I’m sure many of us have been stocking up and building up a food storage as we all practice social distancing. While it’s definitely a good idea to have some essentials stored up, it’s almost equally important to know how long those things will last in your pantry! No use stocking up on something that will just go bad!

I see a lot of mixed information, but here’s what I know personally- I have opened cans that have been “expired” for 4+ years and they have smelled and tasted perfectly normal. When opening a can of something, I always pay attention to how it looks and smells before we eat it. There have been a couple times I have questioned something, and though it may have been perfectly fine, it’s one of those things I’d rather not risk! But if you open a can and everything looks and smells normal, it’s more than likely just fine to eat!

Here’s a quick look at how long things can typically last past their expiration date:

Canned food- Honestly, it can last YEARS. I’ve seen varying opinions on the exact length (everything from 4 years to 25 to 100)! But I think it’s safe to say- you’re totally ok to eat that expired can of food! Just make sure to check for rust, dents, slime, or anything that makes it seem “off”. You’ll also want to be careful that your canned food stays at a stable temperature, nothing below freezing or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Frozen food- Can literally last forever. At least, from a “safe” standpoint. As long as your food has stayed frozen, bacteria can’t grow. However, that definitely doesn’t mean that the quality of food lasts forever. Eventually, things will start to taste freezer burned. My grandma gave us tons of stuff from her freezer a few months ago. I used some chicken in a very strong-flavored soup- and it did not cover the taste sufficiently! Sometimes it’s better to just throw it out! Keeping an inventory of what’s in your freezer can help you keep track of what you have so you can eat things before they get too old.

Eggs- Are you familiar with the egg test? Put an egg in a glass of water and if it sinks, you’re good to eat it; if it floats, toss it out (all the bacteria makes it float). I’ve literally used eggs 2-3 months past the expiration date, so definitely don’t throw out eggs just because of the date printed on the carton!

Breads- When thrown in the freezer, you can definitely hang on to it a lot longer! I also tend to store my bread in the fridge, which increases its shelf life a ton and since we are generally using it for toast, my kids don’t complain about texture (or we’ve just all gotten used to it!) Even if you keep your bread on the counter or in the pantry- as long as you don't see mold, you’re good to go!

Butter- Again, keeping your extra butter in the freezer will definitely extend its shelf life! Some people say to use the butter right away once it’s been defrosted, but so far I haven’t had any problems with keeping it in the fridge after it’s been frozen.

Cookies, Chips, Cereals, Snacks, etc- Since these foods are generally highly-processed, you can definitely count on them lasting a while. After their expiration date, the quality may go down, but as long as they taste fine you can eat away!

The bottom-line- expiration dates can give you some good guidelines, but they’re definitely not the final say! The way a food smells, looks, and tastes are much more telling- and if worse comes to worse, go with your gut! (Instincts, that is ;) ).