that this article is concerned with dry or dehydrated foods. For stored food that contains any kind of liquid, observe the product expiration date, cook and store according to package directions, and throw away any bulging containers.

Now back to the dry foods.

First and most importantly, make sure you keep the opened food tightly enclosed. All of our #10 cans come with plastic lids for this reason. My wife likes to save her used #10 cans and lids for storing products that came in bags or boxes. You can also use heavy food-grade plastic containers, metal containers, or glass bottles, so long as they have tight-fitting lids.

Store your opened products in a location that is reasonably cool and dry, where they will not be exposed to a lot of light, and where there are no rodent or insect problems. Kitchen and pantry cupboards with doors are fine for most products if they meet the stated conditions.

Whole non-oily grains and legumes such as wheat, beans, lentils, popcorn and white rice, as well as nonperishable products such as sugar, salt, baking powder, and honey, are pretty durable. Most of these products can be stored safely on the shelf for several years, even after being opened.

Certain products are more delicate and need extra care. Flour tends to develop an off-flavor if left opened too long. For this reason, you should plan to use your flour and any mixes containing flour within 3 to 6 months after opening. The same goes for oily products such as bran, flax, and brown rice. If you need to store them longer, keep them in the refrigerator or freezer, where they will last at least twice as long.

Ground, cracked, and rolled grains such as rolled oats, cracked wheat, and cornmeal are generally okay to use for 2-4 years after opening, but they tend to lose nutritional value over time, so it is best to use them within 1 year after they are opened.

Powdered milk, other powdered dairy products, beverage mixes, bouillon powder and gelatin will last 2-3 years on the shelf after opening. However, these products tend to clump and harden, making them more difficult to mix. For best results, use these products within a year after opening.

Dehydrated and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables can lose some of their color and flavor over time. It is best to use them within 6 months after opening. They can be stored longer when kept in the refrigerator.

Powdered eggs and yeast are the most sensitive to storage conditions. I strongly recommend keeping them in the freezer after opening. Both will store for 2-3 years in the freezer, but only a few months on the shelf once they are opened.

And as always, keep your food rotated. Use stored foods in your everyday cooking, don’t just let them sit on the shelf. Use the oldest products first, and replace them as you use them. You’ll save a ton of money and won’t have to throw anything away.

Thanks, B.W., for the question. Other questions are welcome. You may either use the comment facility or submit your questions by email.

Best wishes to all,
Jared

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About the Author

Jared Sorensen is president of Provident Living® and has over 20 years experience in the field of self-reliant living.

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