Pantry storage

Does honey need to be refrigerated?

No. Honey can stay in the pantry, sealed or open. The National Honey Board states a practical shelf life of about two years and notes that honey in sealed containers can remain stable for decades.

These times are a guide, not a safety guarantee, and a label that says to refrigerate comes first.

How we checked this: the storage times here come from the sources named on the page, and each one is checked against its source before the page goes live. Editorial policy

Kitchen list sorted by use soon, grouped into fridge and pantry, each item with its amount and buttons to change it
Keep track of what’s in the pantry, and type a date if you want a reminder. Free

Unopened and opened

Unopened and opened packages keep for different times. These are the times the source gives.

Unopened
About 2 years at best quality, though sealed honey stays stable far longer
After opening
The source gives one storage time for honey, the one above, and no separate time once it is open. Close it tightly after each use, and if the label says to refrigerate after opening, follow the label.
Where to keep it once open
Pantry or cupboard. The source gives no time for the fridge.

Sources and limits

The after-opening time runs from the day you opened it, not from the date printed on the package, so write that day down. Well Stockd doesn’t know when your package was made, bought or opened: follow the package directions, keep it somewhere cool and dark, and check the official listing when food safety is in question.

The storage times above are quoted from the sources below. They’re a guide, not a safety guarantee: quality varies with packaging, temperature and how the package is handled between uses. Nothing here overrides a label that says to refrigerate. This page was last updated .

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