9 Foods That (Almost) Never Go Bad (2024)

Buy almost anything from the grocery store and it will come with an expiration date — a ticking time bomb until you have to throw out that bottle of soy sauce you never opened. But don't toss it just yet: Several common food items have a longer shelf life than you might expect. Why? As Keri Gans, R.D.N. and author of the book The Small Change Diet, explains, "the expiration date only applies to the nutritional value of the product," and not its safety to eat. Shelf-stable foods, like these nine, could last well after their expiration date — so long as you give them a good once-over for signs of discoloration, odor, or compromised packaging, Gans says.

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Soy Sauce

"Soy sauce can last a really, really long time unopened in the pantry," says Gans. But while it can last indefinitely unopened, popping the top puts a three-year time limit on its freshness.

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Worcestershire Sauce

Much like soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce has a relatively high salt and acid content, which act as preservatives, explains Alissa Rumsey, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That's just one reason you can keep an unopened bottle of Worcestershire sauce for five years.

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Honey

Perhaps unsurprisingly thanks to its rich sweetness, "honey has a low acidic pH and very low moisture levels," says Rumsey, "which prevents the growth of bacteria." Honey is safe to keep indefinitely, though it may crystalize over time.

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Sugar

Unless you're an avid baker, that bag of sugar you just bought could last a lifetime — and that's OK. "The key thing with sugar is to just keep it away from moisture," says Gans.

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Rice

Properly stored white rice can last indefinitely. But, "whole grain rice has a shorter shelf life because it is less processed," says Rumsey, who adds that you should keep your brown and whole grain rice no more than six months.

Dried Vegetables

Unlike their fresh counterparts, dehydrated vegetables — think freeze-dried kale chips or green beans — can last eight years in your pantry. "Freeze-dried vegetables have all the water removed from them so they have an extra-long shelf life," Rumsey explains.

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Peanuts

Unopened packages of peanuts can last up to two years. And that includes peanut butter, the conventional kind which is highly processed with sugar and other food additives meant to help it last longer, says Claire Shorenstein, M.S., R.D., and C.D.N.

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Canned Fish

Canned fish — such as tuna, salmon, and sardines — can last up to three years after they're packaged. Why? "Canning foods removes all air and places it in vacuum-sealed containers that are then heat processed," says Rumsey. "This destroys microorganisms and prevents new bacteria from getting in."

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Cornstarch

Cornstarch can also last indefinitely. But these nine items are by no means an exhaustive list of common kitchen goods with long shelf lives. In general, "food lasts longer if it has been preserved via methods like canning, pickling, drying, smoking, pasteurization, or irradiation, or if it contains food preservatives, all of which help inhibit bacterial growth, maintain the appearance of the food, and prevent foodborne illnesses," Shorenstein explains. So before you toss out an unopened food item, ask whether it meets those criteria. And be safe. "The key is to ask yourself, what is the upside to eating potentially spoiled food? Is it truly worth the risk?" says Shorenstein.