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The longest-lasting foods, ranked by shelf life

The longest-lasting foods are pantry and freezer staples — items such as Honey, Tuna (canned) and Baking soda that keep for months, years, or even indefinitely when stored properly. Below are the 50 foods with the longest shelf life in our database, ranked by how long they keep, with fridge, freezer, and pantry times tied to each food page's cited sources.

Indefinitely or years (pantry & freezer staples)

Indefinitely or years (pantry & freezer staples)
# Food Fridge Freezer Pantry
1 Honey Indefinitely — Indefinitely
2 Tuna (canned) — — 3–5 years
3 Baking soda 2–3 years 1 year 2–3 years
4 Brown sugar 2–3 years 1 year 2–3 years
5 Dry pasta 1–2 years 2 years 2–3 years
6 Powdered sugar 2–3 years 1 year 2–3 years
7 Vinegar 2–3 years 1 year 2–3 years
8 White rice (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 2–3 years
9 Cocoa powder 1–2 years 1 year 2–3 years
10 Fish sauce (opened) 2–3 years 1 year —
11 Soy sauce (opened) 2–3 years 1 year —
12 Coconut oil — — 2–3 years
13 Barley (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
14 Bulgur (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
15 Cornmeal (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
16 Couscous (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
17 Instant oatmeal (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
18 Quinoa (dry) 1–2 years 2 years 6–12 months
19 All-purpose flour 1 year 2 years 6–12 months
20 Brown rice (dry) 6–12 months 2 years 6–12 months
21 Capers (opened) 1–2 years 1 year —
22 Maple syrup (opened) 1–2 years 1 year —
23 Worcestershire sauce (opened) 1–2 years 1 year —
24 Mustard (opened) 1 year 1 year —
25 Baking powder 6–12 months 1 year 6–12 months
26 Dry yeast 4–12 months 1 year 4–12 months
27 Hot sauce (opened) 6–12 months 1 year 6–12 months
28 Jam (opened) 6–12 months 1 year —
29 Sriracha (opened) 6–12 months 1 year —
30 Granola (opened) 6–9 months 1 year 2–3 months
31 Breakfast cereal (opened) 6–9 months 1 year 1–2 months
32 Peanut butter (opened) 3–6 months 1 year 3–4 months
33 Parmesan (block) 6–9 months 1 year —
34 BBQ sauce (opened) 4–6 months 1 year —
35 Crackers (opened) 2–4 months 8–12 months 1–2 months
36 Trail mix (opened) 2–3 months 1 year 1–2 months
37 Dates 1–2 months 1 year 1–2 months
38 Relish (opened) 3–4 months 1 year —
39 Pickles (opened) 2–3 months 1 year —
40 Butternut squash 1–2 weeks 10–12 months 1–2 months
41 Beef jerky (opened) 3–5 days 1 year 1–2 months
42 Curry paste (opened) 1–2 months 6–12 months —
43 Tahini (opened) 1–2 months 6–12 months —
44 Pretzels 1–2 weeks 8–12 months 2–4 weeks
45 Carrots 3–5 weeks 8–12 months —
46 Cranberries 2–3 weeks 10–12 months 1–2 weeks
47 Clementines 2–3 weeks 10–12 months 5–7 days
48 Grapefruit 2–3 weeks 10–12 months 5–7 days
49 Tangerines 2–3 weeks 10–12 months 5–7 days
50 Beets 2–3 weeks 10–12 months 3–5 days

Ranked by the longest stated storage time across fridge, freezer, and pantry. Durations are for unopened or raw items kept at the recommended temperature; opened or prepared versions spoil faster — see each food’s page for the full breakdown, source citations, and signs of spoilage.