196 items
Shelf life table
Real lifespan in long-term storage, not the date on the label. Food, compounds, and emergency supplies.
Shelf life
| Best storage or note | Need | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 90-Day Prescription Supply | Rotate | Ask your provider. Do not run to empty. | Medical |
| Activated Charcoal | Indefinite if dry | Sealed glass jar | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Adhesive Bandages, Assorted | 5+ yrs | Everyday cuts and blisters. | Medical |
| Alcohol (Spirits) | Indefinite | Food | |
| Anti-Nausea (Antiemetic) | Rotate | Stops the vomiting that drives dehydration. | Medical |
| Antibiotic Eye & Ear Drops | Rotate | Infections that spread fast without them. | Medical |
| Antibiotics (via a Provider) | Rotate | Emergency kits exist. Use with guidance. | Medical |
| Antiparasitic / Antimalarial | Rotate | Worms, and malaria coverage where relevant. | Medical |
| Antiseptic & Wound Wash | 2-3 yrs; longer sealed | Clean a wound to prevent infection. Povidone-iodine is the one that holds. | Medical |
| Antiviral for Herpes-Family Outbreaks | Rotate | Cold sores, shingles, and flares. | Medical |
| Ascorbic Acid | 5 to 10 yr | Sealed, with desiccant | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Assorted Screws, Bolts & Nails | Indefinite | A graduated bin fixes most things. | Tools and Repair |
| Baking & Flavor Staples | Indefinite | Baking soda, soy sauce, vanilla, cornstarch, syrups. | Food |
| Baking & Washing Soda | Indefinite | Scrub, deodorize, and boost laundry. | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Baking Soda | Indefinite | Sealed HDPE or glass | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Baking Soda & Tooth Tabs | Indefinite | Brush, deodorize, and scrub. | Hygiene and Sanitation |
| Baling & Mechanic's Wire | Indefinite | Hold and hang almost anything. | Tools and Repair |
| Basic Vet & First-Aid Supplies | Rotate | Treat stock without a vet on call. | Garden and Livestock |
| Bathtub Bladder | Indefinite | Store 80 to 100 gallons fast before a storm. | Water |
| Batteries, All Sizes | Alkaline 5-10 yrs; lithium 15-20; rechargeables rotate | AA to D. Lithium primaries for the kit that sits: they do not leak. | Power and Light |
| Battery CO Detector | Rotate | A twenty-dollar life saver. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Bear & Pepper Spray | Rotate | Less-lethal, and legal most places. | Security |
| Beef Jerky | 2 years | Cool, dry | Food |
| Beef Jerky & Meat Sticks | 1-3 yrs | Shelf-stable protein you can carry. | Food |
| Beef Tallow | 1 to 2 years airtight, cool and dark; 2 to 3 years frozen | Airtight jar or vacuum bag, cool and dark. Freeze for the longest keep. | Food |
| Beeswax | Indefinite | Sealed container | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Bentonite Clay | Indefinite | Sealed glass or plastic | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Bleach or Pool Shock | up to 10 yrs | Disinfect surfaces and water. Pool shock stores longest. | Hygiene and Sanitation |
| Body Wipes & Hand Sanitizer | 1-2 yrs | Clean up with little or no water. | Hygiene and Sanitation |
| Borax | Indefinite | Sealed plastic or glass | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Boric Acid | Indefinite | Sealed glass or plastic | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Bottled Water | Indefinite if sealed | Cool, dark | Food |
| Broad-Spectrum Penicillin | Rotate | Respiratory, skin, and dental infections. | Medical |
| Burn Gel & Blister Care | 3-5 yrs | Common shop and outdoor injuries. Moleskin keeps indefinitely. | Medical |
| Calcium Hydroxide | Indefinite | Sealed glass or HDPE | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Calcium Hypochlorite | Up to 10 yr | Glass or HDPE, sealed | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Camphor | Indefinite | Airtight glass or tin | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Candles & Firestarters | Indefinite | Simple backup light and ignition. | Power and Light |
| Canned Beans | 5-10 years | Food | |
| Canned Beef | 5-10 years | Food | |
| Canned Fruit | 2-5 years | Cool, dry | Food |
| Canned Meals, Soups & Chili | 5+ yrs | Hot food with a can opener and heat. | Food |
| Canned Meat & Fish | 5-10 yr | Cool, dry | Food |
| Canned Pumpkin | 2-5 years | Food | |
| Canned Soups | 5-10 years | Food | |
| Canned Tomato Sauce | 2-5 years | Food | |
| Canned Tuna | 5-10 years | Food | |
| Canned Vegetables | 3-5 years | Cool, off floor | Food |
| Canned Vegetables & Fruit | Vegetables 5+ yrs; fruit and tomatoes 2-3 yrs | Low-acid cans hold years. High-acid fruit and tomatoes attack the can; use within 3. | Food |
| Canning Jars, Lids & Salt | Jars and salt indefinite; unused lids 5 yrs | Put up the harvest. Old lids are why batches fail to seal. | Garden and Livestock |
| CARDNL Essential Electrolytes | 7-10 years sealed | Airtight, cool, dry | Food |
| Cash in Small Bills | Indefinite | Card readers and ATMs go down first. | Kits and Planning |
| Castile Soap | Indefinite sealed | Sealed bottle | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Cayenne Pepper | 5+ yrs | Vacuum-sealed or airtight glass, cool and dark. | Medical |
| Chest Seal | 5+ yrs | For a penetrating chest wound. | Medical |
| Children's Medicine & Fever Care | Rotate | Correct doses for their weight. | Kits and Planning |
| Citric Acid | Indefinite | Airtight glass or plastic | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Coconut Oil | 5 years | Cool | Food |
| Comfort Foods & Treats | 1-2 yrs | Normalcy in a hard week. | Kits and Planning |
| Cooking Oil | 1-2 yr | Cool, dark | Food |
| Cooking Oil, Coconut Oil & Tallow | Oil 1-2 yrs; coconut oil 2-4; tallow indefinite sealed, best within 2 | Fats for calories and cooking. Rendered tallow sealed and cool keeps; liquid oils turn first. Add shortening for baking. | Food |
| Copies of IDs & a Paper Map | Indefinite | Identity and a route that needs no battery. | Kits and Planning |
| Copies of IDs & Insurance | Indefinite | Passports, licenses, and policies. | Kits and Planning |
| Corn Syrup | Indefinite | Food | |
| Cornstarch | Indefinite | Airtight container | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Cover Material (Sawdust, Peat) | Indefinite | Controls odor and pathogens. | Hygiene and Sanitation |
| Crackers, Granola & Trail Mix | 6-12 mo | Oils go rancid. Rotate through the pantry. | Food |
| Cream of Tartar | Indefinite | Food | |
| Creatine | 10+ yr | Sealed, with desiccant | Medical |
| Creatine Monohydrate | 10+ years sealed | Airtight + desiccant | Food |
| Dark Chocolate | 4-5 years | Cool, dark | Food |
| Dark Chocolate & Hard Candy | 1-2 yrs | Calories and morale that keep. | Food |
| Deeds, Titles & Contacts | Indefinite | Property papers and an emergency contact. | Kits and Planning |
| Diatomaceous Earth | Indefinite | Sealed bucket or jar | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Doxycycline (Tetracycline) | Rotate | Tick-borne illness and broad backup. Long shelf life. | Medical |
| Dried Beans | Up to 10 years | Airtight, cool | Food |
| Dried Beans & Lentils | 10+ yrs | Cheap protein and fiber. | Food |
| Dried Herbal Remedies | Indefinite | Learn a few well. Be certain on the ID. | Medical |
| Duct & Gorilla Tape | Indefinite | A hundred field fixes. | Tools and Repair |
| Easy-Open, Soft Foods | 1-2 yrs | Pouches, cups and shakes separate after their date. Rotate. | Kits and Planning |
| Electrolyte Powder (Cardnl Essential) | 7-10 yrs | Rehydrate from illness, heat, or work. | Medical |
| Electrolytes | 7 to 10 yr sealed | Airtight, cool, dry | Medical |
| Emergency Mylar Blankets | Indefinite | Reflect body heat. Pack many. | Warmth and Shelter |
| Epinephrine Auto-Injector | Rotate | Reverses anaphylaxis. Nothing else substitutes. | Medical |
| Epsom Salt | Indefinite | Airtight container | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Ethanol | Indefinite | Sealed glass or metal | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Extra Prescriptions (90 Day) | Rotate | The first thing people run out of. | Kits and Planning |
| Feed, Minerals & Electrolytes | Rotate | Keep animals fed and hydrated. | Garden and Livestock |
| Feminine & Family Supplies | 5 yrs; keep dry | Stock a deep reserve. Menstrual cups keep indefinitely. | Hygiene and Sanitation |
| Ferro Rod & Tinder | Indefinite | A striker that never runs out of fuel. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Fire Extinguisher (ABC) | Rotate | One per floor and the kitchen. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Fire: Ferro Rod, Lighter & Matches | Indefinite | Three ways, because one always fails. | Kits and Planning |
| First-Aid + Trauma Kit | 5+ yrs | A tourniquet and the basics to stop a bleed. | Kits and Planning |
| Flour | 10+ yrs | For bread and baking. Seal to keep it fresh. | Food |
| Fluoroquinolone | Rotate | Gut, urinary, and gram-negative infections. | Medical |
| Food-Grade Hose & Siphon | Indefinite | Fill and draw from sealed drums safely. | Water |
| Formula, Bottles & Baby Food | Rotate | A deep, rotated supply. Hard to substitute. | Kits and Planning |
| Freeze-Dried Foods | 25-30 years | Sealed #10 can | Food |
| Freeze-Dried Fruit & Veg | 10+ yrs | Nutrients and variety, very light. | Food |
| Freeze-Dried Meals | 10+ yrs | Light, fast, very long shelf life. | Food |
| Gauze, Pads & Roller Bandages | 5+ yrs | Control bleeding and cover wounds. | Medical |
| Glucose Monitor & Test Strips | Rotate | Consumables that run out fast. | Kits and Planning |
| Glycerin | Indefinite | Sealed glass or HDPE | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Half-Mask Respirator & Filters | Rotate | Smoke, dust, and particulates when you move. | Security |
| Hand & Body Warmers | Rotate | Hours of heat in a pocket. | Warmth and Shelter |
| Hard Cheese | 6-12 months | Refrigerated | Food |
| Hard Liquor | Indefinite | Barter, morale, and a field antiseptic. | Food |
| Heirloom / Open-Pollinated Seed | 1-5 yrs by crop; 10+ frozen dry | Onion and parsnip die in a year or two; beans, tomatoes, squash go 4-5. Save and replant. | Garden and Livestock |
| Hemostatic Gauze | 5+ yrs | Packs a deep wound to clot it. | Medical |
| Honey | Indefinite sealed | Sealed glass or HDPE | Food |
| Hose Clamps & O-Rings | Indefinite | Seal and join under pressure. | Tools and Repair |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | 1 to 3 yr; test it | Original dark bottle | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Influenza Antiviral | Rotate | Shortens the flu when started early. | Medical |
| Instant Coffee | Indefinite | Airtight | Food |
| Instant Coffee & Tea | Coffee 10-20 yrs sealed; tea 2-3 yrs | Morale is a ration. Freeze-dried coffee keeps decades in a sealed can. | Food |
| Iodine | 5-10 yrs | Airtight amber container, cool and dark. Light kills potency. | Medical |
| Iodine / Povidone | 5-10 yrs | Water and wound disinfection. | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Isopropyl Alcohol | 5-10+ yr sealed | Sealed, away from flame | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Laundry Bar Soap | Indefinite | Washes off poison-ivy oil and other skin oils. | Medical |
| Lentils | Up to 5 years | Airtight, cool | Food |
| Long-Burn Candles | Indefinite | Light and a little heat. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Lugol's Iodine | 5 to 10 yr | Amber glass, sealed | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Lye | Indefinite | HDPE, airtight and dry | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Macrolide (Atypical Coverage) | Rotate | Chest infections and short-course needs. | Medical |
| Maple Syrup | Indefinite | Cool, dark | Food |
| Medical & Rx Records | Indefinite | Conditions, doses, and allergies. | Kits and Planning |
| Medical Tape & Wrap | 5+ yrs | Hold dressings and support joints. | Medical |
| Metronidazole | Rotate | Anaerobic and protozoal gut infections. | Medical |
| MRE & Ready-to-Eat Pouches | About 11 yrs at 60°F; 8 at 70°F; 3-6 at 80°F; under 2 at 100°F | Full meals with a heater, no cooking. Heat sets the life: keep them cool. | Food |
| MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat): Contents, Heating, Shelf Life | About 11 yrs at 60°F; 8 at 70°F; 3-6 at 80°F; under 2 at 100°F | Food | |
| Multivitamins & Vitamin C | Rotate | Cover the gaps a stored diet leaves. | Food |
| Naloxone Nasal Spray | Rotate | Reverses an opioid overdose in minutes. | Medical |
| Notepad & Frequency List | Indefinite | Written plans beat dead phones. | Power and Light |
| Nuts & Seeds | 6-12 mo | Fridge or freezer | Food |
| Oats | 2-3 years | Airtight | Food |
| Oil Lamps & Lamp Oil | Indefinite | No-battery light that stores forever. | Power and Light |
| Optic, Light & Batteries | Rotate | See and identify the threat. | Security |
| OTC Pain, Allergy & Anti-Diarrheal | Rotate | The everyday medicine cabinet. Rotate. | Medical |
| Oxygen & Dialysis Plan | Rotate | Know your backup and your evacuation trigger. | Kits and Planning |
| Paraffin / Beeswax Firestarters | Indefinite | Waterproof, long-burning ignition. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Paraffin Wax | Indefinite | Sealed container | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Pasta | 2-3 years | Airtight | Food |
| Peanut & Nut Butter | 1-2 yrs | Dense calories and fat. Rotate. | Food |
| Peanut Butter | 2-3 years | Cool, sealed | Food |
| Pet Food & Water | Rotate | Two weeks minimum. They depend on you. | Kits and Planning |
| Pet Meds, Records & Carrier | Rotate | Vaccination papers travel with the animal. | Kits and Planning |
| Petroleum Jelly | Indefinite | Any sealed container | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Plastic Sheeting & Tape | Sheeting indefinite in the dark; duct tape 2-3 yrs | Seal a room and cover broken glass. Tape adhesive dries out. | Warmth and Shelter |
| Potassium Iodide (KI) Tablets for Nuclear Emergencies | Labeled 7-10 yrs; stable well past that kept dry | Medical | |
| Potassium Nitrate | Indefinite | Sealed glass or plastic | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Potassium Permanganate | Indefinite | Amber glass, sealed | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Powdered Eggs & Milk | 5+ yrs | Protein and dairy that store for years. | Food |
| Powdered Milk | 2 to 10 years, cool, dry, airtight container | Food | |
| Pressure Dressing | 5+ yrs | Holds pressure on a heavy bleed. | Medical |
| Printed Maps & Compass | Indefinite | Navigate when the phone is dead. | Kits and Planning |
| Rain Barrel & Diverter | Indefinite | Catch roof water for washing and garden. | Water |
| Rescue Inhaler (Bronchodilator) | Rotate | Opens the airway in an asthma attack. | Medical |
| Rice Vinegar | Indefinite | Food | |
| Rice, Pasta & Oats | 10+ yrs | The calorie backbone. Store sealed. | Food |
| Salt | Indefinite | Airtight container | Food |
| Sardines (Canned) | 5-10 years | Cool, dry | Food |
| Sediment Pre-Filters | Indefinite | Extend the life of the main filter. | Water |
| Silicone & Construction Adhesive | 1-2 yrs | Seal and mount. | Tools and Repair |
| Silver Rounds & Coins | Indefinite | Barter and a hedge when cash loses value. | Kits and Planning |
| Silver Sulfadiazine Burn Cream | Rotate | Prevents infection in a serious burn. | Medical |
| Sodium Nitrate | Indefinite | Sealed glass or plastic | Food |
| Soy Sauce | Indefinite | Food | |
| Spare Fuel + Stabilizer | Rotate | For generators and engines. Rotate. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Spare Glasses & Hearing Batteries | Rotate | The small parts that isolate someone fast. | Kits and Planning |
| Spare Glasses & Pet Supplies | Rotate | The needs that are easy to forget. | Kits and Planning |
| Spices, Bouillon & Sauces | Whole spices 4+ yrs; ground 2-3; bouillon 1-2 | Make plain calories worth eating. Buy whole and grind. | Food |
| Sprouting Seeds | 5+ yrs | Fresh greens and vitamin C in days, indoors. | Food |
| Steroid / Prescription Anti-Inflammatory | Rotate | Severe swelling and allergic flares. | Medical |
| Stormproof Matches & Lighters | Indefinite | Keep dry, and keep many. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Stove Fuel Canisters | Indefinite | Propane or butane. Store deep. | Cooking, Fuel and Fire |
| Sugar | Indefinite | Airtight, dry | Food |
| Sugar & Honey | Indefinite | Energy, morale, and preservation. | Food |
| Sulfur | Indefinite | Sealed, ventilated | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Super Glue & Two-Part Epoxy | 1-2 yrs | Fast and structural repairs. | Tools and Repair |
| Systemic Antifungal | Rotate | Fungal infection a cream will not reach. | Medical |
| Tarps & Paracord | Indefinite | Cover, divert water, and build shade. | Warmth and Shelter |
| Tea Bags | 2-3 years | Food | |
| Thread Locker | 1-2 yrs | Keeps bolts from vibrating loose. | Tools and Repair |
| TVP (Textured Protein) | 10+ yrs | Cheap protein that stretches any meal. | Food |
| Unscented Bleach or Tablets | 1-2 yrs | Simple chemical backup. Rotate yearly. | Water |
| Vanilla Extract | Indefinite | Food | |
| Vinegar | Indefinite | Sealed glass or HDPE | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Washing Soda | Indefinite | Airtight, with desiccant | Compounds and Cleaning |
| Water Barrels & Jugs | Containers indefinite; rotate the water every 6-12 mo | 1 gallon per person per day. Two weeks minimum. Refresh or treat and seal. | Water |
| Water Test Strips | 1-2 yrs | Check hardness, chlorine, and pH. | Water |
| Wheat Berries | Up to 30 years | Mylar + O2, cool | Food |
| Wheat Berries, Rice & Oats | 10+ yrs | Bulk whole grain, sealed in mylar for decades. | Food |
| White Rice | 10-30 years sealed; 4-5 on the shelf | Mylar, 2000 cc absorber, bucket, cool and dark. Skip brown rice. | Food |
| Wound-Closure Strips | 5+ yrs | Close a clean cut without stitches. | Medical |
| Yeast & Sourdough Starter | Rotate | Leaven bread from your stored flour. | Food |
| Zip Ties & Paracord | Indefinite | Bundle, mount, and lash. | Tools and Repair |
Sources: the Survival Foods, Stockpile Essentials, and Chemical Compounds field guides. Shelf life assumes cool, dark, dry storage in the right container.
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