Six Foods in Your Pantry That Never Go Bad

Because it's easy to lose track of stuff at the back of a dark cupboard, expiration dates are a great tool for knowing when to throw away stale foods. But the "best by" dates we rely on don't always accurately reflect how long a food will remain fresh. The procedure of food dating is largely optional for grocery manufacturers, who frequently only make an educated guess as to when their items will no longer be of the highest quality. Fortunately, there are several items that can still be consumed even after their expiration date has passed, including the six listed below.

VANILLA EXTRACT NO. 1

Although purchasing pure vanilla extract from the grocery store can be pricey, if your oven is prone to taking breaks between baking sessions, it can be worthwhile. Because of the high alcohol level in real vanilla extract, it doesn't spoil and, in fact, can actually get better with age. However, imitation vanilla extract has a significantly lower shelf life. Vanillin, a synthetic chemical that mimics the sweet and syrupy flavor, is used to create the flavoring fake for real vanilla, which is produced by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol (which serves as a preservative). Imitation vanilla only keeps its flavor for six to twelve months after it is placed on the shelf.

HONEY NO. 2

Since ancient times, people have taken risks with bee swarms in the hopes of obtaining a small amount of honey. In addition to being used in cooking, the chemical has also been employed as a natural preservative because the food generated by insects is one of the few that rarely spoils. Because honey is mostly made of sugar and contains only 20% water, it has an endless shelf life. The nectar also has two additional preservation qualities: its viscous condition produces an oxygen barrier that stops diseases from growing, and its acidic pH level renders it undesirable for bacteria. The catch is that honey needs to be kept in a sealed container and away from humid environments in order to maintain these qualities. Even then, the USDA advises using honey within a year of purchase.

SUGAR NO. 3

One particularly pleasant quality of sugar is that it never truly "goes bad." Granulated sugars are frequently the main component used to preserve jellies, jams, and canned fruits since they are so hostile to germs (along with some syrups, including corn syrup). But like all long-stored pantry essentials, sugar needs to be kept away from sources of condensation or moisture because these substances are rapidly absorbed and can result in a hardened block.

Even though sugar may be stored indefinitely, food storage experts advise that it is preferable to use it within two years of opening. This is just another excuse to bake some fresh cookies.

WHITE RICE NO. 4

If you're "really hungry and want to eat 2,000 of something," rice is the perfect dinner, according to a joke by comedian Mitch Hedberg. It's also a fantastic food to store for a long time. When properly maintained away from moisture and animals, white rice, which is initially brown rice but is processed to remove its outer husk, bran, and germ, keeps the best. White rice may be preserved for up to 10 years if it is packed with oxygen absorbers, even at temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit, where its life span is closer to 25 to 30 years. However, not all types of rice last very long; unopened bags should be used within two years, and brown rice only keeps for about six months at room temperature due to its flammable natural oils.

VINEGAR NO. 5

The smell of ruined food is usually unpleasant, but vinegar always has a strong aroma, making it challenging to determine its quality using the traditional sniff test. Fortunately, you don't have to, because vinegar never goes bad. When yeast breaks down sugars or starches to produce alcohol, a byproduct known as vinegar is produced. This fermented product is then exposed to oxygen and the bacteria Acetobacter, which continues the fermentation process to produce the final acidic result. Vinegar doesn't typically need to be refrigerated because its acidity actually makes it self-preserving. Although vinegar can develop sediment over time, especially a gelatinous substance called "mother," this does not mean you should throw it away. In fact, vinegar mothers, which are colonies of good bacteria that develop in fermented liquids, can even be used to make fresh batches of the multipurpose solution.

SALT NO. 6

Animal, vegetable, or mineral? The latter is the case with salt, which is one of the reasons it can remain unspoiled for an extended period of time in your pantry. Since salt is such an efficient bacterial inhibitor, foods (particularly meats) have been preserved with it for generations. Salt can destroy the enzymes that aid in the growth of bacteria, as well as dehydrate food and remove the water that bacteria require to survive. Despite some processed salts being more prone to losing quality with time due to additives like iodine or anti-caking agents (these types are best utilized in under five years), salt's capacity to resist water keeps it viable indefinitely. Regular salt, it can last a lifetime if maintained in a cold, dry environment.