Friends! I FINALLY finished our food storage closet. For the longest time I wanted to organize this area so it was practical. It’s served as an area for food storage for a while but it was disorganized and not visually pleasing either.

I wanted an area stacked with beautiful glass jars and gorgeous baskets. Where everything is easily accessible and would make even Martha Stewart smile!

I have worked on ours for a while now and finally finished our food storage closet, where I keep most of my canned foods and canning products. Plus, there are lots of bulk food items such as rice, beans, sugar, flour, etc.

Since living out on the farm, we are not too close to grocery shops and sometimes need to buy in bulk. I also can a lot of the produce from our garden to enjoy in the off-season. For these reasons I need to store our bulk and canned goods appropriately to ensure it stays fresh and safe to eat for a long time.

A well-stocked pantry is also great for meal planning and helps to maintain a healthy diet.

When pantry foods are stored correctly, you'd be surprised how well they can last long after the suggested expired date.

A few guidelines on how to store food long-term

First, discard all stale and expired food items and give your pantry a proper clean-out to start with a fresh slate. Vacuum and wash down the surfaces with soapy water to ensure you clean all dust particles and get rid of insects, mites, and their eggs.
Your storage area needs to be clean, dry, dark, and cool. 50-70 degrees F is the ideal temperature range to keep food fresher for longer. It’s ideal to store food in a basement. We do not have one, so this closet stays around 70-75 degrees. Not as ideal, but works.
Factors that generally cause food spoilage are heat, excessive cold, air, light, moisture, smells, and critters. So keep these factors in mind when planning your pantry or food storage area. I.e., don't store your food near the oven!
Apply the concept of FIFO - first in, first out. Placing your newest products at the back to ensure you eat the oldest first.
Airtight containers are the best for long-term storage. Plastic bags and cardboard boxes won’t be suitable. Instead, use glass, Tupperware, or tins.
Glass - Is affordable, reusable, recyclable, transparent, and airtight, but can break.
Tupperware - Not breakable, transparent, and airtight, but more expensive.
Tins - Ideal for small items and stacking, not breakable, but you can't see what's inside.

Foods with a long shelf life when stored correctly

HOMEMADE CANNED RECIPES

Highly acidic foods such as tomatoes and fruit can be stored for 12-18 months in the pantry. Less acidic foods such as meat and veggies can be stored for 2-4 years. Please note that these only apply if canning was done 100% correctly and stored in the conditions mentioned above. You can read more about the canning process HERE.

CANNED FOOD

Canned foods that are stored correctly and not dented, damaged, or rusted can last indefinitely. They will, however, lose nutritional value and might not taste as good 10 years down the line! The same applies to acidic and non-acidic canned foods as above.

DRIED BEANS, LEGUMES, AND LENTILS

These can last indefinitely and won't spoil if stored correctly in airtight containers in your pantry. Beans will lose their moisture after 2 years, so you may need to cook them for longer. The great thing about beans and legumes is they won't lose their nutritional value over time. Cooked beans you can freeze for up to 1 year.

PASTA

Dry pasta, spaghetti, and macaroni can keep up to 2 years in a pantry if stored in airtight containers. You can freeze cooked pasta for 6-8 months.

We get most of our dried goods, beans, nuts, etc from Country Life Natural Foods! They have an amazing selection of high quality organic foods. You an always use the code AZURE for 10% off your order

GRAINS

Grains such as rice, oats, wheat, barley, cornmeal are some of the best staples to have in your pantry. When they are stored correctly and kept dry, they can last you a good while.

Rice: Brown and wild rice will stay fresh for 6-8 months in your pantry and 8-12 months in the fridge. While white rice can last 3 to 5 years. When cooked, your white and brown rice can be frozen for 6-8 months.

Oats: Last up to 3 years if you transfer it out of its cardboard box to an airtight container.

Quinoa: Last up to 3 years in the pantry or fridge when stored correctly.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Nuts: When stored correctly, most nuts can last up to 9 months in the pantry, except for pecan, pistachios, and walnuts. They'll stay fresh for between 3- 6 months. When kept in the fridge, all nuts will stay fresh up until 1 year and when frozen up to 2 years.

Chia seeds: Chia seeds will be perfectly fine for 2+ years in the pantry and 4+ years in the fridge or freezer.

Flax seeds: 6- 12 months in an airtight container in your pantry and 1+ years in the fridge or freezer.

Sunflower seeds: They will remain fresh in your pantry for up to 3 months in their raw form and up to 5 months roasted. You can keep them in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 year.

Vegetable Seeds: We keep some of our bulk seeds in this closet. They are organized in plastic photo organizers. Keep your seeds out of the sun and in a cool, dark, place and they will do well. I also store seeds in the freezer!

HERBS AND SPICES

Ground or powdered spices can last about 2 - 3 years, and dried herbs 1 - 2 years if they are kept in an airtight container, in a cool dark place, away from heat and moisture.

DRIED FRUIT

Dried fruits will stay fresh in your pantry if you store them correctly for up to 1 year. You can prolong their freshness up to 2 years in the fridge and indefinitely when you freeze them.

VEGETABLES

Some veggies can stay fresher for longer when stored in a cool, dark, and dry location such as the pantry. A dark pantry will prevent these veggies from sprouting. Onions, garlic, shallots, potatoes, butternut, and beets can last up to a month in the pantry if the temps are kept between 50 and 60 F.

It feels so good knowing that my storage area is organized and stocked. Whenever I need something, I don’t have to dig to find them and this makes it so convenient. It is also great knowing that the food is stored the correct way and will be safe to consume for a long time.

Remember, our senses are there for a reason. Always use your eyes and smell to determine if food that has been stored for a long time, is safe to consume. If unsure, rather chuck it. Nobody has got time for food poisoning ;-)

If you follow these recommendations for storing food in your pantry, I assure you you will reap the benefits and it will make life so much easier!