We’ve often talked about food expiration dates, how important it is to respect them both for safety—therefore, eating healthy, bacteria-free products—and for quality, ensuring we’re consuming products that maintain their organoleptic and nutritional properties at their peak. But did you know that there are foods that don’t expire and that not only last for years, but can also be consumed long after the date legally indicated on the packaging? Once the expiration date has passed, we often give in to the bad habit of throwing away food without even checking its condition, thus generating food waste that is no longer sustainable. Yet, a little extra attention and better information would be enough to significantly reduce waste.
Also because there’s a necessary distinction to be made between expiration dates and “best before” dates: we often assume that one term is equivalent to the other, when in fact this isn’t the case. The second term, in fact, means that those foods can actually be consumed even after the indicated date because, while losing some of their organoleptic properties, they cannot be harmful in any way. Unlike “use by” foods, which, once the indicated date has passed, can deteriorate and become dangerous.
So, by paying attention to how product expiration dates are indicated, you can stock up on foods that, if stored properly, won’t spoil and can be consumed safely even years after you purchased them. What are they? Here are 13.
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1. Pasta
Spaghetti, rigatoni, penne lisce and rigate, fusilli, or mezze maniche: the pasta shape doesn’t matter, because any type of pasta, properly sealed and stored, never expires. Dried pasta already has a very long shelf life, ranging from 24 to 36 months, and despite this, it can be consumed long after the expiration date, as long as it is stored properly, in a cool, dry place, and away from heat sources. Why? The reason is very simple: dried pasta has such a low moisture content that it doesn’t allow bacterial growth, although it’s always a good idea to be careful about pantry staples before consuming it.
2. Rice
The same goes for rice because, like pasta, it has a negligible moisture content that prevents bacterial growth, a characteristic that guarantees a very long shelf life. Rice can keep in the pantry for years and can be safely consumed even after its “expired” date. The important thing is to keep it in a place in the kitchen away from sources of light and heat, the only way to prevent it from becoming prey to insects and moths.
3. Spelt and Barley
Spelt and barley behave exactly like pasta and rice: they are both dry ingredients with very little internal moisture, a characteristic that allows them to last extremely long because they are less susceptible to the growth of bacteria and mold. The previously mentioned rules also apply here: grains should be kept in their closed containers and, if opened, transferred to perfectly clean, airtight containers and kept away from direct sources of light and heat.
4. Dark Chocolate
When stored properly, dark chocolate can be consumed even years after the expiration date indicated on the packaging. This is due to its organoleptic characteristics and natural properties, which, while losing some of its aroma, are not harmful to our health. There’s an exception to every rule: dark chocolate that doesn’t contain traces of nuts, cocoa butter, or hazelnuts, which, long after the expiration date, could cause the formation of mold and bacteria.
5. Honey
