How long will stored food keep?
The shelf life of stored food is largely dependent on what’s being stored, and the environment it’s stored in.
The most critical environmental storage factors can be summed up using the H.A.L.T. acronym:
1) Humidity
2) Air
3) Light
4) Temperature
By reducing exposure to these 4 elements, stored food will retain more of its nutrients and the shelf life will dramatically increase. It’s not uncommon for stored grains (like rice or oats) or legumes (beans) to last 30 years or longer when stored properly!
We’ve also put together a chart showing commonly stored dried foods and there estimated storage life.
Posted in: Food Storage Questions