Posted on 12/21/2010 5:10:20 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
Now that the holiday season has begun, many people are making extensive grocery lists in preparation for parties, dinners and cookie swaps. But before you shop, Janice Revell, co-founder of StillTasty.com, says "Look in your pantry and your cabinets and check whether the items really do need to go. You'll be shocked by what you really don't need to throw away."
So before you throw out that years-old sugar or replace that bottle of vanilla that's been gathering dust, consult our list of "forever foods." You may be surprised how many of your kitchen staples have a shelf life of decades — even after they've been opened.
Sugar
Pure Vanilla Extract
Rice
Corn Starch
Honey
Hard Liquor
Salt
Corn Syrup
Maple Syrup
Distilled White Vinegar
Kitchen Bouquet.
Love that stuff, that little bottle goes on forever.
Tabasco sauce. Also lasts forever.
I thought rice went bad after awhile. The others I knew about. I think even the yellow vinegar is good for a long time. I’ll have to say, I have spices as old as the hills and I still use them. I’m guessing they just lose flavor over time. As long as you don’t get boweevels I’m thinking there fine.
I told my kids that honey was found in Egyptian tombs and was still edible. (I think that’s actually true.) Over time, this story has evolved and now any questionable food in the refrigerator can be in this category — “They found Cool Whip in the pyramids; still good after 4000 years.”
I learned this the hard way, when I bought a 20-lb. bag of flour and thought I was set forever, survivalist wise. I figured I'd make bread and pizza after the apocalypse. I was wrong.
Fruitcake. Also lasts forever.
Foodie Ping
Boll weevils!
Yea them...lol
These can eventually be used as exterior wall building materials or foundation beam supports....
LOL! Thanks for the laugh this morning!!
Reminds me - cleaning out the two fridges is on the ‘Things To Do’ list today. Mom will be over here for Christmas and she’s OBSESSED with a clean fridge.
I, however, didn’t inherit that particular piece of DNA. :)
I have Tupperware containers that I bought when Harvest Gold (remember that?) was a popular color. I store flour and sugar in mine.
I don’t even know how old my flour is but I’ve lived in this house for almost 20 years.
I honestly don’t remember if I brought it with me or bought it when I moved in.
Safe to say not a lot of baking goes on here. ;-D
I put another 20# of sugar up the other day. Also, Winco foods sells in bulk these dried, shredded potatoes that look like they would last forever if stored cool and dry w/ an oxygen absorber.
I have bunches and bunches of egg noodles - along with those little dried gravy packages. And have cooked it up a few times - really quite good! All U need is water to cook the noodles and about a cup of water for the gravy, that thickens up very nicely.
And U are free to add whatever you like - any veggies on hand, spices, whatever!
My daddy picked cotton!
I found Kitchen Bouquet in a 64 oz container. How long does it keep? Anyone? I think I bought it last year.
All you have to do with crystallized honey is warm it up a bit and it turns back into the honey you know and love.
But.....never add warm water to honey to dissolve the crystals. Water will introduce bacteria.
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