How to store canned goods
Best place: the pantry until opened, then the fridge. Unopened, canned goods keep for 2 to 5 years in the pantry. Once opened, the fridge gives 3 to 4 days.
2 to 5 years
from the package date
3 to 4 days
after opening
No guideline
USDA notes for canned goods
- low acid (such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes, spinach): Canned items will be safe to eat well past the ‘use-by’ or ‘best by’ date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.
- high acid (such as juices, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, tomato soup, and foods in vinegar-based sauce): Canned items will be safe to eat well past the ‘use-by’ or ‘best by’ date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.
How to tell canned goods have gone bad
- Throw out any can that is bulging, leaking, rusted through or cracked, without tasting. Do not use a can that spurts liquid or foams when opened.
- Dents: a small dent on the side is usually fine, but a deep dent, or any dent on a seam or the rim, can let bacteria in. Discard those cans.
- Once open, food with an off odour, mould, or a cloudy liquid that should be clear goes out.
- High-acid canned food (tomatoes, fruit, pickles) keeps best quality 12 to 18 months; low-acid (meat, fish, vegetables, soups) 2 to 5 years. After that the food is usually still safe if the can is intact.
Sources: Shelf-Stable Food Safety (USDA FSIS). The times on this page are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store dry pantry staples in a cool, dry cupboard away from the stove and direct sunlight, ideally in airtight containers once opened. Reseal cracker and cereal bags tightly with a clip or transfer them to a container to keep them crisp. Label opened jars with the date so older ones get used first.
Looking for one kind of canned goods?
How to store other shelf stable foods
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.