11 Things In Your Pantry You Should Throw Away ASAP

A simple tip to declutter your kitchen without going overboard is to just take it one section at a time. And today, we start with the pantry. If your pantry is bursting at the seams with, well, you aren't really sure what, then it's probably time to get rid of some things. And by "get rid of" we mean, there are definitely things in your pantry you should throw away ASAP. These are items causing clutter in the pantry, making it hard to find anything when you need it and forcing you to store things all around the house that could just be sitting in your nice organized pantry.

It's really fairly simple once you learn how to create a pantry system that works hard and actually stays organized. Begin by taking stock of everything in your pantry. Yes, even that back shelf you've been avoiding for years. If you have almost-empty bags of snacks (no shame) or expired canned goods or a few things you might have forgotten you even had, go ahead and toss them right in the trash. If this feels overwhelming or you're just not sure what to do with all that stuff, we've got you covered with a list of things in your pantry you should throw away now.

What is it about the last serving in an open bag of snacks that no one wants to consume? If the first thing you see when you open your pantry is three open bags of snacks, most of which are almost-but-not-quite gone, it's time to purge. Just throw them all away. If you're not convinced, take a taste. They're probably stale anyway. At the very least, you can consolidate them into one container and throw all the bags away that are just taking up extra space on the shelf.

If you're the type to save everything, you probably have a pile of napkins left over from your daughter's unicorn themed birthday party or uncle Ned's retirement celebration. But those occasions only happen once and the odds of you using those napkins again is, well, not great. Let this be the reality check you need that those napkins will remain there until the end of time unless you throw them out. So you officially have permission to let those go... right into the trash can. Make room for other things you'll actually use.

The pantry is a great place to store bottles of cooking oil, like canola or vegetable oil. These types of oils can last up to 6 months in the pantry after they are opened. If you have oils like sesame or walnut in the pantry, you might want to check them because they should actually be stored in the refrigerator. Olive oil has a shelf life of one year if unopened but only lasts six months once it's opened. Throw away any bottles of oil that are beyond their shelf life or smell rancid.

We all have 3,594 spices stockpiled, right? But when's the last time you actually checked to see what's expired or has been sitting around a smidge too long? While the shelf life of whole spices is 2 years, ground spices and herbs are only good for 1 year. However, our friends at Bon Appetit suggest holding onto spices for no more than 3 months once they're opened because they begin to lose their flavor. And no one wants sad, bland food. So check on that overflowing spice rack and throw those oldies away.

Fresh baking powder is crucial for making a good cake, biscuits, or basically anything that needs leavening. Baking powder can last up to 18 months but will actually begin to lose its effectiveness within a few months of opening. If you're unsure, you can test it by placing a few tablespoons of hot water in a dish and stir in a teaspoon of baking powder. If it fizzes, it's still good. If there's no reaction or just a minimal one, it's time to throw it out. Store it in a sealed container to extend its shelf life.

Expired food — from canned goods to snack bags — should probably be first on the list and, really, do we even need to mention this? But the truth is, most of us don't go through our pantry regularly enough to check expiration dates. It's a common sense item that gets routinely bumped to the bottom of the never-ending to-do list. Even though it might be a tedious task, it is a necessary one. So take this time to double check those date stamps and throw out anything past its expiration date.

Is your pantry the black hole of food storage containers and missing or mismatched lids? We've all been there. Those lids are hard to keep track of. But there's no reason to keep a food storage container without a lid with the hopes that one day it will magically show up again. Do yourself a favor and throw out any container without a lid or any lid without a matching container. This is also a good time to check to see if it's time to replace your glass food storage containers.

If you've ever followed #pantryorganization on TikTok, you've likely been influenced to buy those plastic food containers and empty all your cereal and snacks into them after bringing them home from the store. While the aesthetics of that are incredible, it also means you have no way of knowing how long the food has been opened (unless you're writing dates on your containers, in which case, kudos to you). So give those decanted snacks a taste and throw out all the stale ones. The late night snacker in you will thank us later.

Have you ever stored a bag of dried beans in the pantry and assumed they'd last forever? Well, it turns out that they're really only good for about a year (or to the expiration date). Over time, they lose their natural oils and become too dry to rehydrate correctly. So check their expiration date and if you can't remember when you purchased them, it was probably too long ago and it's time to throw them out. Next time, write the date on the package so you know how long they've been sitting on your pantry shelf.

Along with dried beans, rice is one of those pantry items people assume can last forever on the shelf. And if it's milled rice, like white rice, you're probably right. As long as it's stored in a cool, dry place like the pantry and in a container with a tight fitting lid, it can last for years. Whole grain rice, like brown rice, however, only has a shelf life of about 6 to 12 months. This is because brown rice has a layer of oil that can cause it to go bad quicker than white rice.

If you're a coffee lover, you probably go through a bag of coffee long before it's expired. But if you bought a bag of coffee for aunt Gene's visit last year, you might want to dig out that old bag of coffee from the back of the pantry. While an unopened bag of coffee can last up to 2 years, an open bag should be used within 10 to 12 days, then thrown out if not used. Make sure to store it in an airtight container and keep it away from excess light.