Out with the Old

Out with the Old

When looking at Debbie Harman’s food storage recipes, consider your own supplies.

Often we are quick to assume that our unperishables are . . . unperishable. But many of those items sitting in your food storage will not last forever. Here are guidelines for when some of the basics need to be thrown out:

Pancake mix: 6-9 months
Crackers: 6 months
Pasta (without egg solids): 1 year
Cereals: 6-12 months (but they can go stale quickly if opened)
Plain white rice, in airtight container: 2 years
Popcorn: 1-2 years
Canned fruit: 12-18 months (unopened)
Baking powder and soda: 6 months (opened)
Flour: 6-8 months
Sugar: 2 years (indefinite if kept free of moisture)
Prepared cake, pudding, and biscuit mixes: 9-12 months
Shortening: 18 months (unopened)
Vanilla extract: 1 year (opened)