Before you go through your kitchen pantry and throw away food based on the expiration date, you should know that for certain foods, that is merely a suggestion. Some edible items never expire… or, at least, they can last for years before it’s time to dispose of them. here are some foods that almost never expire. 

Dry Pasta

Who doesn’t love pasta? Plenty of people already eat some form of pasta multiple times in one week, and they wouldn’t mind continuing that lifestyle in case of an emergency. Dry pasta pops up as a common “forever” food on a lot of doomsday prepper lists on the internet. But before you run out to the grocery store to buy boxes of spaghetti in bulk, keep in mind that will only last 2 to 3 years in your pantry.

Yes, we know: three years is till a very long time to keep food around, especially when it’s something as delicious as penne or macaroni. But it’s still a far cry from forever. The shelf life can be extended to 8 to 10 years if it is vacuum sealed, and kept in a cool, dry place. However, you won’t have as much luck keeping canned tomatoes or sauce. The shelf life of an unopened can of tomato sauce is just 18 to 24 months.

Powdered Milk

If you’re trying to chow down on your hardtack, you just might want a glass of milk to dip it in. But as we all know, real cow’s milk typically only lasts for about two weeks in the refrigerator. So, unless you find a cow, you just might have to live without dairy, unless you stock up on some powdered milk. Full fat dry milk lasts 2 to 5 years, and nonfat dry milk can last up to 25 years.

Just like every other item on this list, its shelf life is extended if you keep it in a cold, dry place — preferably your refrigerator.

Honey

Last and certainly not least on our list of forever-foods is honey, which is the one food that truly may never expire. Pots of honey have been found in clay pots that date back to the ancient Egyptian times, proving that it still tastes great even thousands of years after it was originally sealed. The secret behind honey’s eternal shelf life is its high sugar content. It is also very acidic, so bacteria doesn’t have the chance to grow.

Honey has been known for being a “super food” with loads of health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants, helps to suppress coughs, and it has even been proven to help heal wounds and burns. And, of course, honey is delicious, so it will help make all of your other food more palatable. If you’re going to be in an emergency situation, you might as well enjoy a sweet treat whenever you can.

White Rice

rice. It’s easy to cook, it’s filling, and totally delicious next to some sesame chicken. Everyone knows that brown rice is much more healthy and nutritious, but it will only keeps for 4 to 6 months before it goes bad. So, if your goal is to save money and stock your pantry for decades, you need to skip the brown rice at the grocery store, and go for white.

When white rice is kept in a cool, dry place in an airtight container, it is estimated to stay good for 30 years. Some preppers have speculated that if white rice is kept in the refrigerator or freezer, it can actually stay fresh forever. Rice is easy to find in bulk. It’s available at most grocery stores and big-box stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. Of course, in an apocalyptic scenario, you wouldn’t have electricity to keep your rice lasting for multiple generations. But in your standard emergency situation like a blizzard or hurricane, this will come in handy.