Free printable
Printable Pantry Shelf-Life Chart
Print the chart below or download it as a letter-size PDF or a high-resolution PNG. It’s free, and no email is needed. The first column is for sealed packages and whole produce. The second is for after you open or cut it, and most entries say where the food goes then: the pantry or the fridge.
Free to print, post, and share with attribution to wellstockd.com.
Also free to print: Refrigerator shelf-life chart · Freezer storage chart
| Food | Unopened or whole | Opened or cut |
|---|---|---|
| Condiments and sauces | ||
| Ketchup | About 1 year in the pantry | About 6 months refrigerated at best quality |
| Mustard | 1 to 2 years in the pantry | About 1 year refrigerated at best quality |
| Mayonnaise | 3 to 6 months in the pantry | About 2 months refrigerated |
| Soy sauce | About 3 years in the pantry | About 1 month refrigerated at best quality |
| Oyster sauce | 18 to 24 months in the pantry | 3 to 6 months refrigerated |
| Tahini | About 1 year in the pantry | About 3 weeks refrigerated |
| Jam | 6 to 18 months in the pantry | 6 to 12 months refrigerated |
| Salsa | About 1 year in the pantry | About 1 month refrigerated |
| Barbecue sauce | About 1 year in the pantry | About 4 months refrigerated |
| Oils | ||
| Olive oil | 6 to 12 months in the pantry | 3 to 5 months in the pantry, or about 4 months refrigerated |
| Vegetable oil | 6 to 12 months in the pantry | 3 to 5 months in the pantry, or about 4 months refrigerated |
| Sesame oil | About 2 years in the pantry | About 6 months in the pantry |
| Baking | ||
| Flour | 6 to 12 months in the pantry | 6 to 8 months in the pantry, or about 1 year refrigerated |
| Sugar | Indefinitely in the pantry | 18 to 24 months at best quality |
| Brown sugar | Indefinitely in the pantry | 18 to 24 months at best quality |
| Baking powder | 6 to 18 months in the pantry | 3 to 6 months in the pantry |
| Baking soda | 2 to 3 years in the pantry | About 6 months in the pantry |
| Yeast | About 2 years in a cool, dry place | About 4 months refrigerated |
| Cocoa powder | Indefinitely in the pantry | About 1 year in the pantry |
| Chocolate chips | 1 to 2 years in the pantry | About 1 year in the pantry |
| Canned goods and broth | ||
| Canned beans | Safe well past the use-by or best-by date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling | 3 to 4 days refrigerated |
| Canned tomatoes | Safe well past the use-by or best-by date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling | 5 to 7 days refrigerated |
| Canned tuna | About 3 years in the pantry | 3 to 4 days refrigerated |
| Coconut milk | 2 to 5 years in the pantry | About 4 days refrigerated |
| Chicken broth | The use-by date printed on the package | 3 to 4 days refrigerated |
| Dry goods | ||
| White rice | About 2 years in the pantry | About 1 year in the pantry, or 6 months refrigerated |
| Brown rice | About 1 year in the pantry | About 1 year in the pantry, or 6 months refrigerated |
| Dry pasta | About 2 years in the pantry | About 1 year in the pantry |
| Coffee beans | 3 to 5 months in the pantry | 3 to 5 months in the pantry, or 3 to 4 months refrigerated |
| Whole produce | ||
| Potatoes | 1 to 2 months in a cool dark place; refrigeration is not recommended | About 24 hours in the fridge, in a covered bowl of cold water |
| Sweet potatoes | 2 to 3 weeks in a cool dark place; do not refrigerate raw | Cut sweet potato holds 3 to 4 days refrigerated * |
| Onions | About 1 month in a cool dark place | Cut onion holds 7 to 10 days refrigerated in an airtight container * |
| Garlic | About 1 month as a whole head in a cool dark place | Peeled cloves hold about 1 week refrigerated; chopped garlic 2 to 3 days * |
| Butternut squash | 2 to 6 weeks in a cool dark place; about 1 month refrigerated | Cut squash holds 3 to 5 days refrigerated * |
* Our estimate: FoodKeeper and FSIS give no time for this.
How to use the chart
- Use the first column while a package is sealed or a vegetable is whole, and the second once you open or cut it.
- Write the date on the lid or bag when you open it, and count the opened time from that day.
- Check where the opened time applies. A food with only a fridge time once opened goes in the fridge, and so does anything whose label says to refrigerate after opening.
- Keep the pantry cool and dry. USDA FSIS says canned food keeps best below 85°F, away from the stove, the sink and damp spots.
Sources and safe use
Most times come from USDA FoodKeeper, and each food’s page names its source. The opened time for mayonnaise is from the USDA FSIS cold storage chart, and the time for peeled potatoes in water is from the Idaho Potato Commission. A time marked “at best quality” is about flavor and texture.
Common questions
Is canned food safe after the date on the can?
Yes, if the can is in good shape. USDA FSIS says dates on shelf-stable food are about quality, so food past its use-by date is still safe, though it may not be at its best. Throw out cans that are dented, leaking, bulging or rusted. FSIS gives high-acid cans, such as tomatoes, 12 to 18 months on the shelf, and low-acid cans, such as beans, corn and canned meat, 2 to 5 years. Some canned ham and seafood is labeled “Keep Refrigerated” and belongs in the fridge.
Which pantry foods need the fridge after opening?
On this chart: opened canned goods, broth, coconut milk, jam, tahini, oyster sauce and yeast. FoodKeeper gives each of them a time in the fridge once opened and none in the pantry. FoodKeeper also says shelf-stable ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, jarred salsa and barbecue sauce are safe at room temperature after opening, so refrigerating them is for quality. For mayonnaise, follow the label.
How long does rice last?
Unopened white rice keeps about 2 years in the pantry, and unopened brown rice about 1 year. Once the bag is open, both keep about a year in the pantry, or 6 months in the fridge.
Does sugar go bad?
No. FoodKeeper notes that sugar never spoils, and it gives sealed granulated and brown sugar an indefinite time in the pantry. The 18 to 24 months after opening is about quality.
Should potatoes go in the fridge?
Whole raw potatoes shouldn’t. FoodKeeper gives them 1 to 2 months in a cool, dark place and doesn’t recommend refrigerating them. Raw sweet potatoes stay out of the fridge too, and keep 2 to 3 weeks. Peeled potatoes are different: the Idaho Potato Commission says they keep about 24 hours in the fridge, covered with cold water.