Most weeks, you make a big grocery list and head to the store, prepared to buy loads of fresh food to make your family’s meals. We often don’t give a thought to stuff sitting in the kitchen cupboard or we automatically throw out anything that’s been in there longer than we can remember.
But Janice Revell, co-founder of StillTasty.com, says “Look in your pantry and your cabinets and check whether the items really do need to go. You’ll be shocked by what you really don’t need to throw away.”
So before you throw out that years-old sugar or replace that bottle of vanilla that’s been gathering dust, consult this list of “forever foods.” You may be surprised how many of your kitchen staples have a shelf life of decades — even after they’ve been opened.
1. Sugar
Regardless of whether your sugar is white, brown, or powdered, it will never spoil because it doesn’t support bacterial growth.
The challenge with sugar is to keep it from hardening into chunks. To keep sugar fresh, store it in an airtight container or seal it in a plastic bag. If your brown sugar is more like a brown rock, you can revive it with just a minute in the microwave on low heat.
3. Rice
White, wild, jasmine, arborio and basmati rice all keep forever so there’s no need to throw them out. Brown rice is the one exception because it has a higher oil content so store it in the refrigerator or freeze it to maximize its shelf life. Once you’ve opened a bag or box of rice, move it to an airtight container or resealable freezer bag to keep it fresh.
5. Honey
Whether you use it in your tea, on your toast or as an alternative sweetener, that jar of pure honey is good forever. It may get grainy or change color, but it’s still safe to eat — and delicious — because its antibiotic properties keep it from spoiling.
You can help keep it fresh by storing it in a cool area, and you can improve the quality of crystallized honey by placing the jar in warm water and stirring it until the grainy parts dissolve.
8. Maple syrup
What good are pancakes or waffles without maple syrup? Luckily, this flavorful syrup will never spoil if you refrigerate it or freeze it. For long-term storage, seal it in an airtight plastic container and freeze it. “The freezer is such a useful tool that can really save you money because there are very few foods that don’t freeze well,” says Janice Revell of StillTasty.com.
