6 Foods You Should Never Store in the Pantry

In the last few years, curating and organizing your pantry has become incredibly popular—so much so that it’s basically an art form. Investing in uniform containers, trays, and other pantry accessories isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, but it can also help keep certain foods and ingredients fresh for as long as possible. That being said, many people assume the pantry is the best place to store most food items and condiments, but that’s realistically not the case. 

When it comes to keeping food fresh, environmental factors play a big role. Light, humidity, oxygen-exposure, and temperature are all major contributors to the shelf-life of most items. And while the below ingredients can be stored in the pantry before they’re opened, most of them should stay on a countertop, in the refrigerator, freezer, or a specific container. Keep reading for a list of six food items you should never store in the pantry.

Pure Maple Syrup

Once you open a bottle of maple syrup, it might seem like a good idea to place it back in the pantry, but it should actually be stored in the refrigerator. Mold and other microorganisms love to grow in warm and dark environments, and light and oxygen exposure can cause maple syrup to lose its delicious flavor and nutritional properties. 

Organic Peanut Butter

On one hand, eating organic, natural peanut butter is a better option because it doesn’t contain any preservatives. But on the other hand, the lack of preservatives will expedite mold growth and cause the peanut butter to become rancid. In other words, organic peanut butter isn’t suited for the pantry. Once you open it, pop it in the fridge to keep it fresh and prevent the oil from separating.

Flour

Typically, baking ingredients are stored in the pantry, but there are a few factors that can cause flour to go bad quicker than you think. Light, moisture, and heat can cause flour to get moldy or attract bugs, so your best bet is to buy flour in smaller quantities so you can use it quickly, or store flour in an airtight food storage container to prevent it from spoiling. You can also keep flour in the freezer to extend its shelf-life. 

Avocados

Waiting for avocados to ripen can be a finicky process. If you buy firm avocados, you can certainly put them in the pantry until they ripen and get soft. But if you put a semi-soft or fully ripened avocado in the pantry, it will likely go bad before you can even enjoy it. Instead, store your avocados on your counter until they’re ripe, and then either put them in the fridge or eat them within a day or two. 

Nuts

Since nuts are high in unsaturated fats, they will expire quickly when exposed to light, oxygen, and warmer temperatures. While you can store nuts in the pantry, it’s best to keep them in an airtight glass container, such as a mason jar. If you don’t have that type of storage option, you can also store nuts in the refrigerator, which will keep them fresher for longer and help maintain their flavor. 

Bread and Tortillas

If you’ve been storing bread or tortillas in the pantry, you might notice they get moldy quickly. This might be because they’re not stored in an airtight container, or because they were hidden and accidentally forgotten about. If you’re not one to store bread or tortillas in the fridge, you can buy a bread box in an effort to keep them soft and fresh.