Surprising Expiration Dates

Surprising Expiration Dates
A handy, who-knew guide to 77 foods, beauty products, and household goods
Surprising Expiration Dates
Keate
Certain items in your house practically scream “toss me” when their prime has passed. That mysterious extra white layer on the Cheddar? A sure sign it needs to be put out of its misery. Chunky milk? Down the drain it goes.

But what about that jar of olives or Maraschino cherries that has resided in your refrigerator since before the birth of your kindergartner? Or the innumerable nonedibles lurking deep within your cabinets and closets: stockpiled shampoo and toothpaste, seldom-used silver polish? How do you know when their primes have passed?

With help from experts and product manufacturers, Real Simple has compiled a guide to expiration dates. These dates are offered as a rough guideline. The shelf lives of most products depend upon how you treat them. Edibles, unless otherwise indicated, should be stored in a cool, dry place. (With any food, of course, use common sense.) Household cleaners also do best in a dry place with a stable temperature. After the dates shown, beauty and cleaning products are probably still safe but may be less effective.


Food
# Beer

Unopened: 4 months.

# Brown sugar

Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moistureproof container in a cool, dry place.

# Chocolate (Hershey bar)

1 year from production date

# Coffee, canned ground

Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 1 month refrigerated

# Coffee, gourmet

Beans: 3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Ground: 1 week in sealed container

# Coffee, instant

Unopened: Up to 2 years
Opened: Up to 1 month

# Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles)

Unopened: 3 months from "best by" date.
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected.

# Dried pasta

12 months

# Frozen dinners

Unopened: 12 to 18 months

# Frozen vegetables

Unopened: 18 to 24 months
Opened: 1 month

# Honey

Indefinite shelf life

# Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry)

Unopened: 8 months from production date
Opened: 7 to 10 days

# Ketchup

Unopened: 1 year (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened or used: 4 to 6 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

# Maple syrup, real or imitation

1 year

# Maraschino cherries

Unopened: 3 to 4 years
Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated

# Marshmallows

Unopened: 40 weeks
Opened: 3 months

# Mayonnaise

Unopened: Indefinitely
Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

# Mustard

2 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)



# Olives, jarred (green with pimento)

Unopened: 3 years
Opened: 3 months

# Olive oil

2 years from manufacture date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

# Peanuts

Unopened: 1 to 2 years unless frozen or refrigerated
Opened: 1 to 2 weeks in airtight container

# Peanut butter, natural

9 months

# Peanut butter, processed (Jif)

Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months

# Pickles

Unopened: 18 months
Opened: No conclusive data. Discard if slippery or excessively soft.
# Protein bars (PowerBars)

Unopened: 10 to 12 months. Check "best by" date on the package.

# Rice, white

2 years from date on box or date of purchase

# Salad dressing, bottled

Unopened: 12 months after "best by" date
Opened: 9 months refrigerated

# Soda, regular

Unopened: In cans or glass bottles, 9 months from "best by" date
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected

# Steak sauce

33 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

# Tabasco

5 years, stored in a cool, dry place

# Tea bags (Lipton)

Use within 2 years of opening the package

# Tuna, canned

Unopened: 1 year from purchase date
Opened: 3 to 4 days, not stored in can

# Soy sauce, bottled

Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 3 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

# Vinegar

42 months

# Wine (red, white)

Unopened: 3 years from vintage date; 20 to 100 years for fine wines
Opened: 1 week refrigerated and corked

# Worcestershire sauce

Unopened: 5 to 10 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened: 2 years

For more information, see:
How to Protect Your Produce
How to Save an Open Bottle of Wine


Household Products
# Air freshener, aerosol

2 years

# Antifreeze, premixed

1 to 5 years

# Antifreeze, concentrate

Indefinite

# Batteries, alkaline

7 years

# Batteries, lithium

10 years

# Bleach

3 to 6 months

# Dish detergent, liquid or powdered

1 year

# Fire extinguisher, rechargeable

Service or replace every 6 years

# Fire extinguisher, nonrechargeable

12 years

# Laundry detergent, liquid or powdered

Unopened: 9 months to 1 year
Opened: 6 months

# Metal polish (silver, copper, brass)

At least 3 years

# Miracle Gro, liquid

Opened: 3 to 8 years

# Miracle Gro, liquid, water-soluble

Indefinite

# Motor oil

Unopened: 2 to 5 years
Opened: 3 months

# Mr. Clean

2 years

# Paint

Unopened: Up to 10 years
Opened: 2 to 5 years

# Spray paint

2 to 3 years

# Windex

2 years

# Wood polish (Pledge)

2 years

For more information, see:
The Right Way to Throw Out Medicine, Paint, Batteries
Earth-Friendly Cleaning Products

Beauty Products
All dates are from the manufacture date, which is either displayed on the packaging or can be obtained by calling the manufacturer's customer-service number.

# Bar soap

18 months to 3 years

# Bath gel, body wash

3 years

# Bath oil

1 year

# Body bleaches and depilatories

Unopened: 2 years
Used: 6 months

# Body lotion

3 years

# Conditioner

2 to 3 years

# Deodorant

Unopened: 2 years
Used: 1 to 2 years
For antiperspirants, see expiration date

# Eye cream

Unopened: 3 years
Used: 1 year

# Face lotion

With SPF, see expiration date. All others, at least 3 years

# Foundation, oil-based

2 years

# Foundation, water-based

3 years

# Hair gel

2 to 3 years

# Hair spray

2 to 3 years

# Lip balm

Unopened: 5 years
Used: 1 to 5 years

# Lipstick

2 years

# Mascara

Unopened: 2 years
Used: 3 to 4 months

# Mouthwash

Three years from manufacture date

# Nail polish

1 year

# Nail-polish remover

Lasts indefinitely

# Perfume

1 to 2 years

# Rubbing alcohol

At least 3 years

# Shampoo

2 to 3 years

# Shaving cream

2 years or more

# Tooth-whitening strips

13 months

# Wash'n Dri moist wipes

Unopened: 2 years
Opened: Good until dried out