Average Shelf Life of Dehydrated Foods

Sadly, when I found this chart, it was during my very early days of prepping, I did not think to cite the source. My apologies to the author. Looking at some of the ingredients in the list, I suspect that some of them are commercially prepared freeze dried foods. 

Below is a chart to help you determine the shelf life of food stored in airtight containers at constant temperature of  70 degrees. **

All of the following products will store proportionally longer at cooler temperatures if kept at lower storage temperatures. Shelf life of 30+ years is perfectly feasible for many products!

     

Food	Years
Apples	30
Barley	10
Beans, Adzuki	8-10
Beans, Blackeye Peas	15 -20
Beans, Black Turtle	15 – 20
Beans, Garbanzo	15 - 20
Beans, Great Northern	15
Beans, Kidney	20
Beans, Lentils	20
Beans, Lima	20
Beans, Mung	8 - 10
Beans, Pink	20 - 30
Beans, Pinto	20 - 30
Beans, Refried	5
Beans, Small Red	8 - 10
Beans, Soy	8 - 10
Broccoli	8 - 10
Buckwheat	15
Butter/margarine Powder	15
Cabbage	8 - 10
Carrots	8 - 10
Celery	8 - 10
Cheese Powder	15
Cocoa Powder	15
Corn	8 - 12
Cornmeal	5
Eggs, Powder	15
Flour, All Purpose	15
Flour, Bakers	15
Flour, Unbleached	5
Flour, Whole Wheat	5
Fruit	5
Rice, White	8 - 10
Granola	5
Groats	8
Honey, Salt and Sugar	Indefinitely
Milk, Powder	20
Millet	8 - 12
Oats, Hulled	30
Oats, Pearled	10
Oats, Rolled	30
Onions	8 - 12
Peppers	8 - 12
Potatoes (flakes, slices, dices)	20 - 30
Rice, Brown	6
Rice, White	8 - 10
Rye	8
Seeds, Alfalfa	8
Seeds, Flax	8 - 12
Seeds, Garden	4
Seeds, Sprouting	4-5
Spelt	12
Triticale	8 - 12
Wheat, Cracked	25
Wheat, Durham	8 - 12
Wheat flakes	15
Wheat, Hard Red	25 - 30
Wheat, Hard White	25 – 30
Wheat, Soft	25
Yeast	2

   

Predicting actual shelf life of dehydrated foods is not an exact science, however there have been many studies done. 

• In addition to the above average shelf life of food stored at a constant 70 degrees, you can dramatically increase your life expectancy by lowering the constant temperature. 
• It is possible to double, triple or even quadruple the shelf life by lowering the temperature proportionally.
• Some products, such as seeds, can even be frozen for dramatically increased shelf life. 

 

The Basic Rule Of Thumb:

Store you food storage in as low of temperature as possible to increase its shelf life and to retain nutritional value.