How to store sun dried tomatoes
Best place: the pantry until opened, then the fridge. Unopened, sun dried tomatoes keep for 1 year in the pantry. Once opened, the fridge gives 3 to 6 months.
1 year
from the package date
3 to 6 months
after opening
No guideline
How to tell sun dried tomatoes have gone bad
General signs for shelf stable foods, the group USDA lists sun dried tomatoes under.
- Crackers or cereal that have gone soft or stale, not crisp
- Rancid, paint-like smell from nuts, oils or nut butters
- Small insects or webbing inside a box or bag
- Spices that have lost their smell and colour
- Fermented or boozy smell from honey that has picked up moisture
More on shelf stable foods. The times above 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.
How to store other shelf stable foods
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.