Pantry

Shelf-stable staples — canned goods, dried beans, sugar, salt — last months to years if kept cool and dry. The 'best by' date is a quality indicator, not a safety cliff. Rotate older items to the front.

• Chips

  In the pantry: Unopened: until the best-if-used-by date (USDA: about 2 months from purchase) · Opened, clipped shut: 1–2 weeks

• Nutella

  In the pantry: Opened or unopened: until the best-before date on the lid

• Raisins

  In the pantry: Unopened: 6–12 months · Opened: about 1 month, a few months in a sealed jar kept cool