21 Foods That Actually Last A Lot Longer Than You Think (Plus 21 Tips To Keep Them Fresh)
I'm sitting at my house, looking at my four rotten bananas and wondering where everything went wrong. They could have been saved just by tossing them in the fridge before they turned brown! The cold temperatures slow the ripening process.
(NOTE: above is not the photograph of my four rotten bananas because I threw mine away in shame.)
I need to do a better job keeping my noms, so I thought I'd put my research cap on and get to work. I found that these 21 foods have a longer-than-expected shelf life if you keep them fresh and stored correctly:
1.Popcorn
Some popcorn products are listed to expire as quickly as six months. Keep your unpopped popcorn stored in a dark, cool place, and it will stay fresh for a year. If you have loose kernels, throw them in a tin for ideal storage.
Already popped popcorn can go inside a sealed container and be stored in the freezer until you eat it. Just be ready to eat it within a week, or it will go bad. Butter will help add flavor to avoid a potentially stale flavor.
2.Dark chocolate
If you are trying not to eat too many sweets, don't worry. Dark chocolate can survive in your pantry for two years. You will want to keep it in its wrapper and avoid leaving it in hot temperatures. With lower sugar levels, freezing is also an option to keep it fresh even longer.
3.Dried pasta
The life span of pasta can be two full years without proper storage. But assuming you have some containers lying around, they could last even longer. Remember to use airtight containers to better the chances of shelf survival by keeping them in a dark, dry cupboard.
4.Peanut butter
A jar of peanut butter can last a month, which is not bad when you realize it is just ground, roasted peanuts.
If refrigerated, peanut butter could last six to nine months. That gives you at least half a year to utilize it on bread, celery, or whatever your little peanut butter-loving heart desires.
5.Flour
If stored at a cooler house temperature, you're looking at flour that lasts half a year. I don't know too many people who eat flour straight up (lol), so imagine all the good eats you can get for six months. We're talking bread, cakes, pasta, and goodies for home chefs.
6.Frozen veggies
Frozen veggies can be stored in your freezer for eight to twelve months. Bag 'em and tag 'em, because you'll only want to thaw them when you eat them. It may not be the most significant tip, but coming from someone who does not eat enough veggies, frozen veggies are the way to go if we're talking about the long run.
7.Canned meats
Canned meats can be good for up to THIRTY years (depending on the type of meat). Drum roll, please...
Keep. Them. In. The. Cans. I know it sounds silly, but by keeping those cans sealed and away from heat, the meat inside will stay fresh for a long time.
8.Apples
Apples only last about a week. Refrigerated apples can last four to six weeks. That's four to six weeks of telling the doctor to kick rocks!
9.Oats
If unopened, it can last up to two years.
What about oatmeal? Keep it unopened in a cool and dry place, and you can throw it in a freezer for a year.
10.Honey
Unopened honey stays yummy indefinitely. The one tip that is different from the rest of these entries is that you must keep it in a GLASS container.
11.Eggs
Buy eggs in shells, and they can last three to five weeks.
Once cooked, don't hesitate if you want to store them. You must immediately cover them in a paper towel and place them in an airtight container. Hard-cooked eggs can last an entire week in the fridge!
12.Potatoes
Raw potatoes can survive in your pantry for a month, but with each day that passes, flavor passes with it. If you have a paper bag, toss those potatoes inside and store them away...just don't forget about them!
13.Onions
Fresh whole onions can last up to three months in the fridge. A pretty helpful hack is to keep them wrapped in a paper towel (individually) in order to ensure that they last those full three months.
14.Tea
Tea will be good to drink for up to a year and maybe more, depending on the tea. Be sure to leave it in a dark and dry place. Treat it how you'd treat your coffee.
15.Liquor
You leave that sucker sealed, and it will outlive you! Cue the infinity symbol.
It may be tempting to throw them in the fridge, but storing them in a cabinet is a better option.
16.Beets
They can last two weeks, but for each day, the worst they will taste. I know after a long trip to the grocery store, you might toss them in the fridge. Well, don't do that. You have a crisper for a reason, so if you want them to see the full two weeks, be sure to keep them tucked away in your crisper.
Pro-tip: don't trim the tail.
17.Bacon
Bacon can survive in your freezer for four months if you wanted to stock up.
Once cooked, grab an airtight container, and you can eat them slowly for the next four to five days.
18.Yogurt
Yogurt can go MAX two weeks. Since we're dealing with a milk product, that's a pretty underrated shelf life.
A good tip is to take your portion into a bowl or dish. The yogurt should stay sealed and stored in the fridge at all times other than when you take your portion...meaning: don't sit there with it on your lap while you watch TV.
19.Cooked sausages
I know a lot of Keto-Heads out there use sausage as a main dish. Cooked sausage can last an entire workweek, so if you want to save time, make them all at the start of the week. Then, wrap those suckers in aluminum foil (tightly) and make sure you don't pick at them until it's dinner time.
20.Jellies and jams
Some jellies can last two years if canned using pasteurization. You never see photos of jellies and jams in a plastic container. That's because glass containers keep them fresher longer.
21.Rice
Store and keep your rice in a sealed container. Keep it away from any moisture (like all the others on this list), so pick a cabinet that won't be a victim of condensation.
Have you already cooked your rice? No worries. Frozen cooked rice can last up to six months, so make room in your freezer.
