When we buy a product, time passes and we haven’t consumed it right away, we look at the expiration date, right? The same thing happens when we return home after a long vacation season. All the food you had at home may have gone bad… Or not?
Although you should not lose the habit of looking at the date that tells us if the food is suitable for consumption, you should keep in mind that there are some quite durable foods whose date is only the best before date. In other words, once that date has passed, the food may lose some of its properties but it does not have to spoil.
To save you a lot of money on buying the same products over and over again because you think they have expired, we are going to tell you which foods never or almost never expire as well as how to preserve them. Take note that this interests you!
What foods do not expire?
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Honey
If we talk about honey, we must warn that when it comes to a natural product it will always be much better and healthier than a product bought in the supermarket. In addition, the container for natural honey is usually made of glass or clay, which helps to preserve it because air does not enter if it is well closed.
Honey is one of those foods that does not expire and whose properties remain practically intact despite the passing of the years. Yes, yes, you read correctly: we are even talking about years. Of course, as we have just mentioned, it is important that the jar in which the honey is found is well closed to help its conservation.
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Salt
Another common consumer product that can last for years is salt. Without a doubt, it is one of those condiments that we will always be able to count on without worrying about it expiring or losing its properties.
In fact, in ancient times it was used as a food preservative. Depending on the conditions in which we keep the salt, its texture may change or it may become caked. But this has an easy solution: you can include a few grains of rice between the salt and it will be much easier for this not to happen.
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Rice
Did you know that rice can be kept for up to 30 years without losing its properties? It seems incredible, but the truth is that this food is very easy to preserve. Of course, you must store it in dry conditions and in glass containers so that it lasts much longer. In this way, we will be able to take advantage of the product long after having bought it. Sounds good right?
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Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages whose graduation is very high can be kept in good condition despite the passage of time. It is possible that the external appearance of the bottle is even modified and that, inside, the drink remains exactly the same. Is awesome!
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Vinegar
Vinegar has always been a conservation and cleaning method used for many years now, and it can be used after a long period of time. Its acid properties make its conservation much simpler and easier to carry out. All you need is to keep it in a dry place away from heat sources.
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Sugar
Sugar is another one of those foods that can be consumed for a long period of time without fear of expiration, as is the case with salt. To properly preserve this product, you need it to be in a dry place and in a fully closed container. In this way, the sugar can last as long as you want.
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Legumes
As was the case with rice, legumes can also last up to 30 years or so. All the beans, chickpeas and lentils that are properly isolated without contact with water or humidity can last as long as you want. With this, you can forget about buying them every time you think they have expired.
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Powdered coffee
As long as the properties have not been modified, the instant coffee powder that you store in a canister can last you for decades. You can use it in the same conditions as if you had just bought it thanks to the drying process that is carried out with it.
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Spices
Most of the spices we buy are dry, and we can differentiate between parsley, oregano, rosemary or thyme, among many others. All of them come in a perfectly closed glass container that means that they can remain intact for a long time.