They say everything has an expiration date, but it turns out that certain foods will keep indefinitely.
According to the below infographic—which tells you when to toss everything from baking soda to car tires—there are several pantry staples that will last pretty much forever, especially unopened:
Soy Sauce (Unopened): The salty sauce will keep in your pantry until the end of time but, according to Food & Wine, once it’s opened you have about three years to work your way through the bottle. (I’m sure you’ll manage.)
Sugar: As long as you keep it in a cool, dry place (and away from ants), your sugar can hang out forever.
Honey: Though it may crystallize, the sweet stuff is naturally antimicrobial, so it will never go bad. (If it does crystallize, don’t worry; you can fix it with a hot water bath.)
White Rice (Unopened): Whole-grain, unprocessed rice will only last six months, but you can stock up on the white stuff in bulk.
Vinegar: Though you should toss wine that starts to taste of vinegar, there’s no reason to toss vinegar ever, even if it’s opened.
Expiration Date Cheat Sheet | Quid Corner via Food & Wine
Photo by Drew Coffman.