Month: January 2023

Are you wondering how long dried beans last? If you found a package of old dried beans in the back of your pantry they can be good for years beyond the expiration date.

Do the beans look and smell normal? If so, they are probably fine.

You can remove any bugs and still safely eat the beans if you absolutely must.

When stored properly, dried beans can have shelf life of 25-30 years! This is assuming you kept the beans fresh in air tight containers with oxygen absorbers and stored them in a cool, dark place.

For this reason, dried beans are one of the best foods for long term storage. Keep reading to learn all about dried beans and how to keep them long term.

What Are Dried Beans Anyways?

Dried beans are simply beans which have been dried and packaged. Before cooking dried beans you must first soak them in water.

Common dried beans you will find:

• Pinto beans

• Navy beans

• Kidney beans

• Black beans

• White beans

• Lentils

I usually soak my beans for at least 8-24 hours prior to cooking. When the beans are fully saturated with water they are ready to cook.

How to Tell If Dried Beans Are Bad? Dried Beans Shelf Life!

Dried beans in their original package or paper packaging can last about two to three years if they are in a cool dry place like your pantry.

The best way to store dry beans long term is to vacuum seal mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Using this method dried beans can last 25-30 years or more.

Check the following to determine if your dried beans are still good:

• Look for mold – if there is mold do not eat the beans

• Check for bugs – Insects can contaminate dried beans in storage. It is generally safe to eat the dried beans after you remove the insects should you be in a dire situation.

• Inspect the beans appearance – Discolored beans can be a sign they have spoiled.

• Unusual Smells – Do the beans have a rancid smell?

How to Store Dried Beans Properly?

There are many ways to store dried beans and extend the minimum shelf life. When storing dried beans or any foods long term you must protect from the following:

• Moisture

• Oxygen

• Pests

• Sunlight

• Extreme temperature fluctuations

This can be accomplished many ways. Some methods are better than others.

Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers

This is one of the best ways to store dried beans long term. Using this technique your beans can last for decades. For specific details on how to use oxygen absorbers for food storage check out our post.

1. Place your beans in a mylar bag.

2. Place the correct size oxygen absorber in the bag.

3. Vacuum seal the mylar bag.

4. Place the mylar bag in a bucket or other container to protect them.

5. Label your containers with the date they were packed.

6. Keep your sealed beans in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Glass jars or mason jars with oxygen absorbers

Another excellent method which can extend the shelf life of dried beans to 20+ years.

1. Place the dried beans in your jar.

2. Put the correct size oxygen absorber in the jar.

3. Vacuum seal the jar and place the lid.

4. Label your containers with the date they were packed.

5. Place your jars in a box, bucket or other container to protect them from breaking.

6. Store your sealed jars in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Air tight containers

You can store dried beans in many air tight containers. This can include:

• plastic bags

• Glass jars

• Mason jars

• Hard plastic containers

• Vacuum sealer containers

Simply putting your dried beans in an air tight container will give you 2-3 years of good shelf life.

Freezing dried beans

You can stored dried beans in a freezer nearly indefinitely. The benefit of freezer storage is it will kill any insect eggs inside.

1. Place your dry beans in a air tight container

2. Label the packages

3. Place them in your freezer.

Vacuum Sealing Dry Beans

You can use a vacuum sealer to store dried beans. This will protect your beans from moisture and pests better than the original packaging. You can get 2-3 years shelf life using this method.

1. Place your beans in a vacuum sealer bag.

2. Vacuum seal them.

3. Label the package with the date they were sealed.

Tips for Softening Old Hard Dry Beans

The longer your dry beans are in storage the drier they will become. This will make cooking them a bit more difficult depending on their age.

Baking Soda Added to Soaking Water

Presoak your beans with a teaspoon of baking soda. It’s best to soak the beans for at least 8 hours or more in some circumstances.

Older beans will require a longer soak time to rehydrate.

Cooking Dried Beans

Cooking dried beans is pretty easy. The most important thing is to make sure you soak the beans enough.

Once the beans are hydrated then cook them prior to adding any additional ingredients.

Adding things like salt, sugar, or acidic ingredients before the beens are cooked can cause them to stay hard and not properly cook.

Slow Cooker

Using a slow cooker is a great way to cook bean especially if they have been in storage a long time. The low and slow heat will allow the beans enough time to become nice and tender.

Pressure Cook dry Beans

I love my instant pot for cooking many foods including beans. Cook dried beans in a pressure cooker like an instant pot. The pressure cooker is the best thing I’ve found when cooking especially old dried beans.

The steam and pressure will drive moisture into the beans leaving the most dry beans perfectly cooked.

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Spam has been around for over 80 years now. In that time it’s become an American cult classic. The canned meat product was issued to US troops during World War 2.

There are reports of US troops in Vietnam eating expired Spam which was produced during WW2. From all reports, it didn’t taste good but Spam can definitely be edible beyond it’s best by date. I do not recommend eating 20 year old Spam!

It’s relatively cheap, has a long shelf life, and it’s filling. Maybe not the best tasting meat around but it has a place in some people’s emergency preps.

Expiration date of Spam (and Spam lite)

Spam has a best by date of about three years after it was produced. Since it has a best by date and not an expiration date the Spam may be good to eat beyond the date on the can.

After the best by date, the canned Spam may have lost some flavor or freshness. In ideal conditions the shelf life of spam can be extended beyond the best by date.

Is expired Spam safe to eat?

Since Spam does not have a definitive expiration date, there is no set time in which it will spoil.

You can usually safely eat expired Spam a few years beyond the best by date on the can. This is assuming the can has not been damaged and stored properly.

What are the risks of eating old Spam?

Spam, like any relatively wet food can develop botulism during long term storage. Spam which is beyond it’s best by date should be inspected carefully prior to eating.

If you eat Spam which has botulism or other contamination you may risk food poisoning. The botulism bacteria release a toxin which accumulates in any food they are present. Eating Spam or any food with botulism can be fatal.

Take extreme care when you consume Spam which is beyond it’s best by date.

Is Spam a good emergency food?

Spam can make an ok emergency food due to it’s decent shelf life. With up to three years based on the best by date, you have a while before your Spam starts to degrade. Spam can then last years beyond the date printed on the can if you need it to.

With that said, three year shelf life is pretty short compared to many dry foods. For this reason you will probably want to rotate your supply of Spam to not let it go to waste.

I personally have a small amount of Spam in my emergency food storage and rotate through it during the year. For information on the best canned food for survival check out our post.

Canned meat alternatives

Canned food like Spam, canned tuna, canned chicken, and other canned meats all have a similar shelf life. They all also are more prone to things like botulism. Additionally, canned foods are somewhat bulky and heavy due to their high moisture content making them more inconvenient to store long term.

If you absolutely want meat products in your emergency stores then freeze dried meats are going to be a better option. When stored properly using airtight containers and oxygen absorbers, freeze dried meat can have a shelf life of 20 years or more. Learn more about oxygen absorbers here.

How to store Spam

Storing Spam long term isn’t hard but you will want to adhere to the fundamentals of long term food storage.

Protect the Spam from:

• High temperatures

• Freezing

• Moisture

• Oxygen

• Pests.

Due to the can packaging, Spam is already highly resistant to moisture, oxygen, and pest intrusion.

Keep those cans of spam in a cool and dry place and they should easily last until the best by date and probably longer.

Unopened Spam cans do not need to be refrigerated. If you have an opened Spam container the leftover Spam can be stored in the refrigerator but should be consumed in a few days ideally.

Do not freeze Spam in the can. To freeze it you should remove the Spam from the can and place it in another airtight container.

When is Spam unsafe to eat?

No matter how old the Spam, you should inspect it prior to eating. Even Spam which is not past the best by date could become compromised.

Look for:

• Bulging cans

• Leaking liquids

• Dents or scrapes on the can

• Rust

• Pressure (or liquid) released when opening

• Unusual appearance or smell to the meat

If you notice any of the above signs, there is a chance you have spoiled Spam.

FAQ

How long does opened Spam last in the fridge?

Opened spam can be stored in the fridge for three to five days

How long does Spam last in the can?

Until the best by date on the can which is typically about three years. If stored proper Spam can last years beyond the best by date.

How long does cooked Spam last in the fridge?

Cooked Spam can safely last three to five days in the fridge.

Oxygen absorbers are a critical component to successful long term food storage. If used correctly, oxygen absorbers will extend the shelf life of most foods stored with them. Lets dig into oxygen absorbers and learn how to use them for storing food.

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What are oxygen absorbers?

Oxygen absorbers are small packets containing iron powder. They are designed to remove oxygen from the air. Oxygen absorbers come in various sizes to suit whatever size container they will be placed in.

How do oxygen absorbers work?

A chemical reaction occurs when an oxygen absorber is exposed to oxygen in the air. The oxygen molecules adhere to the iron powder thus removing it from the air. This is how they absorb oxygen.

The oxygen absorbers extend the shelf life of foods by removing most of the oxygen from your stored food. The oxygen absorbers will reduce the oxygen level to .01% or less when used correctly.

A byproduct of this chemical reaction is heat. You may notice your oxygen absorber packets will get warm.

Oxygen absorbers do not absorb moisture.

Are oxygen absorbers safe?

While oxygen absorbers are not edible they are relatively safe. The packets contain iron powder and salt. They are completely safe for storing dry foods long term.

Why use an oxygen absorber for long term food storage?

Using an oxygen absorber packet in proper packaging with an airtight seal will dramatically extend the shelf life of many foods.

Removing the oxygen will preserve your foods nutrition, prevent oxidation, protect against mold and bacteria, and kill any insects inside the packaging.

What containers work best with oxygen absorbers?

Oxygen absorbers should only be used in containers with an airtight seal.

Mylar bags – Sealed mylar bags are not only airtight but also protect against moisture and light. You can also use this with vacuum sealing.

Glass jars – With the correct lid a mason jar or other canning jars will have an airtight seal and work well with oxygen absorbers.

#10 cans – Many commercial freeze dried foods are sold in #10 cans. They are airtight containers and if you have the means to seal them, they work well.

Other containers can work well such as plastic bottles but keep in mind that most plastic is permeable and will allow oxygen to slowly enter the container over time.

How to use oxygen absorbers

It’s really quite simple to use oxygen absorbers. All you need to do is place an appropriately sized packet in your containers prior to sealing them. In a matter of hours your food will essentially be packaged in an oxygen free environment.

Make sure you’re using new, fresh oxygen absorbers. They can only absorb a finite amount of oxygen. Once they have absorbed their maximum amount of oxygen they are useless and should be thrown out.

You must use the correct size oxygen absorber packets to remove all the oxygen from your container.

If your oxygen absorbers are hard or discolored it is a good indication that they are expired. They should be soft and malleable

How many oxygen absorbers should I use?

The size of container and type of food you’re storing will determine how much oxygen is present. Based on this information you can determine how many or what size oxygen absorbers to use.

For larger containers I like to use multiple smaller oxygen absorbers instead of one big one. This way you can spread them throughout the food for complete coverage.

The table below gives you a general idea about how much oxygen absorbers are needed depending on the type of food and size of the container. Foods with less air volume typically don’t need as many oxygen abosorbers.

You cannot use too many oxygen absorbers. If in doubt, use more.

Can I extend the shelf life of all foods by using oxygen absorbers?

Not all foods should be stored with oxygen absorbers. Foods that are dry and low in fat are best. A list of common foods to store with oxygen absorbers is below. Check out our post on how to store dry foods using buckets.

• Rice

• Whole grains

• Dried beans

• Pasta

• Cereals

• Powdered milk

• Flour

• Freeze dried foods

• Spices

What foods should not be stored with oxygen absorbers?

• Wet foods – Oxygen absorbers should only be used with foods that contain less than 10% moisture content. Foods with higher moisture content are at risk for botulism growth. Botulism bacteria can still grow with nearly no oxygen and you risk botulism poisoning.

• Salt – Using oxygen absorbers when storing salt will result in the salt becoming rock hard.

• Sugar – White granulated sugar will also become rock hard. Brown sugar contains too much moisture to safely store.

• Baking Soda – Leavening ability may be compromised, may clump

• Backing powder – Leavening ability may be compromised, may clump

• Yeast – Leavening ability may be compromised, may clump

• Home dehydrated foods – Most consumer-grade dehydrators are not able to dehydrate foods like fruits and vegetables enough. To safely store dehydrated food it must be under 10% moisture content.

A word on fatty foods

The fats in foods such as nuts, seeds, butter, and other oils can go rancid. Using oxygen absorbers storing nuts or other fatty food will not prevent them from going rancid. The oxygen absorbers will still help protect the food’s from oxidation and other potential contaminants.

In many cases the shelf life of high fat foods will be determined by how long it takes the fats to go rancid more than anything else. Keep your foods cool to help prevent the fat from going rancid.

Shelf life expectations

By incorporating oxygen absorbers in your food storage regime it can dramatically improve the shelf life. Your long term food storage will have the best shelf life if you’re also using appropriately seal airtight containers.

Do vacuum sealed mylar bags need oxygen absorbers?

If you are vacuum sealing your mylar bags it will remove most of the air but not all. There will be oxygen present and it is wise to still use oxygen absorbers when vacuum sealing.

How do I know my oxygen absorbers are working?

As long as you’re using a new, fresh oxygen absorber you can be fairly confident it will be working. You may notice the oxygen absorber feel warm which is a byproduct of the chemical reaction taking place.

If you’re using mylar bags you may also notice the bags vacuum down a slight amount if they already had a very low air volume. This is because air on earth is about 20% oxygen. It’s subtle though so don’t count on noticing it.

How do I store unused oxygen absorbers?

To keep your oxygen absorbers fresh it is best to store them in a low volume, airtight container that is vacuum sealed. This will prevent them from filling up with oxygen rendering them useless.

If you’re looking to get into prepping or long term food storage, buckets are one of the best options to keep your food edible long term.

Food grade buckets are great for storing food because they protect your food against contamination, and have a tight fitting lid. New buckets are also relatively cheap and

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Considerations for long term food storage

There are five main factors which you must control for when storing food long term. Failure to protect your food from any of these will reduce it’s shelf life. Using food grade buckets will protect your food from most contaminants.

1. Moisture – When storing food long term it is best to keep things as dry as possible. Without moisture there is less risk for things like mold or other contamination.

2. Heat – The ideal temperature for food storage is about room temperature or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If your food is experiencing warmer temperatures it will reduce its usable lifespan

3. Oxygen – Exposure to oxygen will cause certain foods to oxidize which can degrade their flavor and nutritional properties. If oxygen is present in your food stores it will also create an environment for microbes and insects to live.

4. Sunlight – If your food is exposed to sunlight it can effect the appearance, flavor, and nutrients of some foods. Oils and fats are prone to oxidation when exposed to sunlight increasing the risk they go rancid.

5. Pests – Rodents and insects can contaminate or completely destroy your emergency food supply.

Food grade buckets

There are two main types of plastic buckets you will encounter. Food grade buckets and non-food grade buckets.

Food grade buckets are made of a food safe plastic that will not contaminate the contents of the bucket. These are the best options for long term food storage. It is safe to pour food directly in these buckets although I still don’t recommend that.

You are probably already familiar with normal buckets. These are what you typically find at home improvement stores. Normal buckets are not made of food safe plastic and you should never put food directly into these buckets. It is safe to store food in these buckets if you are first sealing your food in mylar bags.

There are two main reasons you may want to use normal buckets instead of food grade buckets. Prices vary but food grade buckets are about double the cost of a normal bucket.

Last I checked a five gallon bucket at Home Depot or tractor supply costs about $3. A food grade bucket will run you about $6-7.

The second reason you may go for normal buckets is that they are easier to find. Every hardware store and home improvement store sells them. I typically have to buy my food grade buckets online because they are harder to find locally.

A word on food grade bucket sizes

The most common food storage buckets you will find and 5 and 6 gallons in size. For many people, these work perfectly for their needs.

A five or six gallon bucket can weigh up to 40 pounds and get extremely heavy depending on what you’re storing. This can make transporting or moving full buckets difficult. Keep this in mind and buy smaller buckets if needed.

If you are buying smaller buckets make sure your lids will fit them. I like all my buckets to share the same lid size.

Lids

There are three main types of bucket lids you will encounter.

Press on Lid

This is the most common. These lids are pressed onto the top of the bucket. You may need to use a rubber mallet to seal the lid. To open the bucket you must pry off the lid using a screw driver or similarly shaped tool. Regularly accessing the contents of a bucket with this lid is a huge pain. These lids are cheapest.

Tear Strip lid

This lid is similar to the press on lid in that it is also pressed onto the top of the bucket to seal. To remove the bucket there is a pull tab that must be removed from the lid. Thus allowing access to the contents. You can push the lid back on to reseal but the seal isn’t as good after opening the first time.

Gamma lids

These lids thread onto the top of the bucket. They are very convenient to open and reseal. A gamma lid is more expensive but well worth the extra cost if you plan on accessing the contents periodically. I use a mixture of lids depending on what I’m storing.

Oxygen absorbers

These little packets will absorb any oxygen in the containers you’re using to store food. They come in many sizes and are typically measured in cubic centimeters or CCs.

Pay attention to the size of mylar bag or bucket you’re using. You need to ensure you have enough oxygen absorbers in the bag/bucket to remove all oxygen.

You can’t use too many oxygen absorbers but if you use too few they won’t be able to remove all oxygen which will reduce your food’s shelf life. Below is a quick reference to determine how much oxygen absorbers you need.

• 32oz canning jars: 100cc

• Half gallon mylar bag: 200cc

• One gallon mylar bags: 400cc

• Five gallon buckets: 1500cc

Any unused oxygen absorbers should be vacuum sealed in a container with an airtight seal. This will keep them good for future prepping use. If you don’t keep them sealed the oxygen absorbers will fill with oxygen rendering them useless. For more details on proper oxygen absorber use check out our post dedicated to the topic.

Storing food inside buckets and mylar bags

Preserving your own food in food grade buckets is really quite simple. I strongly recommend putting your food inside vacuum sealed mylar bags regardless of which type of buckets you’re using.

By using mylar bags you will have a secondary barrier for contamination should your buckets get damaged or the seal broken. This will also allow you to break your food up into smaller mylar bags so you can keep more of your food sealed until it’s needed.

This food storage method is best suited to dry foods. I like to store bulk foods like wheat berries, white rice, white flour, sugar, brown sugar, dry pasta, and rolled oats using this technique. For more info on storing pasta long term check out our post here.

There isn’t much benefit to storing fatty foods this way. The mylar bags and oxygen absorbers don’t do much to prevent fats from going rancid.

1. Decide on your mylar bag size. For many foods I like half gallon or one gallon bags. You can even use five gallon bags and line an entire bucket but I don’t do this.

2. Place the appropriately sized oxygen absorbers in your mylar bags.

3. Fill the bags with food. In some cases it makes sense to keep the food inside it’s original package. You can also save one empty package and place it inside the bucket so you can reference it for preparation information.

4. Vacuum seal the bags. You can also use a clothes iron for sealing mylar bags. Press out as much air as you can and ensure an airtight seal.

5. Pack your sealed mylar bags into your food grade buckets (or normal buckets)

6. Attach the bucket lids and label with contents and date they were sealed.

7. Stack buckets in your cool and dry storage space. Do not stack more than three buckets high. This can cause them to crack.

8. Periodically check your food buckets for evidence of compromise. I’ve found rodents can chew into a bucket if given enough time.