They Just Last Forever: These foods just don’t go bad

Around twelve million tons of food waste are disposed of in Germany every year. This emerges from a report by the consumer advice center.

It is often the expired best-before date that unsettles consumers. Many foods, from sugar to rice to canned goods, can usually be enjoyed for much longer than stated on the packaging.

Sugar lasts forever

Sugar lasts practically forever: Since bacteria cannot survive in pure sugar, it can still be consumed without any problems even after several years. It is only important that it does not get wet, otherwise it will clump together.

Honey keeps for a long time – but beware of fermentation

The same applies to honey: If the bee product is stored in a cool, dry and dark place, you can enjoy it well beyond the best-before date.

However, you should not leave the honey open for too long. The reason for this is its hygroscopic effect: This means that the honey absorbs water from the air when it is open. Over a longer period of time, the increasing water content activates the yeast cells contained in the honey. So the honey starts to ferment.

Salt doesn’t go bad even after decades

Salt is the basic spice that gives many of our dishes the right kick. It’s a good thing that the “white gold” never goes bad, even after decades of storage.

Even moisture only damages the salt to a limited extent: it causes it to melt into a lump that is difficult to dose, but which is still edible.

White wine vinegar is indestructible

Vinegar and oil are the basic ingredients of most salad dressings. While the latter can go rancid if stored too long or incorrectly, distilled white wine vinegar will keep for years in a tightly closed bottle.

Canned food – don’t be fooled by changed color

It doesn’t matter whether it’s corn, peas or peaches: the contents of tin cans can usually be consumed without hesitation years after the expiry date. Only consistency, taste and color can change over the years. However, you should be careful with damaged canned goods and swollen cans: the latter is usually a sign of bacteria inside.

Water in the right bottles

Have you ever wondered why some water bottles have an expiration date on them? This does not refer to the water itself, but to the plastic bottle: the longer it stands around, the greater the risk that toxic substances will be released from the plastic.

However, you can still drink water from glass bottles without hesitation long after the expiration date.

When it comes to rice and pasta, storage matters

The best-before date has been a legal requirement for packaged foods since 1981, including rice. The grains can usually be consumed long after the expiry date. The only important thing is to store them dry and airtight. You should only stick to the data printed on the package for brown natural rice.

Theoretically, many noodles can also be kept indefinitely, as long as they are made from durum wheat semolina and are stored accordingly. Wholemeal pasta and pasta made from eggs, on the other hand, can go bad.

Schnaps is virtually indestructible

Last but not least, the schnapps is practically indestructible. So if you still have a bottle from the penultimate New Year’s Eve in your cupboard, you can give it to your guests at Christmas after a sumptuous meal without hesitation.

Maple Syrup – You can also freeze it

Did you know you can freeze maple syrup? In this way, the sweet plant juice lasts almost forever. But even in the commercially liquid state, maple syrup lasts for a very long time due to its high sugar content.

Corn starch as a sauce binder

It is often foods that are rarely used that have passed their best-before date: cornstarch, for example. If the white powder is stored tightly sealed, it should still work as a sauce binder after a year or even several years.