We are living in uncertain times, and you never know when the stores are going to run out of food.  Therefore, it is always a good idea to make sure you’ve got plenty of food in your home just in case. It is not uncommon to assume that canned food can be stored for several years, this is true with some canned food, but not with all. It is extremely important to know which canned foods you can’t store for long periods of time because the ones that can’t, will not only ruin the meal you are trying to make, the toxins in it can make you ill. Here are 10 canned foods you should not store.

1. Eggs

Eggs can last for around one week on the shelf, and for approximately 3 weeks in the fridge. Freshly laid eggs come with a protective coating, called a “bloom,” which prevents bacteria from harming developing chicks. You can store them in a cool dark place for a couple of weeks. If you wash your eggs, they must be refrigerated. You can also try to make powdered eggs or an easier method would be to coat them with mineral oil.

2. Nut Oils

You can’t keep nut oils for long periods of time. When a bottle of oil is opened, the oxidation process begins. After a while, not only does it ruin the flavor, when the oil is heated, it can produce dangerous chemicals. It is best to buy small bottles of oil so that you will have used it all before the oxidation process takes over.

3. Homemade Jerky

Homesteaders love compact dehydrators, and jerky fans love them even more. Commercial jerky doesn’t come cheap, but with a dehydrator, you can save your leftover beef and make as much as you like. This is where the problem begins because you can’t store the leftovers for as long as you want. Commercial jerky is processed, so you can store it for long periods of time. Also, it is impossible to make jerky in the same way at home; therefore, if you’ve got any leftovers, your best option is to vacuum pack it and add a silica gel sachet to prevent any excess moisture.

4. Canned Bread

Everyone loves canned bread, not just because it’s tasty, but because of how simple and convenient it is to make. It eliminates all of the back breaking work required for traditional baking. All you need to do is pour the batter into a mason jar and pop it in the oven. However, the problem is that due to the fact that a partial vacuum is created in the mason jar during the cooling process, the assumption is that the bread can be stored for years. Unfortunately, this information is factually incorrect, and it is actually dangerous to do so. Canned bread is moist, packed with nutrients and it contains very little oxygen. This creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow and one of the most lethal toxins it produces is botox. Also, when this is combined with food, it becomes severely toxic.

5. Canned Tomatoes

Canned foods are popular in most households, but not all canned foods are made equally. You should avoid storing canned tomatoes because the ingredients in the juice break down the can over time. Sometimes the can will split at the seams, leak, or bulge, but there are times when there are no visible signs that the juices are attacking the can. However, what it does is create very small perforations meaning that the can is no longer airtight. A can that is not airtight is not safe, typically, you will know when you open the can because there will either be a rancid odor or the color won’t be the same. Once you notice these changes, throw the tomatoes out. If you really do need to store tomatoes, don’t keep them for longer than six months.

6. Graham Crackers

Crackers in general do not stay fresh when kept over long periods of time. After about a year, they turn stale and lose their flavor. The only way to store them for any longer than 12 months is to put them into an airtight container with oxygen absorbers, or a vacuum sealed package. Alternatively, if you can avoid having to store crackers, make your own whenever you want to eat them.

7. Breakfast Cereals

Even when breakfast cereals have not been opened, they won’t last for more than a year because the packaging is not strong enough to support its freshness for that length of time. The best way to ensure the freshness of your cereals is to buy a small box that you can eat in a couple of weeks. If you want a breakfast meal that will last for a long time, we advise that you buy oatmeal.

8. Canned Fat Meat

Regardless of the type of meat, storing it for long periods of time is never a good idea. Although canned meats are safer than the packaged kind, it is still not advisable. One of the main reasons for not storing canned meat is that the acid in the fat can break down the can. Additionally, the quality of the meat erodes over time and it won’t taste very nice. In particular, you can expect canned tuna to become mushy after it has been stored for several years

9. Baked Goods

If you are planning on baking, be sure to eat whatever you’ve prepared within a few days. The only way to preserve baked goods is to freeze them, otherwise, they will rot. It is not advised that you buy a lot of flour unless you are going to use it because it doesn’t last long.

10. Butter

Butter has a longer shelf life than the majority of dairy products. However, it is still not advised that you keep it for long periods of time. I don’t advise that you keep butter for longer than a few months, and during that time keep turning the can so that it doesn’t deteriorate.

Whatever tinned food you store, make sure it is kept in a cool dark place. Additionally, where you can, put your cans in airtight containers and this will stop any pests from attacking the cans. If you still have questions, get in touch with one of your local homesteaders and they should be able to provide you with some answers.

You may also like:

25 Powerless Appliances for Your Homestead Kitchen

What Happens When You Pour Sugar Into An Onion? (Video)

How To Build A Small Storage Shed From Pallets

How To Make A Pressure Sensor Pad To Know When You Have An Intruder On Your Property

9 Old Recipes Every True Homesteader Should Know

Print Friendly, PDF & Email