Things you can store for a long time

[freeazabird]

What are some items you can buy in bulk on sale that last a long time?

[mistymoney]

food?

dried nuts, beans, fruit, grains and psuedograins.

[nereo]

Grudges

[ATtiny85]

Ammo

Honey

[Monocle Money Mouth]

Paper products
- Paper towels
- Toilet paper
- Facial tissue

Food wrap
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
- Wax paper

Food
- Cooking oil
- Peanut butter
- Canned goods

Toiletries
- Toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Bar soap
- Liquid hand soap
- Deoderant

Cleaning Supplies
- Laundry soap
- Dish soap
- All purpose cleaner
- Glass cleaner

Random
- Motor oil
- Light bulbs
- Shop vacuum filters
- Lint traps

This probably isn’t a problem for people on this forum, but If you buy in bulk, you have to be disciplined with organizing and FIFOing your purchases.

My parents buy stuff in bulk, but are too disorganized to actually save money doing it. Instead of keeping like items together, they dump them where they have space. The same item ends up in 3 places, they lose track of what they already have, buy it again, find the original item, and end up with 2 or 3 containers of the same thing open at once. Or the original item never gets opened before it goes bad.

That’s not a big deal for toilet paper, but is for food where the clock is ticking. I’ve thrown away a lot of food at my parent’s house that is a decade past its best by date because they can’t keep track of what they have.

[Metalcat]

What on earth does a "long time" mean?? Are you talking about food??

Dried beans will last about a year or two, but they won't last for a decade. Some canned items will last many many years.

This is a very unclear question, can you add more detail to the OP in terms of what scenario you are trying to stock up for and maybe we can help more effectively.

[Dicey]

The following foods never spoil if stored properly:

Salt
Sugar
Honey
Maple Syrup
Vinegar
Soy Sauce
White Rice
Dried Beans

Anything with high oil content will turn rancid in time. Therefore, cooking oils of all types, peanut or any nut butters, nuts and seeds do not make the list.

[Metalcat]

The following foods never spoil if stored properly:

Salt
Sugar
Honey
Maple Syrup
Vinegar
Soy Sauce
White Rice
Dried Beans

Anything with high oil content will turn rancid in time. Therefore, cooking oils of all types, peanut or any nut butters, nuts and seeds do not make the list.

Not true. Dried beans won't rot, but they become uncookable over time.

I mean, in a survival situation they are fine because no one minds chewy, mealy beans when that's what you've got. But even slightly too-old beans have ruined many, many dishes in my house.

Same with old spices.

[Tigerpine]

...
Toiletries
- Toothpaste
...

FYI, toothpaste does have an expiration date.  Here's an explanation why and what that means.
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/does-toothpaste-expire#fluoride

[Dicey]

The following foods never spoil if stored properly:

Salt
Sugar
Honey
Maple Syrup
Vinegar
Soy Sauce
White Rice
Dried Beans

Anything with high oil content will turn rancid in time. Therefore, cooking oils of all types, peanut or any nut butters, nuts and seeds do not make the list.

Not true. Dried beans won't rot, but they become uncookable over time.

I mean, in a survival situation they are fine because no one minds chewy, mealy beans when that's what you've got. But even slightly too-old beans have ruined many, many dishes in my house.

Same with old spices.

Busted. I had always heard there were five things. In my sleep deprived state, I couldn't remember #5, so I asked Sir Google, and since he's never wrong [snirt], I listed them all. I've had vinegar go weird, and even if you store rice correctly, if it's contaminated when you buy it (it happens), it's not going to last. I even had a bottle of maple syrup in the fridge get surface mold once. And yes, those items were the Google add-ons.

All of this is preamble, just so I can tell you this story. I have a very tall U-shaped walk-in pantry. In it, my spice jars are arranged alphabetically. I refill the jars with spices i purchase from the bulk bins at Winco or from ethnic stores. Ergo, the jars may be old, but the contents get refreshed. Every time I grab a jar, I hear you extolling the virtues of fresh spices. Sing it, Sister!

[Loren Ver]

I think the issue is the term "long time."

What is a long time.  Is that a month?  To a fresh pineapple, yeah.  To a jar of honey, no.

A year, a decade, half century?  Are you trying to leave if for your grandkids or put it in a time capsule? 

Or store it in deep freezer until the next sale in three months?

With out some brackets you are going to get answer bias, then arguments based on reader bias. Like beans.  Dried beans do last a long time- if you are measuring in a dried bean time scale, but the next person is like no, I am using a different sized ruler so you are wrong. 

So then we argue, which is pointless.  Or possibly the goal?  Because what is time really?  An expression of gravity....

[oldladystache]

I stocked up on rice and pinto beans at the beginning of the pandemic. I still have more than half of them remaining. They seem to be fine more than 4 years later.

[Monocle Money Mouth]

...
Toiletries
- Toothpaste
...

FYI, toothpaste does have an expiration date.  Here's an explanation why and what that means.
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/does-toothpaste-expire#fluoride

I am aware. It can still last for a couple of years depending on what lot you bought. I just looked at some tooth paste I bought in November of last year and the best by date is October of 2025. It will be gone long before then.

Even cleaning chemicals can lose their potency after awhile. I never buy so much of something that I can't use it up in a reasonable amount of time.

[Metalcat]

I stocked up on rice and pinto beans at the beginning of the pandemic. I still have more than half of them remaining. They seem to be fine more than 4 years later.

Depends on where you get your beans as well. At one store near my house, the dried beans last a few years, at another store, they don't last more than a year, but they're much cheaper. So obviously older beans are being repackaged and sold, which is great for people like us who go through enormous quantities of beans.

But you can't expect a bag of beans to last years.

We have a primarily legume-based diet so I've spent years managing a constant supply of many, many pounds of beans between two houses that I live in seasonally.

Avoiding uncookable legumes is an annual challenge.

[nereo]

Am I the only one who looked at the OP’s name and thought it was “freeze a bird”?

[Metalcat]

Am I the only one who looked at the OP’s name and thought it was “freeze a bird”?

I assumed we all did

[AMandM]

Am I the only one who looked at the OP’s name and thought it was “freeze a bird”?

I assumed we all did

A frozen bird will last a long time if properly packaged.

[deborah]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

[Metalcat]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

I believe bean seeds were found? Which can last forever and be sprouted at any time.

Regardless of the bean country of origin, dried beans can last forever if stored dry and airtight. But you wouldn't enjoy eating them after a few years, which is my whole point.

People who keep a lot of dried legumes on hand tend to be eating them regularly and never keep them for more than a year or two anyway. The only folks storing beans for a decade are preppers and folks who think "we should eat more lentils" and then never do and leave them in their pantry for years, them one day try to cook them and draw one of two conclusions:
1: they hate lentils
2: lentils are tricky to cook

[mistymoney]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

They're different??

I successfully cooked 3-4 year old lentils this weekend.

[terran]

What on earth does a "long time" mean??

Also what does "last" mean? As good as new, pretty good, won't kill you?

And under what conditions? Airtight containers, heated and/or cooled environment, in the freezer?

[Metalcat]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

They're different??

I successfully cooked 3-4 year old lentils this weekend.

Lentils, properly stored, last longer than beans

[nereo]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

They're different??

I successfully cooked 3-4 year old lentils this weekend.

Lentils, properly stored, last longer than beans

Now us botanists have to weigh in to point out that - botanically - beans and lentils are both legumes, and from a plant physiology standpoint lentils are beans (though not all beans can be classified as lentils).

Fully agree most beans taste like crap after a few years, even if they remain viable as seeds (which they also are).

[Metalcat]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

They're different??

I successfully cooked 3-4 year old lentils this weekend.

Lentils, properly stored, last longer than beans

Now us botanists have to weigh in to point out that - botanically - beans and lentils are both legumes, and from a plant physiology standpoint lentils are beans (though not all beans can be classified as lentils).

Fully agree most beans taste like crap after a few years, even if they remain viable as seeds (which they also are).

Thanks for clarifying, I know virtually nothing about legumes outside of a culinary scope

[VanillaGorilla]

Grudges

This is my favorite response, because I chuckle every time I see it.

[Morning Glory]

Am I the only one who looked at the OP’s name and thought it was “freeze a bird”?

I assumed we all did

A frozen bird will last a long time if properly packaged.

Not butterballs though.  The fat goes rancid after about a year.

[stclurker]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

Are you suggesting beans are migratory?

🤣🤣🤣

[BussoV6]

Good quality, well-made red wine. I have many bottles >10 years old.

[deborah]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

Are you suggesting beans are migratory?

🤣🤣🤣

I know it’s a joke, but beans from the Americas tend to be kidney shaped, while those originating in Eurasia tend not to be that shape and they’re a different genus.

[jeninco]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

Are you suggesting beans are migratory?

🤣🤣🤣

I know it’s a joke, but beans from the Americas tend to be kidney shaped, while those originating in Eurasia tend not to be that shape and they’re a different genus.

I'm still chuckling over the thought that if my beans are too old to cook, I could plant them, harvest their children, and then eat those! (not really, I have limited garden space and we eat through our beans rather steadily. But the idea of it is delightful!)

[Metalcat]

I wonder if freezerbird is ever going to clarify what they were asking about??

Or if we're all going to just keep nattering about dried legumes, which frankly, I'm totally down to do.

[neo von retorch]

what about these beans (Space Ghost / YouTube)

[mistymoney]

what about these beans (Space Ghost / YouTube)

😂

what the hell was that?

[mistymoney]

Beans from pyramids have been successfully cooked. Of course, they were European beans rather than American beans.

Are you suggesting beans are migratory?

🤣🤣🤣

I know it’s a joke, but beans from the Americas tend to be kidney shaped, while those originating in Eurasia tend not to be that shape and they’re a different genus.

I'm still chuckling over the thought that if my beans are too old to cook, I could plant them, harvest their children, and then eat those! (not really, I have limited garden space and we eat through our beans rather steadily. But the idea of it is delightful!)

I would think seed viability would deteriorate before edibility.....

but in either case, a 24 soak in room temp water is advised......

[Sibley]

@freeazabird  Please clarify your question.

[GilesMM]

I thought it was feasible to store water a long time until I recently lifted a couple plastic boxes I stored in 2020 in prep for The Big One. The lid blew off one and the other sprang a geyser on the seam. I guess the water lasts but not the cheap plastic container.