How long canned food lasts in the pantry and once opened
Quick answer
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Room temperature
Keeps for 2-5 years low acid, 12-18 months high acid
Keep unopened cans in the pantry, and count the time from the date of purchase.
Watch out Discard cans that are dented, rusted, or swollen.
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Fridge
Keeps for 3-4 days low acid, 5-7 days high acid
Empty opened cans into a clean storage container and refrigerate the food promptly.
Watch out FoodKeeper doesn't recommend keeping opened cans in the pantry.
Canned food keeps its best quality for 2 to 5 years if it's low acid and 12 to 18 months if it's high acid, according to the USDA. Past the date, it stays safe to eat as long as the can has no dents, rust, or swelling. Once opened, move it to a clean container and refrigerate it, where it keeps 3 to 4 days if low acid and 5 to 7 days if high acid.
Buying canned food this week?
On a Listonic list, every item gets the amount you need and a note on when to use it by.
- Quantity and unit on every item
- A note like “fridge, use within a week”
- One list shared with everyone at home
Canned food keeps its best quality for 2 to 5 years if it’s low acid and for 12 to 18 months if it’s high acid. Canned items are safe to eat well past the use by or best by date, as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.
These times come from USDA FoodKeeper and the USDA’s food product dating guidance. Once a can is open, the times drop from years to days.
How long does canned food last?
Unopened canned food keeps its best quality for 2 to 5 years if it’s low acid and 12 to 18 months if it’s high acid. USDA FoodKeeper counts these pantry times from the date of purchase, which means the day you bought the can.
Some canned foods have their own FoodKeeper times, shown in the chart below. Opened cans have fridge times of days, not years.
Canned food expiration dates chart
This chart lists USDA FoodKeeper times for unopened cans in the pantry and for food from opened cans in the fridge. Not listed means FoodKeeper gives no time for that food.
| Canned food | Pantry, unopened | Fridge, once opened |
|---|---|---|
| Low acid, such as meat, beans, and corn | 2 to 5 years | 3 to 4 days |
| High acid, such as fruit, pickles, and tomato soup | 12 to 18 months | 5 to 7 days |
| Canned meat | 5 years | 3 to 4 days |
| Canned chicken | 5 years | 3 to 4 days |
| Canned tuna | 3 years | Not listed |
| Canned seafood | 1 year | 1 to 2 days |
| Canned fruit cocktail | 18 months | Not listed |
| Canned evaporated or condensed milk | 12 months | 4 to 5 days |
Which canned food lasts the longest?
Canned meat and canned chicken last longest in the chart, at 5 years in the pantry. Low-acid foods keep their best quality for 2 to 5 years. High-acid foods such as fruit and tomato soup keep it for 12 to 18 months.
Which canned foods are low acid and which are high acid?
Low-acid canned foods include meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes, and spinach. High-acid canned foods include juices, fruit, pickles, sauerkraut, tomato soup, and foods in vinegar-based sauce. The group decides which time applies, 2 to 5 years or 12 to 18 months for best quality.
Does canned food go bad?
Yes, canned food can spoil. USDA says a product handled properly should stay safe and wholesome until spoilage is evident. Food spoils much faster when it isn’t stored or handled properly.
How can you tell when canned food has gone bad?
Start with the can, because USDA says to discard cans that are dented, rusted, or swollen. Then check the food, because spoiled food develops an off odor, flavor, or texture. If it has, don’t eat it.
Is it OK to eat expired canned food?
Often, yes. USDA FoodKeeper says canned items are safe to eat well past the use by or best by date, as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.
Some cans also show an open date, which is a regular calendar date. The USDA says these are usually best if used by dates for peak quality.
What do can codes mean?
Can codes show the date a product was canned, not a date to use it by. They appear as letters, numbers, or both, and the USDA says they aren’t meant for you to read as a best if used by date.
Manufacturers use the codes to track products, rotate their stock, and locate products in a recall. Every can must show a code or the date of canning.
How long does opened canned food last?
Opened canned food lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge if it’s low acid and 5 to 7 days if it’s high acid, according to USDA FoodKeeper. Empty the leftovers into a clean storage container and refrigerate them promptly. FoodKeeper doesn’t recommend keeping opened cans in the pantry.
A few foods have their own times after opening. Canned meat and canned chicken keep 3 to 4 days, canned evaporated or condensed milk 4 to 5 days, and canned seafood 1 to 2 days.
Can you freeze canned food?
Don’t freeze canned food in its can. The USDA says you can freeze almost any food, but canned food is an exception. Once the food is out of the can, you may freeze it.
What if a can freezes by accident?
Cans that freeze by accident, such as those left in a car or basement in sub-zero temperatures, can present health problems. A swollen can is normally one to discard, but the USDA makes one exception. A can that is merely swollen, when you’re sure freezing caused it, may still be usable, so let it thaw in the fridge before opening.
If the food doesn’t look or smell normal, throw it out and don’t taste it. If the seams have rusted or burst, throw the can out immediately, wrapping a burst can in plastic and disposing of the food where no one, including animals, can get it.
Frequently asked questions
Do canned goods expire?
Cans must show a code or the date of canning, and some show an open date as well. The USDA says canned items are safe to eat well past the use by or best by date as long as the can shows no dents, rust, or swelling.
How long does canned tuna last?
Canned tuna lasts 3 years in the pantry, according to USDA FoodKeeper. Other canned seafood lasts 1 year, and opened seafood keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
How long does canned fruit last?
Canned fruit is a high-acid food, so it keeps its best quality for 12 to 18 months. USDA FoodKeeper gives canned fruit cocktail 18 months in the pantry.
How long does canned milk last?
Canned evaporated or condensed milk lasts 12 months in the pantry, counted from the date of purchase. Once opened, it keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
Can you leave opened canned food in the pantry?
USDA FoodKeeper doesn't recommend keeping opened canned food in the pantry. Empty it into a clean storage container and refrigerate it promptly.
