new to canning, a question please...

[greencobra]

i have been gifted a bunch of home put up foods by a friend. can i ask what would be the expected shelf life unopened as well as after opening? we got a ton of posts for professionally prepared foods but couldn't find the info i ask about. the foods i'm referring to are what i'd call "luxury" foods in a survivalist scenario....relishes, salsas, fruit concoctions, butters of all types, apple, pear etc. apple honey which i imagine since it's mostly honey won't spoil, right. how about after it's opened? this stuff is the type not normally consumed in one sitting so it would linger a few days after opening.

let me say that if there were a situation where one was into their stockpiled food supply, i thought this stuff would be a welcome addition and treat to the already stockpiled food in my meager survivalist pantry so i put it with the other foods. you know, as a condiment. this ladies salsa is so good you could eat it as a side dish. so what i'm saying is i don't really need to store it long term but hoping it would stay sealed at least for a year or two before i need to consume it.

 

[Uzi2]

Keep it cool and dry in a darkened area and as long as the tops are still concave ( holding a vaccuum ) they'll last for years.
Also, make sure the rings are OFF the jars, don't dent the edges while handling and if you have to stack them, don't go more than two high and use a piece of corrugated cardboard in between the layers.

Single layer is best so you can observe the tops of the jars.

The types of foods you describe will usually last several years.

Just refrigerate anything you open and try to use clean utensils when dishing it out.

 

[peterk123]

I have stuff in my basement that are five years old. I have no problem eating it. Great way to store food long term. @Uzi2 pretty much summed it up.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

I don't have much to add. My canned foods get rotated out by the next canning season. When I was a kid we had canned stuff that was several years old, about a 3 year supply on some things, and they were still perfect.