10 Food Items With Incredible Lifespans

If you’re vigilant with the expiry dates of your food, good for you! Not all people are as patient and the effort can save your health in the long run. But you shouldn’t be too hasty when it comes to throwing out items that have been staying in your cupboards for quite a while.

Not all expire fast; some actually have a very long shelf life and therefore worth holding on to. Here are the food items that have amazing lifespans:

#1. Dried pasta

It may lose some of its flavor after storing it for say, a decade, but it will not go bad as long as it’s stored sealed. The thing can sit on your storage indefinitely.

#2. Vinegar

The high acidity in vinegar makes it a great natural preservative. You may see changes in color or some cloudiness after some time, but the quality or taste will stay the same.

#3. Salt

Salt is just like granite in the sense that it’s a stone and is therefore invulnerable to mold and bacteria.

#4. Worcestershire sauce

This incredibly tasty sauce is just like wine – it gets better with age. The flavor of the sauce gets stronger as the liquid evaporates after some time. If opened, the sauce is good for 2 to 3 years. Unopened, it can last for up to 10 years as long as you place it in cool and dark storage.

#5. Peppers

Peppers can actually last a full week in the refrigerator, thanks to a gene that prevents it from breaking down. Green peppers last the longest due to low sugar content and you can store it for about 2 to 3 weeks. Once peppers become limp or wrinkled, you should throw it in the trash.

#6. Carrots

You can store carrots in the crisper for up to 2 to 3 weeks, thanks to its low respiration rate. Slice off the green tops before storing in order to seal in the nutrients.

#7. Canned or dried beans

Your favorite can of beans can last for years in the cupboard and you can still consume it safely afterwards. As for dried beans, you have to soak them in water after a long period of storage.

#8. Vanilla

This is best consumed within five years after opening, although it will not spoil due to its high alcohol content. Keep it out of the refrigerator but don’t expose to light and heat.

#9. Eggs

Eggs retain its freshness for up to 3 weeks post the “sell by” date. Eggs sold in grocery stores are usually sprayed with mineral oil to seal the porous shell and protect it from bacteria. Hard-boiled eggs should be consumed within a week since the coating is washed away by cooking.

#10. Citrus fruits

Oranges, lemons, grapefruit and other citrus fruits have thick skin that protects them from molding. You can store them for 2 to 6 weeks.