Confirmed Food Life - Personal Experience In Long Term Storage

[MrsStrangeNH]

So how long would actual peanuts last? It isn't very hard to mash them when you want peanut butter.

Sent from my chimney using smoke signals.

In standard packaging, I'd only give them a couple of years. With oxygen absorbers, who knows?

 

[P-14]

Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque soup - vacuum packed in a box: Expired 01/11; ate it today. It was good, too! And, I'm still standing.....

 

[Gadsden]

I have a whole box of food that my wife wants me to throw out due to it being out of date and things she does not like. I nicknamed it "the penalty box". I've been grazing out of it.. the old can of chicken was the oldest thing (almost 2 years out of date) and it was fine.. some red beans and rice mix was 1.5 years out of date and was quite tasty.

 

[hminsky]

I opened a can of dried banana chips from around 2006, and they had gone rancid. Too much oil in them. The can of dehydrated strawberries from the same year was fine.

 

[Gadsden]

Food: Asian Pho-style rice noodles (no artificial additives/preservatives)
Manufacture date: Unknown, but I have had them for around 4 years
Expiration date: None on the package (I guess that means they don't go bad)

Prepared them by boiling them in water, bullion cube, spices, and added an egg at the end. Noodles were tasty and tender. No indigestion or unpleasant poops later. Tasted better than the $0.10 ramen noodles that are loaded with crap.

 

[at99sy]

best peanut butter for the buck, hannafords generic... same consistency as jiff but doesn't taste like a pound of sugar was dumped into every jar. Same price as market basket but doesn't taste like a combo of joint compound and shit.

+1 Hannafords Brands!

 

[NHAtHeart]

Chips out of the vending machine 3 months past their "best buy" date, still tasted fine.

- - - Updated - - -

+1 Hannafords Brands!

We've had excellent luck as well, only Hannaford items we don't care for are "cool whip", Juice and Graham crack pie crust are the only things we have not been happy with.

 

[Gadsden]

Food: Cream of Wheat
Brand: Generic (Stop and Shop)
Expiration date: July 2010
Tasted like shit, threw it out. Could have been the aging milk I prepared it with, but either way, tasted like shit. Can't win 'em all.

 

[xtry51]

Dole 64oz can of pineapple juice. Purchased June 2010, best by July 2011.

Still good. Lost a little of the zing I normally get from fresh pineapple juice, but still tasty. I store stuff like this in small quantities to mix up flavors as a sort of "Treat". I think the psychological effects of not eating the same flavor profile day after day (I.e. rice and beans) should not be neglected.

 

[Coyote Gray]

Someone already said it earlier in this thread, but it is worth repeating. Food not designed for long term storage will lose nutritional value the longer it is stored.

You likely won't care for short amounts of time. But if you need to rely on these stores for over a couple of months in a long term disaster scenario, you may begin to suffer from malnutrition, even though your appetite is satisfied.

That said, I use Augason Farms foods which I found offers the most economical costs per calorie, with a great deal of variety. We have tested their meals, wheat, milk, and fruits/vegetables, cooked on a wood bake stove. The meat in the meals can occasionally taste dry and tough, but other than that, fantastic.

Of my canned foods, I have used Bisquick that was 2 years past expiration, and it was just fine; though it is worth mentioning that I stored it in a fridge.

The FDA has plenty of information on shelf life, shelf stability, and even did a study on nutritional value of canned foods found in a sunken boat 100 years old.

Shelf-Stable Food Safety | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

 

[eric_07]

Someone already said it earlier in this thread, but it is worth repeating. Food not designed for long term storage will lose nutritional value the longer it is stored.

You likely won't care for short amounts of time. But if you need to rely on these stores for over a couple of months in a long term disaster scenario, you may begin to suffer from malnutrition, even though your appetite is satisfied.

That said, I use Augason Farms foods which I found offers the most economical costs per calorie, with a great deal of variety. We have tested their meals, wheat, milk, and fruits/vegetables, cooked on a wood bake stove. The meat in the meals can occasionally taste dry and tough, but other than that, fantastic.

Of my canned foods, I have used Bisquick that was 2 years past expiration, and it was just fine; though it is worth mentioning that I stored it in a fridge.

The FDA has plenty of information on shelf life, shelf stability, and even did a study on nutritional value of canned foods found in a sunken boat 100 years old.

Shelf-Stable Food Safety | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Thanks for pointing this out. In essence, what we could be eating is just filler. After some time, we could be wasting away even when eating all of our foodstores.

 

[Coyote Gray]

Yes, though your wasting away wouldn't necessarily be in the traditional sense.

People in the country today, suffer from malnutrition, though they might look obese. Caloric intake and nutrition are two separate things. People deprived of nutrients may begin to suffer from odd cravings. Pica for example, is an uncontrollable desire to eat dirt, which is a result of a mineral deficiency. People who are nutrient deficient will also suffer from a number of other physical and mental ailments; everything from brittle bones and low immunity, to fatigue and an inability to focus mentally, depending what minerals or vitamins they are lacking.

Here is a link to a modest "explainer":

What Happens When You Don't Eat Enough Vitamins & Minerals? | LIVESTRONG.COM

 

[xtry51]

Store vitamins and remember that stored food is only a stop gap between SHTF and you re-establishing the means to provide for your family. That means knowing how to maintain a garden and storing heirloom seeds in bulk to do it, along with things like scavenging, hunting and fishing.

If your serious about moving towards self-sufficiency, you need to be thinking about stored food as a transitional step in longer term survival, not the end game.

 

[Hiltonizer]

Wife used the scrum of a sack of flower that had been open for almost a year and just sitting in the kitchen for Biscotti... tasted fine... but we also keep our house cold... like, the kitchen is away from the woodstove so like 52 degrees cold... and therefore dry.

 

[Hiltonizer]

Store vitamins and remember that stored food is only a stop gap between SHTF and you re-establishing the means to provide for your family. That means knowing how to maintain a garden and storing heirloom seeds in bulk to do it, along with things like scavenging, hunting and fishing.

If your serious about moving towards self-sufficiency, you need to be thinking about stored food as a transitional step in longer term survival, not the end game.

keep a rotation of gummy vites... they're delicious so you'll actually use them on a regular basis and they store really well at cool temps. I keep a 90 serving jar on my coffee table at all times... with 6 months to a year worth (dependig on sales/coupons) FIFO'd

 

[ARV]

Shelf Life of Canned and Dry Foods by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E. - Grandpappy

"Among the canned food items retrieved from the Bertrand in 1968 were brandied peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes, honey, and mixed vegetables. In 1974, chemists at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) analyzed the products for bacterial contamination and nutrient value. Although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, the NFPA chemists detected no microbial growth and determined that the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier. The nutrient values varied depending upon the product and nutrient. NFPA chemists Janet Dudek and Edgar Elkins report that significant amounts of vitamins C and A were lost. But protein levels remained high, and all calcium values 'were comparable to today's products.'"

"NFPA chemists also analyzed a 40-year-old can of corn found in the basement of a home in California. Again, the canning process had kept the corn safe from contaminants and from much nutrient loss. In addition, Dudek says, the kernels looked and smelled like recently canned corn."

etc

 

[xtry51]

Bumping this as I'm still testing my 2010 stuff I set aside.

Most surprising result so far: corn bread just add water mix, in original packaging (cardboard box, wax paper bag) just stuck on a shelf. Made some muffinslast week. Tasted the same as a new box.

Tuna, soup and pasta sauces all still good as well. As always, and as stated before in this thread, the best first check is to make sure the top isn't popped/bulged. I have yet to find this on a can.

 

[JayMcB]

we made double batch green bean casserole for the family Christmas party yesterday. After the fact, I noticed the green beans 'expired' in early 2012.

the casserole vaporized, no harm done.

However, I will be checking dates and restocking canned stuff.

 

[Cowgirlup]

I've been trying to work my way through some older items in the last few months. I found a package of rice that got skipped rotation and repackaging. The package was sticky and starting to degrade. The rice has a little bit of a plastic smell so I will cook it up for the chickens this winter.

I recently opened a box of mac n cheese from 2010. I didn't like the look or smell of the cheese. But it was also an un brand so that might have been part of it. Got rid of the cheese powder and used the macaroni and added cheese from the fridge.

Items with dairy or cream based soups seem to be hit or miss as to how good they are years past the best by date. I haven't had any problems with other foods.

I also opened a can of clams from 2010 to add to canned clam chowder. They smelled fine and no problems after eating them.

I have only found one can that was bulging.

 

[xtry51]

Things like Mac n cheese or other pastas I only keep on the shelf in original packaging for less than a year. After that they get packaging removed and thrown into a mylar bag and bucketed.

 

[Duxprep]

- I'm still eating soups from 2007 - No issue
- Lots of Goya beans from 2010 - No issue
- Dinty Moore Beef stew is good for years beyond it's date however it starts to taste "canny"
- Tomato based things in cans have a tendency to go bad faster than others - The cans themselves actually break down, rust bulge and leak
- Mayonnaise is generally good for a year after the date - After that you can very much taste the difference. I did some volunteer sorting at the Boston food bank and Mayo is something they toss as soon as it hits its date.
- Real Peanut butter (Teddy etc..) in plastic jars taste "stale" 6 months after it's date. In glass jars it's good to go several years beyond it's date. The fake crap I'd assume lasts many many years

 

[xtry51]

Mayo gets a very vinegar taste to it. It doesn't go bad, but people may not like the change. I have some from 2012 Im using.

 

[In God We Trust]

Mayo gets a very vinegar taste to it. It doesn't go bad, but people may not like the change. I have some from 2012 Im using.

You guys are brave. I toss mayo the day it rxpires

 

[Cowgirlup]

Things like Mac n cheese or other pastas I only keep on the shelf in original packaging for less than a year. After that they get packaging removed and thrown into a mylar bag and bucketed.

Have you tried any of the ones you stored that way?

It's a great idea. It never occurred to me to do that.

 

[xtry51]

Have you tried any of the ones you stored that way?

It's a great idea. It never occurred to me to do that.

Not yet. I typically don't open a bucket once I have it shut.

 

[Cowgirlup]

"- Real Peanut butter (Teddy etc..) in plastic jars taste "stale" 6 months after it's date. In glass jars it's good to go several years beyond it's date. The fake crap I'd assume lasts many many years"

Forgot to add peanut butter to my previous post. We consistently run about a year or two past the date on PB and it has never affected taste that we've noticed. I've never had one separate. Usually buy Skippy or Jiff. I recently opened a jar of Planters and it has a strong flavor. Not quite rancid or anything like that I don't think it would have been decent to eat for much longer.

 

[headednorth]

Possibly off topic-

Anyone have any concerns with tuna due to Fukishima? Every once in a while, cvs does a ten for ten deal on bumblebee. Ive heard tuna stores well so I tend to stock up when that deal comes around. Should I invest in a geiger counter? ( kidding...sorta)

 

[Prepper]

Things like Mac n cheese or other pastas I only keep on the shelf in original packaging for less than a year. After that they get packaging removed and thrown into a mylar bag and bucketed.

I have eaten store bought pasta in its original packaging 5 years after the date. It was perfectly fine but just took a little longer to get soft while cooking it. I would not do that with the cheese packet though.

 

[Cowgirlup]

Possibly off topic-

Anyone have any concerns with tuna due to Fukishima? Every once in a while, cvs does a ten for ten deal on bumblebee. Ive heard tuna stores well so I tend to stock up when that deal comes around. Should I invest in a geiger counter? ( kidding...sorta)

Anything that comes from the pacific is likely contaminated. Not just seafood but produce. if you're concerned do your own research and avoid products from that area. MSM doesn't say much about it. So it's up to you to decide just what you believe from the sources out there.

 

[P-14]

Possibly off topic-

Anyone have any concerns with tuna due to Fukishima? Every once in a while, cvs does a ten for ten deal on bumblebee. Ive heard tuna stores well so I tend to stock up when that deal comes around. Should I invest in a geiger counter? ( kidding...sorta)

Dose rates were so low that they won't have any effect on the food or fish. Without going into a thesis, you receive roughly 1 milliREM (mR) of radation dose each day - just for being alive. This comes mainly from cosmic radiation, building materials, and radon gas.

In this article from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, it states that the highest external dose rate to the nearby areas to Fukushima was 2.75 milliSieverts (mSv) PER YEAR. Converting that to mR = 275 mR PER YEAR. That is just less twice an annual natural dose of radiation that we receive normally.

One CAT scan gives you 10,000 mR. I still sleep well at night with this knowledge.