Your pantry is probably full of foods you bought months ago and haven’t thought much about since. And because they’re sitting on a shelf instead of in the refrigerator, it’s easy to assume they’ll be perfectly fine whenever you finally get around to using them.
Some pantry staples do last for years, but that doesn’t mean everything in there lasts forever. Here are 9 pantry staples that may not last nearly as long as you think.
Spices
That jar of oregano from who-knows-when probably isn’t going to suddenly make you sick simply because it’s old, but spices definitely don’t stay flavorful forever.
If your spices barely smell like anything anymore, have become damp or clumpy, or look noticeably different, that’s usually my sign that it’s time to replace them.
Rice and Other Grains
Rice and dry grains seem like they should last forever, but pantry moths and weevils would happily prove otherwise. Before cooking an older bag, check for tiny insects, larvae, webbing, strange clumps or a musty smell, especially if it has been sitting open in the pantry for a while.
Canned Goods
Canned food can last a surprisingly long time, but I wouldn’t take chances with a can that’s bulging, leaking, badly rusted or deeply dented around the seams.
If the packaging looks questionable or you have no idea how long that can has been sitting there, it’s one of those times when tossing it is probably better than trying to find out if it’s still good.
Cooking Oils
Cooking oil is one of those pantry staples I think a lot of us keep around much longer than we realize, especially when it’s a type of oil we don’t use very often. If you open the bottle and notice a stale, bitter, or just plain strange smell, the oil may have gone rancid, and it’s time for a new bottle.
Flour
Flour may look perfectly fine sitting in its bag, but moisture and pantry pests can quickly change that. If you notice bugs, webbing, mold or an unusual smell when you open it, toss the entire bag rather than trying to scoop out the questionable part.
Baking Soda
Baking soda may still be sitting in the pantry long after it has stopped doing a good job of what you actually bought it for.
An older box can absorb surrounding odors and lose some of its baking effectiveness, so replacing it can save you from wondering why your cookies or quick breads didn’t turn out quite right.
Related: 12 Things You Should Never Do With Baking Soda
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter isn’t something we often think about spoiling, but the oils in it can eventually go rancid, especially in natural varieties. If an older jar suddenly smells stale, bitter, or sour, or simply doesn’t look the way it normally does, I’d skip the taste test and replace it.
Dry Pasta
A forgotten box of dry pasta can last quite a while as long as it stays dry and pantry pests don’t find it first. Open the box and take a look before cooking it, and toss it if you see insects, webbing, moisture, mold or anything else that clearly doesn’t belong there.
Condiments
It’s surprisingly easy to accumulate half-used bottles of ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and other condiments and completely forget when you opened them. Check the date and storage instructions on the bottle, and get rid of anything with mold, an unusual smell, a strange texture or packaging that looks damaged.
