Before opening, shelf-stable foods should be safe unless the can or packaging has been damaged. After opening, store products in tightly closed containers. The storage of many shelf-stable items at room temperature is a quality issue -- unless the product is contaminated (bugs in flour, for example). Some foods must be refrigerated after opening, such as tuna or chili.   Shelf-stable foods Unopened on shelf Opened, refrigerated Opened on shelf Baby food, jars or cans Fruits & vegetables 2 months after date 2-3 days   Meats & eggs 2 months after date 1 day   Cereal, dry mixes Use-by date   2 months Formula Use-by date 1-2 days   Bacon Bits, imitation 4 months   4 months Baking ingredients Baking powder 6 months   3 months Baking soda 18 months   6 months Biscuit or pancake mix 15 months   Pkg. use-by date Cake, brownie and bread mixes 12-18 months   Pkg. use-by date Cornmeal, regular degerminated 6-12 months 12 months   stone ground or blue 1 month 2-3 months   Cornstarch 18 months   18 months Flour, white 6-12 months   6-8 months Flour, whole wheat 1 month 6-8 months   Frosting, canned 10 months 1 week   Frosting mixes 12 months   3 months Beans, dried 12 months   12 months Canned goods, low acid 2-5 years 3-4 days   (such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes, spinach) Canned goods, high acid 12-18 months 5-7 days   (such as juices, fruit, pickles, sauerbraut, tomato, soup, and foods in vinegar-based sauce) Cereal, ready-to-eat 6-12 months   3 months cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.) 12 months   6-12 months Chocolate, unsweetened and semi-sweet, solid 18-24 months   1 year Chocolate syrup 2 years 6 months   Cocoa and cocoa mixes indefinitely   1 year Coffee Whole beans, non-vacuum bag 1-3 weeks 3-4 months frozen   Ground, in cans 2 years 2 weeks   Instant, jars and tins 12 months   2-3 months Condiments Barbecue sauce, bottled 12 months 4 months 1 month Catsup, tomato; cocktail sauce or chili sauce 12 months 6 months 1 month Chutney 12 months 1-2 months   Horseradish, in jar 12 months 3-4 months   Mayonnaise, commercial 2-3 months 2 months   Mustard 12 months 1 year 1-2 months Olives, black and green 12 -18 months 2 weeks   Pickles 12 months 1-2 months   Salad dressings, commercial, bottled 10-12 months 3 months   Salsa, picante and taco sauces 12 months 1 month   Cookies, packaged 2 months 8-12 months frozen 4 weeks Crackers 8 months freeze or refrig. 3-4 months 1 month Diet powder mixes 6 months   3 months Extracts, vanilla, lemon, etc. 3 years   1 year Fruits, dried 6 months 6 months   Garlic, chopped, commercial jars 18 months Refrigerate; use by date on jar   Gelatin, flavored 18 months   Use all or reseal for 3-4 months Gelatin, unflavored 3 years   Use all or reseal for 3-4 months Gravy, jars & cans 2-5 years 1-2 days   dry gravy mixes 2 years   Mix entire packet Herbs, dried 1-2 years   Store in cool dark place 1 year. Honey 12 months   12 months Jams, jellies, preserves 12 months 6 months   Juice, boxes 4-6 months 8-12 days   Lentils, dried 12 months   12 months Maple syrup, pure genuine 12 months 12 months   Marshmallows, marshmallow creme 2-4 months   1 month Milk, canned evaporated 12 months 4-5 days   Molasses 12 months   6 months Mushrooms, dried 6 months   3 months Oils, olive or vegetable 6 months   4-6 months walnut, macadamia, other nut oils 6 months 4 months   vegetable oil sprays 2 years   1 year Nuts, jars or cans 12 months 4-6 months, Freeze 9-12 months   Pasta, dry, made without eggs 2 years   1 year dry egg noodles 2 years   1-2 months Peanut butter, commercial 6-9 months   2-3 months Peas, dried split 12 months   12 months Pectin Use by package date   1 mo. Popcorn, dry kernels in jar 2 years   1 year commercially popped in bags 2-3 months   1-2 weeks Microwave packets 12 months   1-2 days popped Potato chips 2 months   1-2 weeks Potatoes, instant 6-12 months   6-12 months Pudding mixes 12 months   3-4 months Rice, white or wild 2 years   1 year brown 1 year 6 months   flavored or herb mixes 6 months   Use entire amt. Sauce mixes, non dairy (spaghetti, taco, etc.) 2 years   Use entire amt. cream sauces with milk solids 1 year     Shortening, solid 8 months   3 months Soda such as carbonated cola drinks, mixers: Diet sodas, bottles or cans 3 months after date 2-3 days   Regular sodas, bottles 3 months after date 2-3 days   Regular sodas, cans 9 months after date n.a.   Soup mixes 12 months   Use entire amt. Spices, whole 2-4 years   Included in total ground 2-3 years   Included in total Paprika, red pepper, chili powder 2 years Store in refrig.   Sugar, brown 4 months   Sugar nevers spoils Granulated 2 years     Confectioners 18 months     Sugar substitutes 2 years     Syrup, pancake, maple & other flavors 12 months   12 months Tapioca 12 months   12 months Tea, bags 18 months   12 months Loose 2 years   6-12 months Instant 3 years   6-12 months Toaster pastries, fruit filled 6 months   Keep foil packets sealed non-fruit fillings 9 months   Tomatoes, sun dried, packed in oil 12 months 6-12 months   packed in cellophane 9 months   3-6 months Vinegar 2 years   12 months Yeast, dry, packets and jars Use-by date Refrigerate open jars   Water, bottled 1-2 years   3 months Worcestershire sauce 1 year   1 year Top 10:   1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   5   |   6   |   7 Cover | Summary | News | Commerce | Sports | Local News | Technology | Living | On Air | Opinions | Weather Find | About MSNBC | Help | Toolkit | Feedback | Index