are adamant about making foods that can last on shelves for a longer time because in the

long run it’s better for them. Better for storage, better for transport, longer shelf

life. How long can that shelf life actually be? Well let’s take a look at 10 foods that

never expire.

Sugar

Of course sugar never expires - the most evil food in the world will hang in there haunting

you from your cupboards for the rest of your life. Why doesn’t sugar expire? Well there’s

a super science-y explanation behind that one. It has everything to do with microorganisms

and how long they can last on their own. Sugar soaks up what little bit of moisture there

is contained in microorganisms, causing them to die, rather than making the sugar rot.

(However, if you keep sugar in a very humid or wet environment, this handy tactic goes

out the window, and then the sugar CAN go bad.) But with proper storage, this could

be why sugar is in everything - its just always around and readily available. Please know

that once you mix sugar into anything it can now expire but on it’s own it will last

a lifetime. Don’t mix this fact up with brown sugar, the way that brown sugar has

to be processed leaves it open for dryness and the opportunity to clump together. We

all know clumped together is the most annoying thing ever. This never happens with white

sugar and that is leaving us suspicious. We will admit that it’s pretty handy that sugar

never expires, at least we know something will always be there for us. Albeit a fattening

food item but, beggars can’t be choosers.

Instant Coffee

The smell of Instant Coffee is quite amazing. There are not many things that can instantly

perk you up after just one smell. Fresh ground coffee is always the best but instant coffee

is a good buffer when that isn’t available. Fresh ground coffee never keeps its freshness

after a while it doesn’t taste the same and it’s not as strong. According to Canitgobad.com,

coffee doesn’t expire in a typical way. “In most cases coffee doesn’t go bad in

a way that it’s spoiled and you can get sick after drinking a cup brewed with it.

It will, however, lose its taste over time and after a certain period of time the coffee

will start to taste stale or tasteless.”. When it comes to instant coffee, it can stick

around for a pretty long time. In some cases when it’s stored while still at its best,

it can last indefinitely. That being said, if you are worried that your coffee has gone

bad something to look out for are mold in the container it is sealed in. But, it takes

a lot for coffee to grow mold.

Powdered Milk

So let’s be clear - like everything else on this list powdered milk can go bad if not

stored properly. Powdered milk, also known as dried milk, is chalked full of preservatives

to keep it useable for years upon years. Manufacturers recommend that you use powdered milk within

18 months. But the USDA has confirmed that powdered milk can be stored indefinitely.

Some survival stores sell nonfat dry powdered milk labeled with a 25-year shelf life. Apparently,

the shelf life depends on the type of powdered milk; nonfat, whole, or buttermilk. Like everything

else, the storage life of this product depends on how it’s stored, what type of milk it

is and what it’ s stored in. Some people recommend using mason jars for a tight seal

that cannot break unless broken. Another way powdered milk can last even longer is by freezing

it. Usually things that are frozen are automatically in preservation mode and powdered milk is

no different. If you choose not to freeze it or preserve it correctly, start looking

out for signs of it going bad. Yellow discoloration, a bad odor, if it looks as though it’s clumpy

- this could all mean that moisture got in there somehow. It’s best to throw it out

at that point. You don’t want to risk a hurt stomach and anything that goes along

with drinking spoiled powdered milk.

Soy Sauce

How many people have a bottle of soy sauce in their cupboards that they refuse to toss

out? You know the one. Where the lid is a mess and the contents of the bottle have spilled

out onto the side of the lid leaving that disgusting ring of now sticky soy sauce on

the edges. The bottle itself looks old yet, the contents of the bottle are dang near perfect,

how is this possible? What kind of sorcery is this? The crazy part is, it tastes the

same as the day we got it. After some research, a lightbulb went off and it turns out that

soy sauce is yet another one of those staple items that will not expire. Like many seasonings

and sauces, soy has acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein. This veggie protein also contributes

to long-lasting shelf life. Traditional soy sauce only has 4 ingredients; water, salt,

soybeans and wheat and normally only enough is made for whatever it is being used for.

Our question is; if it is only 4 ingredients why aren’t we all making it fresh instead

of ingesting the one with a lot of chemicals to expand its shelf life?

Popcorn Kernels

Popcorn kernels are one of those foods that can just sit on a shelf and wait patiently

for someone to feel like cooking them up. This is not only amazing it’s comforting.

Seeing as popcorn is actually a pretty healthy snack before being loaded up with butter and

all sorts of random stuff for flavor. It is 100% whole grain and you can eat like 6 cups

worth of it in one sitting. This makes me wonder if there is something called the popcorn

diet. Maybe we should be the ones to create it. Unpopped and properly stored kernels will

last indefinitely. Microwave popcorn coated in all that coagulated melted butter will

last a good 6-8 months. And popped popcorn will last a solid 3 weeks - if you can handle

how stale it gets. All of this sounds like a pretty good deal to us. Think about it,

if you popped some popcorn somewhere that thing will last 3 weeks on your person if

stored well. That being said, here are some signs that could indicate that your microwave

popcorn has gone bad. If when you remove the cellophane wrapping there is a weird smell,

that means the butter and oils coating the kernels have gone bad. If you pop kernels

and A LOT of them don’t pop, it is not at it’s best.

Red Wine

Yes, that’s right your beloved red wine can last for hundreds of years. As long as

it is of good quality and it’s stored correctly. What is a good quality wine? Look for information

about where the wine was made or how long the fruits aged for, and when you get as far

as opening the bottle, smell it. If you can smell particular flavors and you can taste

hints of those flavors you are good to go. But, of course, one of the best indicators

is the year the batch was made. If you look up the region it was made in and the weather

during that time, it’s usually a good indicator if this wine is quality. Even if you happen

to pick up a fairly cheap bottle or box of wine, that doesn’t mean it will necessarily

expire soon. Storing it in a cool and dark place is recommended. After opening it, remember

to seal it tightly - and even better, put it in the fridge! So, now that we have that

out of the way we should mention that some wines are actually made to go bad. How to

tell if it’s bad? It’s fairly simple. You need to examine its looks, smell and taste.

If it has changed its color, or it has developed off odor, it’s bad and you should throw

it out. If it doesn’t taste the same, or has a vinegar-y effect, toss it. Better to

be safe than sorry.

Canola Oil

At one time there was a huge controversy over canola oil - people were confused about how

bad it was for you. The oil is vegetable-based and from Canada. Yet, it’s hard to find

out exactly which vegetable is being used. This sounds like a product that would enjoy

a long shelf life. Don’t get it twisted though, not every oil has an indefinite shelf

life. But, now that canola oil has received a clean bill of health, many people are flocking

to it. Not only because of that healthy checkmark but because they can use it confidently 3

years down the road and then some. According to Eat This, Not That, “It can last up to

two years in a cool, dry place and for an indefinite amount of time if stored in the

fridge.” This apparently goes for the oils in spray cans as well. They are even more

preserved than the ones in the jug. Canola oil is found in so many things we eat on a

regular basis like meat. Once the teeny tiny seeds are pressed, the shells that are remaining

are mixed in with livestock feed. So even if you are actively trying to avoid this oil,

it may be harder than you thought to keep it out of your diet.

Spam

People just don’t believe that anything in a can be healthy. So let’s take a look

at why people believe Spam can go bad. We all know that once meat is processed, it needs

to be eaten in a certain amount of time. There is an assumption that because Spam is in a

can and looks like it has been minced to paste, that it is cooked. This is where we all get

it wrong. Spam has been preserved like a boss in that can. No, seriously, it sits in a salt

brine that keeps it as fresh as a salt brine can keep anything. So essentially it is ready

to eat from the can - no cooking or seasoning or anything else is really required. Unopened

cans of any kind of meat (chicken, fish, tuna etc) usually have a shelf life of 2-5 years

after the best before date. However, many people have admitted to eating their long

lost can of Spam well after that. According to survivalistboards.com Spam is fine to eat

after that 5-year mark, the only difference is the taste might be dull. Dull meat over

no meat? Guess we’re trying dull meat for the first time.

Dry Beans

Beans should be a staple in everyone’s diet - they are high in protein and filling. Most

people avoid beans because they don’t know how to cook them. Or, they think they take

too long to cook - and to be honest canned beans are way easier to deal with. Toss them

in a pot and stir for a few minutes. Then add them to just about anything. Dry beans

need to be boiled or soaked for a certain amount of time. Depending on the bean, it’s

best to start overnight. But the upside is they will last a very, very, very long time

in your cupboard until you have the time to cook them. This has everything to do with

the fact that they are dried. So, as long as you store them correctly and don’t allow

any moisture into their package than everything should be fine. If you’re really not a fan

of dried beans, than by all means get yourself some canned beans - they too can last a pretty

long time in your cupboard. Canned beans can safely last for a year in your cupboard and

even after they are still edible but tread lightly, every once in a while you come across

a can after a year and well, let’s just say the smell that comes out of it after you

open it is not the greatest. If you don't finish an opened can of beans, think about

putting them in the freezer. You can get another year out of canned beans that have been frozen.

White Vinegar

White Vinegar isn’t something that many people think of as a staple - what do you

need white vinegar for? A lot actually. It can be used to pickle fruits and vegetables

and clean meat before cooking. And it’s actually pretty popular when you are making

your own sauces and marinades. Think about it, if vinegar is good for all these things

it makes sense that it has a long shelf life. According to Eat This, Not That, vinegar is

self-preserving. There’s even a vinegar institute that provides information and research

on the latest that is going on with this food. There are a number of health benefits that

also go along with white vinegar. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that brown or

malt vinegar is the same. They too are somewhat self-preserving but there are way more ingredients

that go into it. Hence the color and the more potent taste. The acidic nature of this product

also means that it does not require refrigeration.

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