EXPIRATION DATES

 I was raised by a German/Irish mother with a  "waste not, want not" mantra.  We were constantly reminded that "little children were starving in China."  Charge plates (long before cards) were evil.    My parent's families separated and saved the metal foil used to wrap chewing gum along with the used tin foil in other packaging.  Get the picture?

Since I've recently become sole manager of my home, my Gen X children have been overwhelming me with the importance of discarding the old, outdated or tainted food and other products.  This goes against my grain.  As a last resort, I've investigated the food products that I won't have to worry about killing me.  I'm looking for the food that doesn't get a little white powdery coating or a green growth on the edges or a slightly different odor than usual.  Certainly there are such foods; refrigerators are a rather new invention, the "little house on the prairie" was not in walking distance to a Kroger store, and Columbus spent 61 days on the ocean before landing in the Americas.  

Here is what I found. Keep in mind that real foods are meant to be kept in a cool, dry environment.  Old pantries were built that way.

Canned Meat and Vegetables could last forever.  Make sure the cans are not dented or swelled.

White Rice if in an air-tite container could last forever.

Maple Syrup (real maple syrup) and Honey could last forever.

Beans could last forever. 

Corn Starch could last forever.

Powdered Milk could last forever

Pasta kept cool and dry could last forever

White Sugar and almost all Seasonings could last forever

Hard Liquor (not beer or wine) and Vanilla Extract could last forever

Now we know what to stock and store.  Incidentally, I love my Spam with rice and beans - and a little Irish whiskey to wash it down.