Have you ever wondered what the shelf life is for some of your favorite survival foods and beverages? I have gathered a list of the most common foods and beverages that preppers have on their shelves for their emergency food supply, along with their shelf life information — some of which may surprise you!
Shelf Life of Basic Cooking Ingredients
White Sugar: indefinite shelf lifeBrown Sugar: indefinite shelf life, but best when used within 2 yearsDried Herbs and Spices: the shelf life for the most common herbs and spices are as follows…
- Ground Cinnamon: 3-4 years
- Ground Ginger: 3-4 years
- Bay Leaves, dried: 1-3 years
- Oregano Leaves, dried : 1-3 years
- Chili powder: 3-4 years
- Whole Nutmeg: 4 years
- Crushed Red Pepper: 2-3 years
- Black Peppercorns, whole: 4 years
Flour (all purpose, white, whole wheat): 5-8 yearsCornmeal: 5-8 yearsPowdered Milk: 2-5 yearsVinegar (white, apple cider, balsamic, raspberry, red wine): indefinite shelf life if stored in a pantry or cabinet Raw Honey: indefinite shelf life. (If you purchase raw honey from a supermarket and see an expiration date, don’t worry. It is a commercial requirement to put dates on food items sold in stores. If you buy raw honey at a farmer’s market, for example, you will not see an expiration date.)
Shelf Life of Miscellaneous Food Items
Dry corn: 15-20 yearsRaw Beans: If sealed and kept away from oxygen the following beans have a shelf life of 8-10 years.
- Pinto Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Lentils
- Lima Beans
- Adzuki Beans
- Garbanzo Beans
- Mung Beans
- Black Turtle Beans
- Blackeye Peas
White Rice (sealed): 8-10 yearsBrown Rice (sealed): 1-2 yearsDried Pasta (sealed): 1-2 yearsOats (unopened): 8 yearsMixed Nuts (Canned or Bottled):
- In pantry: 1 month
- In the refrigerator: 4-6 months
- In the freezer: 9-12 months
Peanut Butter (Unopened):
- Smooth: 1 year
- Crunchy: 1 year
- Natural: 2-3 months
Canned Vegetables: 1-2 years beyond the date stamped on the canCanned Fruits: 1-2 years beyond the date stamped on the canDried Fruits: Most dried fruits will last for a year beyond a “best by” date and can be frozen indefinitely.
Shelf Life of Drinks
Water (bottled): 2+ yearsCoffee (Unopened in the pantry):
- Ground coffee: 3-5 months
- Whole Bean Coffee: 6-9 months
- Instant coffee: 2-20 years but if kept in the freezer it has an indefinite shelf life
Tea (Unprepared in the pantry):
- Packaged Tea: 6-12 months
- Loose Tea: 6-12 months
- Powdered Ice Tea Mix: 6-12 months
Liquor: Vodka, tequila, rum, gin, whiskey, and brandy all have an indefinite shelf life.Wine (Unopened):
- Bottled white wine: 1-2 years
- Bottled red wine: 2-3 years
- Wine juice boxes: 1 year
- Fine wine: Can last for decades in a wine cellar
DIY Recipes: Foods That You Can Pre-Make That Have Extended Shelf Life
Pemmican: Can last decades without refrigeration. Click here for more information and recipe.Chocolate and Chia Seed Survival Bars: A very nutritious snack for the whole family. They have a long shelf life based on the ingredients used. Click here for more information and recipe. Hardtack: This is a great long-term survival food that you can make ahead of time. It has a very interesting history! Click here to read the history behind hardtack and recipe. Check out these other related articles from us here at Survival Life and our friends at DIY Ready:8 Survival Foods and How To Store ThemDIY Venison Jerky | Survival FoodWise Food Storage – Vacuum Sealing FoodWant more recipes for your survival food stash? Visit our friends at Homemade Recipes.
