Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Why you should stock up on honey, sugar, salt, and white rice

No need for expiration dates here — these shelf-stable ingredients will last for years

Lindsay Parrill
By
Jars of food in glass containers in a pantry
Filmbetrachter / Pixabay

According to Feeding America, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization consisting of more than 200 food banks, Americans waste 119 billion pounds of food every year. And while commercial food waste makes up more than half of that amount, wasted food from individual homes accounts for about 40%. As shocking as this amount may seem at first glance, it makes sense when we stop to consider how many times per month we rifle through our refrigerators, tossing something that seems to have wilted overnight or sprouted some fuzzy green hairs since you last opened the lid. Straight into the trash those things go, along with our money and good intentions.

Thankfully, though, there are some ingredients that magically will never go bad — ingredients that, in some cases, have far longer shelf lives than we do. These are the ingredients that, with proper care, will never see the inside of a soggy, wet coffee ground-infested garbage bag.

Recommended Videos

So feel free to stockpile these items without worry. Whether you’re preparing for a zombie apocalypse, or just really have a thing for Costco, you should always buy these ingredients in bulk. No need for expiration dates here — these shelf-stable ingredients will last for years to come.

Honey jar
Arwin Neil Baichoo / Unsplash

Honey

This lusciously sweet nectar is wonderful for numerous reasons. Not only is it tantalizingly delicious, but it’s full of natural antioxidants, boosts our immune systems, soothes sore throats, and even adds a little sweetness to our sexual health. For these reasons alone, this syrupy sweet treat deserves a constant place in our cabinets. But in addition to all of these wonders, honey is practically everlasting in its shelf life. Because of its low water content and high acidity levels, microorganisms can’t survive in this sticky substance, making it essentially eternal. In fact, honey has been unearthed from ancient Egyptian tombs, still well preserved and edible. How’s that for a shelf life?

Related

So while honey is the priciest item on our list, you’ll never have to worry about a single drop ever going bad, and purchased in bulk, it is much cheaper. It may crystalize, which is easy to solve, but that won’t affect texture or taste, and it will never expire. Check out our favorite trick for de-crystalizing honey here.

Spoonful of sugar with a berry
Myriam Zilles / Unsplash

Sugar

If there was ever any doubt that there’s even a little good left in the world, simply knowing that sugar is practically eternal is enough to spark hope. Is there anything that goes unimproved by a loving sprinkle of sugar? We say no. And for all the bad rap it has, sugar is actually a critical part of the human diet. Glucose is an enormous source of fuel for the brain, working to help our minds function properly and giving our bodies the energy they need to operate.

Enjoyed in obvious moderation, this little substance is the giver of desserts and therefore, of happiness. What’s more, is that sugar will, selflessly, never leave you in your time of need. When thoughtfully stored in a dry place, sugar can last for decades. This is because of its desiccating properties. The bacteria and microorganisms that cause food to spoil need moisture to thrive, and sugar shuts that nonsense right down.

Wooden spoon with large flakes of salt
Jason Tuinstra / Unsplash

Salt

It makes such perfectly poetic sense that salt is everlasting. For all of the life, flavor, and history salt holds, it only seems right that this ingredient will never expire. Salt draws the water out of bacteria, taking away its ability to survive, which is why salt has not only been used as a seasoning, but as a preservation method for ages.

Salt is crucial for our bodies to function properly. It aids the balance of fluids and electrolytes, regulates blood pressure, carries nutrients to cells, and helps maintain nerve health. On a culinary level, salt brings food to life, transforming the bland into the extraordinary. It’s also a beautiful agent of preservation, giving foods — even just temporarily — a taste of its eternal life.

So the next time you run to the store for Kosher salt, make sure and grab the bigger box.

Uncooked rice spilled on a table
MART PRODUCTION / Pexels

White rice

White rice — arguably the most commonly consumed pantry staple in the world — contains no oils or fats, and can therefore last for decades when properly stored. Unlike brown rice, which is not milled or polished and therefore has a higher oil content, white rice will keep almost indefinitely.

A study conducted by Brigham Young University found that in cooler temperatures, both polished and parboiled white rice maintained its flavor and nutritional value for up to 30 years. So not only will this incredibly delicious and versatile ingredient keep from going bad, but it will remain a healthy source of folic acid, potassium, and magnesium which are important for blood pressure regulation and preventing heart disease. And again, if you love Costco, this is the best place to buy it in bulk and save some dough.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
Cream or sugar? New study finds adding one of these to your coffee is associated with weight gain
Making this one change to your morning coffee can help your weight loss goals
Whole coffee beans

Every day, across the globe, billions of cups of coffee are savored as part of a daily ritual. Breaking this sacred routine is unthinkable for many. Yet here's a question: Is your beloved cup of coffee slowly causing you to gain weight?

According to a groundbreaking study, the culprit might not be the caffeine itself but rather the sweet sidekick it often brings along – sugar. Shockingly, just a single teaspoon of sugar in your daily coffee could be sneakily adding on those pounds. And if you're a two or three-cups-a-day kind of person? 

Read more
How much protein do you really need? Here’s how to calculate it
Whether you're building muscle or just getting your daily energy needs, here's how much protein you should eat
Making a protein shake

If you were to survey people about the most important macronutrient, you will likely find most people will answer protein. Although there are important benefits of all three macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, and fats — and some unique functions of each, protein certainly plays numerous physiological roles that neither fats nor carbohydrates can replicate. 
For this reason, it's important that your diet contains enough proteins for your body size and activity level, but how much protein do you really need? How do you calculate your protein requirements? In this article, we will briefly discuss protein's many roles in the body, daily protein recommendations for adults, and how to calculate how much protein you need to eat in a day.

Why is it important to eat protein?
Protein is one of the three primary macronutrients in the diet, along with carbohydrates and fats.
Proteins are molecules composed of amino acids connected together in various linear sequences and three-dimensional geometric arrangements, depending on the specific type of protein.
Interestingly, despite the fact that there are thousands of different proteins in the human body, there are actually only 20 unique amino acids that form the building blocks of these thousands of different end products. Essentially, each of the 20 amino acids serves as a letter in the “proteins alphabet,” and different combinations of these “letters“ spell out all the different proteins your body needs, just like regular letters provide our entire dictionary of unique words.
Of the 20 amino acids, nine are considered essential amino acids because the body cannot manufacture them internally, meaning that you have to consume them through your diet.
In addition to providing four calories per gram, protein has many other functions in the body, including the following:

Read more
Want to know how to build muscle? A doctor says you should eat these foods
If you're looking to bulk up those biceps, these are the foods you should be eating
Fish fillets, chicken meat, and red meat on top of distressed white cutting boards along with nuts, cheese, dairy, and eggs.

Figuring out how to build muscle can be terribly confusing. Between the madness of the latest trends in health, fad diets, the newest "must-have" workout gear, and toxic weight-loss culture, it's easy to want to throw in the towel and reach for a box of Twinkies. But hidden in all of this confusion, there are some things about fitness and muscle growth that are just always true. The biggest truth of them all is that abs really are made in the kitchen. You can work yourself into a frenzy with a fancy gym membership, but without proper nutrition, your body is just running on toxic fumes.

Muscle building requires a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Dr. Noel Abood, co-founder of Re:vitalize Weight Loss, shared with us his expert advice on the top foods to build muscle. These are foods that one should be eating for ultimate muscle growth. So if you've been frustrated with the results of your workout routine, or are looking to bulge those biceps a bit more, here are some of the foods you'll want to add to your grocery list.

Read more