Shelf Life

Shelf life is very important when purchasing food for long-term storage, such as for emergencies.

Our page on Types of Long Shelf Life Foods covers how the different types of packaging affects the shelf life, and the typical shelf life of some of the more common brands.

In general, if you are looking to store food long term (whether for an NBC shelter that you might use in 20 years, or in case of a blizzard or hurricane that might occur within the next 10 years), you want your food to last as long as possible. If that is your only concern, you will want to get food in #10 cans -- some of them have a listed shelf life of 25 years, with a real shelf life of 35 years or more if stored well.

Shelf life also comes into play if you are doing food rotation. With food rotation, when you buy food, it goes into your 'stockpile' (whether that is in an NBC shelter, a pantry, or basement). When you run out of food, you get food from your stockpile, and later replenish your stock. In this case, it is important to keep track of the shelf life of the foods you eat, as that (along with how quickly you eat them) will determine the maximum amount of each food you can buy.

It is also worth noting that food often lasts longer than the listed expiration date. Most foods designed for long-term storage will be edible for a long time afterwards, with a degradation in taste and later in nutrients. Even at that point, the food is still edible, just not as nutritious. However, if food is spoiled, it should not be eaten!

When your food nears the end of its shelf life, there are several options. First, you can eat it yourself and then replace it. Another option is to sell the food to someone else after replacing it (backpackers, for example, may be happy getting 20-year-old #10 cans of Mountain House food at a great discount to the new price). The best option, however, may be to donate it to your local food bank.