104 pantry staples items with published storage times, 43 of them with a specific after-opening window.
| Item | After opening | Unopened / other | Store at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almond butter | — | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Almond oil | — | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Almonds (no shell) | — | 8 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Almonds (shell) | — | 16 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Applesauce (commercial) | 7–10 days | 12–18 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Avocado Oil | 6 months | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Bacon bits (imitation) | Until the package use-by date | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Base (beef, vegetable) | — | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Beets (pickled) | 1–2 months | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Black pepper (cracked, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 2–3 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Black pepper (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Breadcrumbs (commercial) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Cajun seasoning blend (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 1–2 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Canned goods (high acid (such as juices, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, tomato soup, and foods in vinegar-based sauce)) | 5–7 days | 12–18 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Canned goods (low acid (such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes, spinach)) | 3–4 days | 2–5 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Canola oil | — | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Capers (in jar) | — | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Cashew butter | — | 3 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Cashews (no shell) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Cereal (cook before eating (oatmeal, etc.)) | 6–12 months | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Cereal (ready-to-eat) | 2–3 months | 6–12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Cereal or granola bars | — | 6–12 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Chia seeds | — | 18 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Chocolate hazlenut spread | — | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Chocolate syrup | 6 months | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Cinnamon (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 3–4 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Coconut cream (canned) | 4 days | 2–5 years | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Coconut milk (canned) | 4 days | 2–5 years | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Coconut oil | — | 3 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Corn syrup | — | 3 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Crackers | 3–4 months | 8 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Croutons | — | 5–6 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Cumin (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk, opened or unopened) | — | 3–4 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Dry stuffing mix (commercially packaged) | — | 9–12 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Edamame (salted, dry roasted, out of pod) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Flaxseed (ground) | — | 12 months | Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below |
| Flaxseed (whole seed) | — | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Fruit cocktail (canned) | — | 18 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Fruits, dried (raisins, apricots, mangoes, cranberries, etc.) | 6 months | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Garlic powder (dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 3–4 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Genuine Maple syrup (unopened, glass) | — | Indefinitely | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Genuine Maple syrup (unopened, plastic) | — | 18–24 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Graham cracker/animal cracker | — | 6–9 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Granola | — | 6–9 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Grapeseed oil | — | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Grits (boxed) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Gummy (fruit) snacks | — | 6–9 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Instant breakfast drinks (bottled) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Macadamias (no shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Marshmallow crème | 1 month | 2–5 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Marshmallows | 1 month | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Milk (canned evaporated or condensed) | 4–5 days | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Milk (shelf-stable) | 5–7 days | 6–12 months | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Milk (ultra-pasteurized) | 7–10 days | 1–3 months | Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below |
| Molasses | 6 months | 1–2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Mushrooms (dried) | 3 months | 1–2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Mustard (dried, ground) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Nutmeg (ground, dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 3–4 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Nutrition supplement drinks (bottled) | — | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Nuts (jars or cans) | 4–6 months | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Onion powder (dried, commercially bottled or purchased in bulk) | — | 3–4 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Peanut butter (commercial) | 2–3 months | 6–24 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Peanut butter (commercially produced, containing hydrogenated fat or other stabilizers) | 3–4 months | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Peanut butter (natural) | 3–4 months | 12 months | Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below |
| Peanuts (no shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Peanuts (shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pecans (chopped) | — | 12 months | Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below |
| Pecans (no shell) | — | 9 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pecans (shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pectin | 1 month | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Pine nuts | — | 3 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pistachios (shell or no shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Polenta (shelf-stable) | 5–7 days | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Popcorn (commercially popped in bags) | 1–2 weeks | 2–3 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Popcorn (dry kernels in jar) | 1 year | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Popcorn (microwave packets) | 1–2 days | 6–12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Pork rinds | — | 4 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Potato chips | 1–2 weeks | 2 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Potatoes (instant) | 6–12 months | 10–15 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Pretzels | 3 weeks | 4–9 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Pudding mixes | 3–4 months | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Pumpkin seeds (raw, in-shell) | — | Not recommended | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pumpkin seeds (raw, no shell) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Pumpkin seeds (roasted, in-shell) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Pumpkin seeds (roasted, no-shell) | — | 6 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Roasted nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds) | 4 weeks | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Roasted red peppers (jar) | — | 4–6 months | Refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below |
| Salt (table, plain, or iodized) | — | Indefinitely | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Seafood (canned) | 1–2 days | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Sesame oil | 6 months | 2 years | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Sesame seeds | — | 5 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Soup mixes (dry bouillon) | 1 year | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Sun dried tomatoes (jar) | 3–6 months | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Sunflower oil | — | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted, no shell) | — | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Sunflower seeds (roasted, no shell) | 7–8 months | 12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Sunflower seeds (roasted, salted, in shell) | — | Until the package use-by date | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Syrup | 6 months | 1 year | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Tapenade | — | 9 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |
| Toaster pastries | 1–2 weeks | 6–12 months | Cool, dry pantry, sealed — refrigerating after opening is optional and mainly preserves quality |
| Tomato paste | 5 days | 27 months | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Tuna (canned) | — | 3 years | Cool, dry pantry away from heat and light |
| Tuna (packet) | 3–4 days | 18 months | Cool, dry pantry unopened; refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below after opening |
| Walnuts (shell or no shell) | — | 9–12 months | Cool, dry pantry, or refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below to keep it longer |