{"id":5318,"date":"2024-05-23T06:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-23T06:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsmooh.com\/?p=5318"},"modified":"2024-05-23T22:34:41","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T22:34:41","slug":"food-nutrition-pantry-items-youre-keeping-too-long","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsmooh.com\/food-nutrition-pantry-items-youre-keeping-too-long\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secret Shelf Life \u2014 7 Pantry Items You’re Keeping Too Long"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We all have those items that get pushed to the back of our pantry shelves, forgotten, and neglected. But did you know there may be pantry items you’re keeping too long? Some grocery store<\/a> pantry items actually have surprisingly short shelf lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a quick test:<\/strong> How long has your opened peanut butter jar sat in your pantry? If you answered over three months, you should probably throw it out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re guilty of holding on to pantry staples longer than you should, you\u2019re not alone. To find out which pantry items you should probably toss, we\u2019ve gathered some of the most common shelf-stable items and ran them through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services\u00a0Food Keeper app<\/a>. Keep reading; you might be shocked by some of these!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7 Pantry Items You\u2019re Keeping Too Long<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Peanut butter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Peanut butter is one of those pantry items families either use a lot of or forget about. If kept in the pantry, a jar of peanut butter is only good for about two to three months after opening. Spoiled peanut butter will gain a darker color and smell soapy or metallic. Some people store their peanut butter in the fridge after opening; this extends its life up to six months instead of three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> up to three months after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Olive oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Olive oil has a surprisingly short shelf life of about five months after cracking open. But if you\u2019ve left your opened bottle in the pantry for longer, you\u2019re probably not alone. It\u2019s easy to forget about a bottle of olive oil. If it\u2019s gone bad, you won\u2019t get that rich olive smell and will whiff more of a waxy aroma. Sometimes spoiled olive oil will also turn a brighter yellow color. If you\u2019re unsure how long your bottle has been sitting in the pantry, look at its color and give it a smell before using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> three to five months after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Egg noodles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So you didn\u2019t use all your egg noodles the last time you made chicken noodle soup, and now you have an opened bag sitting in your pantry. Most people don\u2019t know that egg noodles go bad about two months after opening. Egg noodles are not like their other pasta cousins. Because they mainly contain eggs, their best-by date is much sooner than regular dried kinds of pasta. Spoiled egg noodles will smell odd\u2013like must\u2013and even have mold growing on them. So before throwing your previously opened egg noodles right into a pasta sauce, examine them thoroughly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> one to two months after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Cashews<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cashews are a pantry snack that you don\u2019t expect to have a short shelf life but do. So it can be surprising to hear you should toss them two to four weeks after purchase. Because they typically come without a shell, there\u2019s less protection, and will go bad faster than other pantry nuts. Cashews that have gone bad will look discolored and become whiter\u2013which is actually mold growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> two to four weeks after purchasing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. Baking powder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Baking powder is a staple pantry item. And because most people only use a few teaspoons at a time, it can get left open and go bad by the next time you need it. Baking powders spoil three to six months after opening. If you\u2019re an avid baker, that might not be a problem. But if you only bake occasionally, you should probably toss the baking powder in your pantry. While expired baking powder won\u2019t typically make you sick, it will lose its potency and make your baked goods fall flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> three to six months after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. White flour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

White flour commonly comes in huge bags. And if you\u2019re not a baking extraordinaire, you probably won’t use it before it goes bad in six months. It\u2019s essential to keep tabs on your flour because there is a chance it can cause food poisoning if used beyond the expiration date. Rancid flour will smell moldy or sour. Plus, if it\u2019s spoiled, its standard bright white color may appear discolored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> six to eight months after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. Marshmallows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sweet treats usually have a long shelf life, but when it comes to a bag of marshmallows, you want to toss them one month after opening. Spoiled marshmallows will be harder to chew and smell or taste stale. And while it’s typically not unsafe to eat an expired marshmallow, it will probably taste unpleasant and might cause a tummy ache.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average Expiration:<\/strong> up to one month after opening<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Often Should I Check The Expiration Dates of Pantry Items?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A good rule of thumb is to check everything as you use it. Depending on what you have in your pantry, some items go bad in a matter of weeks, and some in a couple of months. Checking, sniffing, and examining items as you go is a sure way to save you from eating anything spoiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to be proactive and keep your pantry up to date, set a monthly task to go through and get rid of expired items. One to two months seems to be a good middle ground so you can avoid rotten pantry items slipping through the cracks\u2013or into your meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tips for a Well-Stocked Pantry:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n