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Chain grocery stores may not always have the best selection of gourmet foods or organic items, but they are the best when it comes to sales. If you read your grocery store flyer religiously, you can be a super-saver, especially on items that you can store. All you have to do is sit down with your coffee on Sunday morning and make a list of the good deals.
Here is a list of things you might buy in bulk and where you should store them to maximize their shelf life.
Staples for the freezer:
1. Butter – keep for 4 months
2. Frozen Dinners – 3-4 months
Staples for the pantry:
1. Canola/Vegetable Oil – Up to one year
2. Juice in Plastic Bottles – 12 to 18 months
3. Juice Pouches – 6 months
4. Spaghetti Sauce – 1 year (check expiration dates)
5. Cereal – Up to 1 year
6. Canned Tomatoes – 18 months
7. Canned Vegetables (lower acid like corn or beans) – 2 to 5 years (check expiration dates)
8. Syrup – 1 to 2 years
9. Honey – Indefinitely
10. Chocolate (solid) – Up to 9 months
One note about pantries: to insure length of storage for your staples, make sure that your pantry is not exposed to light or moisture. It’s also a good idea to store items that mice might like (i.e. cereal) up high so that Minnie and Mickey don’t have an early Thanksgiving feast in your pantry. Also, if you tape this list to your pantry door, you can mark your staples with a Sharpie as you store them with handy “use by” dates.
Happy hoarding!
Darcy Ratner
Co-founder, Rubbingnickels.com
References: Consumer Reports, Shopsmart Magazine, March 2008; Cooks Illustrated Magazine, Feb. 2009.
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