In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleCooking OilsHerbs & SpicesFloursDry Rice & PastaBaking Powder, Baking Soda & YeastNutsMaple SyrupFood Gifts and Souvenirs You’ll Never UseSprinklesThe Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Cooking Oils
Herbs & Spices
Flours
Dry Rice & Pasta
Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Yeast
Nuts
Maple Syrup
Food Gifts and Souvenirs You’ll Never Use
Sprinkles
The Bottom Line
If you’re anything like us, yourkitchen pantryis probably bursting at its seams. We utilize every inch, nook and cranny to store everything fromcanned beansto seaweed snacks. Although we’d like to say that all our pantry items are fresh, the truth is we know there are some items that have gone bad or are past theirexpiration dates. Here are the nine types of items in our pantries—and probably yours—that should be thrown away.
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11 Items You Should Never Store in Your Pantry
Cooking oils such ascanola oiland olive oil don’t last as long as you might think.According to the USDA, they last about four months when stored unopened. However, they can degrade even faster when exposed to light, air or heat. To check if your oils are still good, take a good whiff to see if you smell any off odors. If the oil smells stale, reminds you of chemicals, a fermented funk or even crayons, the oil is past its prime or may be completely spoiled. It’s time to toss that oil.
Sometimes a tiny taste test may be the best route. If the oil smells OK but tastes sour, soapy or not quite right, get rid of it. Trust your senses. More than likely, when an oil is bad, you’ll know it.
If you’re an adventurous home cook and like to try new recipes, you may be guilty of hoarding dozens ofdried herbs and spicesthat have only been used once or twice. Dried herbs and spices technically never go bad, but they will lose their flavor over time.According to the USDA, ground spices last about two to three years, while whole spices can last up to four years. Go through your spice drawer and throw out any that have been around for more years than recommended—they’re not doing your cooking any favors.
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Are you a lifelong baker or do you pick it up only when time permits? Either way, you likely have half-used bags of flour tucked away in your pantry. It may be time to throw those in the compost bin. Flour stays fresh for about eight months when stored at room temperature. However, certain flours, like whole-wheat, gluten-free and nut-based flours, have a shorter shelf life due to their higher fat content. Depending on when you bought your flour, it might be time to throw it away. (Here’show to tell if flour is badand how to store it properly. It may be better off in your freezer than in the pantry.) If it’s been less than a year since you purchased it, do a smell test. If it has a stale, sour or off aroma, throw it out.
Whether you’re apasta fanaticwho loses track of all the different noodle shapes in your pantry, or you rarely touch the stuff, there are likely opened or lost bags of pasta or rice deep in your shelves. Rice and pasta can last years in the pantry, but it may be time to re-order them first-in, first-out style. When doing this, throw out any unsealed containers, or pasta or rice that are misshapen, discolored or smell rancid.
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If you don’t bake regularly, chances are your leaveners have expired. According to the USDA, unopenedbaking powderhas a shelf life of about six months, whilebaking sodacan last up to 18 months. If opened, both should be used within six months. If you’re not sure how long your leaveners have been around, conduct a test. Add some baking soda to hot water with vinegar. If it starts to fizz, then it’s still good. Perform the same test with baking powder, but just use hot water.
For yeast, check the expiration dates on the packets and throw out any that have expired. If you have an opened container of dry yeast that hasn’t been stored in the freezer, it’s probably time to toss that, too. Dry yeast lasts about four months when stored in the fridge and a few years when frozen.
Ever buy one too many pounds of a certain nut variety only to have them sit in your pantry basically untouched? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Sadly, nuts have a short shelf life due to their fat content. If more than six months have passed since you purchased yours (and they haven’t been stored in the freezer), there’s a good chance they’ve turned rancid. If you want to be 100% sure before you toss them, do a sniff and taste test. If they have an off odor or taste, chuck them.
If you’re not a bigpancake-and-wafflehousehold, you may have a container or two of opened maple syrup that needs to be thrown out. Unlikehoney, maple syrup will go bad. According to Ohio State University,unopened pure maple syrup should be stored in the refrigeratorand will last about a year. Unrefrigerated, opened maple syrup may grow mold. Check yours and toss it if you see any mold growing.
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Gifting, buying andreceiving gourmet foodis something that brings us joy. But the truth is, sometimes we spend so much time admiring the product and packaging, and remembering the person or memory associated with it, we never get around to using it. If something has been around unopened for more than two years, we say toss it. You are not likely to use it and it’s likely gone bad or is at least past its prime.
If it’s been a while since you cleaned out your pantry, there’s a good chance you have a number of items that need to be thrown out. To avoid this situation in the future (andprevent further food wastefrom occurring), now may be the right time to organize your kitchen!
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