Grains & Bread Shelf Life
Dry grains and baking staples are the longest-lived foods in the kitchen, some of them effectively forever, as long as they stay dry, cool and sealed against pantry insects. Whole-grain versions are the exception because their natural oils turn rancid. Once cooked, rice and pasta become ordinary perishable leftovers.
30 foods · times shown are for the most common state of each food; tap a food for every state, storage tips and spoilage signs.
Baking staples
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking Powder Opened |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 3–6 months |
| Baking Soda Opened |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 6 months |
| Brown Sugar Opened |
Not recommended | 1–2 years | Indefinitely |
| Cornmeal Dry (uncooked) |
1 year | 1–2 years | 6–12 months |
| Cornstarch Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | Indefinitely |
| Flour Dry (uncooked) |
1 year | 1–2 years | 6–12 months |
| Sugar Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | Indefinitely |
| Whole Wheat Flour Dry (uncooked) |
6–8 months | 1 year | 1–3 months |
| Yeast Opened |
4 months | 6 months | Not recommended |
Bread
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagels Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Bread Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Breadcrumbs Store-bought |
Not recommended | 1 year | 6 months |
| English Muffins Store-bought |
1–2 weeks | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Hamburger Buns Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Pita Bread Store-bought |
Not recommended | 3 months | 5–7 days |
| Sourdough Bread Whole |
Not recommended | 3 months | 4–5 days |
| Tortillas Opened |
3–4 weeks | 6 months | 1 week |
Cooked grains
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked Pasta Cooked |
3–5 days | 1–2 months | Not safe |
| Cooked Rice Cooked |
3–4 days | 6 months | Not safe |
Dough
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza Dough Homemade |
1–3 days | 2–3 months | Not recommended |
Dry grains
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast Cereal Opened |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 2–3 months |
| Brown Rice (Uncooked) Dry (uncooked) |
6–12 months | 1–2 years | 6 months |
| Couscous Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 1–2 years |
| Oats Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | 1 year | 1 year |
| Quinoa Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 2–3 years |
| White Rice (Uncooked) Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | Indefinitely |
Dry legumes
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried Beans Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 1–2 years |
| Lentils Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 1–2 years |
Pasta
| Food | Fridge | Freezer | Pantry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Pasta Dry (uncooked) |
Not recommended | Not recommended | 1–2 years |
| Fresh Pasta Fresh |
1–2 days | 2 months | Not safe |
Not safe = perishable: no more than 2 hours at room temperature. Not recommended = possible, but quality suffers. Freezer times are best-quality windows at 0°F (−18°C).