10 Groceries That Will Last You Forever

Do you know the groceries that will last you a long time?

Yes, there are lots of groceries that will last you a long time, but not everyone is aware of them.

Not only will they last you a couple of years on the shelves without going bad, but they are staples that can help you throw together a meal in a pinch without many other side ingredients.

These groceries that will last are the best choice if you like to know that you have pantry staples that can save you when you are in an emergency or when you have not had the time or opportunity to go grocery shopping in a while.

There are many options of food staples to have in your pantry or freezer that are going to help you in the event of any sort of emergency (much like the past COVID-19 pandemic), but if you are not used to having these, make sure you start with the ones that we have discussed with you in today’s article.

The best thing about them, aside from the fact that they last a long time, is that they are fairly affordable, and you can always get a better deal if you end up buying them in bulk.

Keep reading to discover the best groceries that will last you a long time!

What are some of your pantry staples? Share your answers in the comments!

1. Pasta

Dried pasta is one of those pantry staples that definitely should never be missing from your supplies. Not only will it last you forever, but you will also be able to get a better deal when you buy it in bulk rather than just individual boxes.

What’s more, now more than ever, you will be able to find a type of pasta that is going to cater to any dietary restrictions you may have.

There are gluten-free pasta, there are pasta that are not made with any kind of egg for the vegans out there, and there are so many protein and keto alternatives on the market.

You just have to make sure that you are putting yourself out there.

Pasta is one of those foods that is shelf stable, and it will last for years without losing its quality since it is a dry product that, if stored properly, will be there seemingly forever.

If you are not sure about how long-lasting pasta is, look at its best-before date. They are generally at least 2 years in the future, and even if your pasta has “expired,” unless any crawlies got into it or it got exposed to moisture, it is still good to eat!

In fact, researchers found pasta in a Wfyptian pyramid that was still good to go!

Not to mention, you can make so many dishes, and there are so many pasta shapes, you will never get bored!

2. Oats

This cereal grain has been a staple of American breakfasts for years, but the best thing about it is how shelf-stable it is. You can easily count on oats to be there for you even when all other alternatives have disappeared.

A study by the Utah State University Extension has uncovered that, if stored properly, oats can last up to 30 years on the shelf!

This is huge if you are a fan of the grain, and you can easily store it in a cool, dry, and dark place and even forget about it. Oats are generally not even that expensive, and you can easily find them in bulk to save on some coins if you see a good deal.

Another perk of oats is that they are not relegated to just breakfast foods. You can use them to make flour and add them as binding agents to other dishes (including some meatloaves), muffins, and pound cakes.

If you find that you have too many of them and are scared they will go bad, you can always maximize their shelf life by using oxygen absorber packets!

We have been adding these to some of our pantry items that are sensitive to moisture, and they have been a lifesaver. Give them a try!

3. Popcorn

And by this, we mean the unpopped kernels.

Sure, a lot of us have gotten used to buying the microwave-premade packages or the already-popped bags, but when it comes to pantry staples, you cannot deny that having the unpopped kernels is the best choice.

They are not as long-lasting as the likes of oats and pasta, but in an unopened container, they can last you up to two years, while after getting in contact with air, they can last up to a year, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

In the end, unpopped kernels are still grains, and even if they have passed two years on the shelf, they will still be okay if no insect or moisture has gotten into them.

What’s more, they are very easy to pop by yourself on the stove with a tiny bit of oil, and you can dress them with any flavors you may want.

If you do not want to use the stove, there are also microwave gadgets that help you do this in more eco-friendly ways than relying on microwave popcorn packets.

Just ensure you store the kernels at room temperature in a place where they won’t fluctuate too much.

4. Dark chocolate

If you are a chocolate fan, know that you can store dark chocolate in your pantry for up to two years.

A study by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has done this, and they cite that you need to have some proper storage solutions for this to be effective.

This means that you are going to need a tight-sealing container and a temperature that is in the 65 to 70-degree range, all done in a dry location.

The pantry is the best choice for this, as long as you know that you can ensure a constant temperature for the items.

Never refrigerate dark chocolate if you want it to last a long time, as this can make the sugar rise to the surface.

Have you seen chocolate tablets with that whiteish, powdery appearance on their surfaces? That was sugar that rose due to cold temperatures.

It can be a sign that the chocolate has also not been carefully stored. It is still okay to eat, but you may find the texture and taste a bit off due to the sugar rising.

Yet, the next time you see a deal on your favorite dark chocolate, you can easily make a stash of it.

5. White rice

Polished rice (which is the one on the shelves, with the husk, bran, and germ removed) is the one that can be stored for a long time.

This is a staple food in many cultures, and they have been relying on this grain for centuries, so you know that its shelf life is legit.

According to studies, research, and people’s experience, polished rice has a whopping 25 to 30 years of stable shelf life as long as it is properly stored.

While you may be inclined to just leave it in the bag it has come in, know that rice is best stored at a temperature of 40 degrees or even lower.

Most of us do not have such temperatures in the home, but another choice to safely store rice is to use oxygen-free, sealed containers.

While there are some containers that achieve this, you can also vacuum seal this grain.

If you were always tempted by the big bags of rice (which may seem expensive at first but are actually cheaper per ounce than anything else you would buy at the store), know that this is your sign to go for it.

Rice is versatile, and there are many dishes that it is useful for. As long as you can safely store it, you will not have to worry about it going bad.

6. Honey

This may come as a surprise, but honey is relatively stable when stored, and it can last quite a while as long as you are aware that it can be a bit finicky.

If you are a honey enthusiast and you can get in a bigger quantity for a good deal, know that you can generally store it in sealed containers for a couple of decades!

This has been proven by archeologists still discovering buried and sealed containers of honey over the years. Yet on the shelves, it can be a different thing altogether.

A trade group explained that honey can end up suffering from chemical or physical changes over the years it is stored; sometimes it changes color by darkening from its signature golden or anger color, then it can also lose aroma and even crystalize over time.

This does not mean it has necessarily gone bad; a crustalized honey is just as good as any other, but it is good to check for any signs of fermentation or mold.

If it has been exposed to moisture, it could have developed these and be rendered unsafe to eat, but it all depends on your storing capacity.

Just make sure you store it properly!

This is not the only sweetener on our list that can last you a while, so keep on reading!

7. Canned foods

You have probably expected these foods to be on our list. Generally speaking, most commercially canned foods have a long, stable shelf life.

Since the commercial cans are stored in liquid, they have a best-of-date, where they will retain their quality up until the expiration date, which can be as far as five years from the time you have purchased them.

This makes them a prime contender for bulk buying, especially if you know you are using them frequently, and since they are generally of great quality, you should not be too cautious when getting them.

Just make sure that you choose the cans with a low amount of added sodium to not harm your health.

When it comes to home-canned items, know that they have a much shorter lifespan of one year. Generally, you should consume them within two years of canning, but ensure you verify their quality before consumption.

When you are buying cans in bulk, make sure you check for some things before committing to make sure that you are not getting faulty cans.

Any can that is dented, bulging, rusted, or scratched is definitely not, since this can alter the condition of the can and cause it to spoil even at the time of purchase.

Never consume any cans that have the aforementioned issues.

8. Frozen food

Not a pantry staple, but definitely one of the groceries that will last you for years is frozen food.

There are a couple of frozen items that are going to be definitely safe to eat even after years in your freezer.

Yes, they may not taste amazing, but they are still safe to eat, and you should not doubt them unless your freezer has been going over zero degrees Fahrenheit during their storage life.

The deal with frozen food, even the ones you freeze yourself, is that by freezing them and keeping them at zero and below degrees, you basically stop them in time, which makes them stable.

You can safely eat frozen food from 3 years ago but know that the quality is not going to be what you expect.

After some time, the food will start changing color or get freezer burn, but that does not make it unsafe to eat.

Make sure you store them in airless packages.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a chart you can check when it comes to the quality of frozen food and for how long it retains all its properties, along with important freezing information. You can check the chart here.

9. Some cheeses

Yes, there is going to be some cheese that you will be able to store for 10 months to several years, as long as you make sure that you properly store it.

Generally speaking, this includes all low-moisture cheeses that are going to be hard. Due to their low moisture content, they are not as prone to molding, and since they are hard cheeses, the aging process has already made them more stable than many other cheeses.

The best example of this is Parmesan since you can easily keep it for up to 5 years with no issues as long as it is stored properly.

Sure, buying a wheel of parmesan is not the best choice for everyone since that is both expensive and a lot of cheese, but you can always talk with some friends and family and see if they want to invest with you.

Another cheese that can last up to 10 years is aged cheddar.

If you want to invest in more cheese when you find a good deal, make sure that you check how you can properly store it to not accidentally cause it to go bad.

The best part of this is that aged cheese ends up having such a low to zero lactose content that even those who may be lactose intolerant would be able to enjoy it.

10. Dried beans

Another type of food that is going to be a great staple to have on hand is dried beans. Studies have shown that beans in their dried state (and yes, this includes lentils) can end up lasting for up to 30 years and even more if they are stored properly.

Like with many others on this list, moisture is your worst enemy when storing dried beans.

While they can last this long, much like frozen foods, they are going to lose some of their flavor and even color the longer they are stored, but this will not affect whether or not they can safely be eaten.

If you want them to maintain their flavor and color, you should be waiting for them for about 12 months since you bought them, but even if you do not, you can still count on them to last.

The best way to store them will be in Mylar-type bags, which will keep all the oxygen out of them, or in No. 10 size cans.

After storing them in these types of containers, you can easily store them in a colder spot in your pantry and enjoy them for years to come.

You can make sure that a lot of your kitchen items end up living for a long time. If you want to ensure that your utensils are not going to break down easily, make sure you check out this article: 11 Upkeep Tips to Extend the Life of Every Kitchen Utensil.