10 Cheap Foods That Last a Long Time :
- Potatoes. A five-pound bag of potatoes is without question one of the biggest bargains in the produce department.
- Beans and Other Legumes. Beans cost much less than meat and are a source of protein, fiber, and minerals. …
- Rice. …
- Peanut Butter. …
- Apples. …
- Carrots. …
- Pasta. …
- Oatmeal. …
- Flour. …
- Frozen Veggies. …
10 Cheap Foods That Last a Long Time 1 Potatoes. 2 Beans and Other Legumes. 3 Rice. 4 Peanut Butter. 5 Apples. 6 Carrots. 7 Pasta. 8 Oatmeal. 9 Flour. 10 Frozen Veggies.
These foods with long shelf lives can improve your diet while saving you money. If you’re on a tight budget, focus on filling your cart with cheap and nutritious foods that have a long shelf life, like rice, apples and peanut butter. You’ll spend less at checkout, and you’ll waste considerably less food at the end of the week.
As a favorite food of campers, hikers, and road-trippers, jerky is perfect for long-term storage. You can easily stash a few jerky sticks or pieces in a bag and keep them there until your next trip—even if that’s not until next year. You can take your time noshing through that Costco-sized bag of Craisins in your cabinet.
One more tip is to rotate your food as you eat it. By rotating your food, you can make sure you’re eating what expires first while maintaining a stocked pantry that can remain fresh for long periods of time.
How long do apples last?
Under the right storage conditions, they’ll keep for up to five months, which means you can safely stock up when you find a deal on your favorite variety.
It’s good for two to three months past the printed best-buy date when stored in the pantry. It stretches to three to six months when stored in the refrigerator. Continue to 5 of 10 below.
A 16-ounce jar costs about three dollars. Beyond using it as a spread for sandwiches and bagels, you can add it to shakes, or whip up delectable desserts like peanut butter bars, cookies and fudge. Peanut butter also appears in savory dishes, like Thai peanut chicken.
If you’re filling your pantry, especially if you are on a tight budget, focus on cheap and nutritious foods that have a long shelf life, like rice, apples and peanut butter. You’ll spend less at checkout, and you’ll waste considerably less food at the end of the week. All price estimates mentioned were good as of March 2020.
When stored properly, all-purpose flour is good for six to eight months past the date that’s printed on the bag. Whole-wheat flour and specialty flours like self-rising flour have a shorter lifespan of four to six months past the printed date. To stretch the shelf life even further, keep your flour in the freezer.
One pound of dried beans costs about $1.50 and is enough to make 6 cups of cooked beans. That’s the equivalent of four cans of beans. If you don’t want to fuss with soaking dried beans, use lentils. They don’t have to be soaked first and they cook quickly.
Brown rice has is more nutritious but has a shorter shelf life, lasting six to eight months in the pantry and eight to 12 months in the refrigerator. Since brown rice is more nutrient-dense, consider keeping it in the freezer, where it’ll stay usable forever. 04 of 10.
How long do oats last in the pantry?
“Regular and quick-cooking oats can last in the pantry unopened or resealed for two to three years,” says Laura Burak MS, RD, CDN, and founder of Laura Burak Nutrition. “This economical and versatile grain is full of cholesterol-lowering fiber, [deeming it a] great staple to keep in your cabinet for your morning bowl of oatmeal, overnight oats, or a swap in for healthier cookies or bread.”
“Canned tomatoes do have an expiration date, but they can typically last about two years if unopened,” says Claudia Sidoti, chef, food industry leader, and member of the Eat This, Not That! Medical Expert Board who’s opening a restaurant in upstate New York this summer.
Unopened mustard can last for up to three years. Once the seal is cracked, you’ve got about a year before it goes bad, although some opened varieties can last for up to two years.
There are loads of reasons to give three cheers for chia seeds. Not only do they contain all nine essential amino acids, but they’re also a potent source of fiber and ALAs, a type of omega-3s that can decrease the risk of heart disease. And when stored in an airtight container in the fridge, they remain tasty and safe to eat for up to a year.
According to Eat By Date, the virtually-calorie-free stuff can last two years in the pantry and for an indefinite amount of time in the fridge.
But if you’ve got a bottle in your fridge that you don’t use too often, you’d be pleased to know that it can last almost forever if it’s unopened. Opened bottles that are refrigerated can last between two and three years.
Even if you wouldn’t dare dream of sipping the stuff, many cooking and baking enthusiasts keep instant coffee in the kitchen to infuse a coffee flavor into recipes. Because the powder is more concentrated than the freshly brewed stuff, it’s a great tactic and an affordable one at that.
What foods have a long shelf life?
Many foods with long shelf lives are the basics—think rice, grains and salt —but others can last for a long time because they’re dried or canned.
How long they last: A year or more. How to store dried fruits: Keep them in their sealed packages or transfer to tightly sealed containers. You can extend their shelf life by six months popping them in the freezer. Dried fruits are always good to keep on hand for snacking and baking.
How long it lasts: Up to 25 years in the pantry, longer in the freezer#N#How to store instant coffee: Keep instant coffee dry. Store it in its original container or transfer into an airtight container.
How long they last: Two years if unopened; once opened, six months#N#How to store jam and jelly: Store unopened jams and jellies in the pantry. Once you’ve popped a jar open, keep it in the fridge.
How long it lasts: Up to 10 years if unopened, up to five once opened#N#How to store molasses: You can keep your molasses in the pantry with the rest of your baking supplies. Make sure the cap is on tight.
Certain pantry items just don’t seem to last as long as we like. However, there are plenty of long shelf life foods perfect for filling your cupboards. Foods like these are great to have on hand for everyday cooking, of course, but also times when you just can’t get out of the house.