You hear a lot of differing advice from people on the subject of how long it’s okay to keep your preserved food once you’ve canned it. Some people say that it’s a year to the date that it went into the jars. Others will tell you that they recently ate the last of the tomatoes their grandmother canned in the summer of ’99 (1999, that is). I’m here to tell you that it’s somewhere in between.
If you talk to one of the Master Food Preservers out there or folks from the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the answer goes something like this: “For highest quality, properly stored preserved foods are best eaten within a year of canning.” (Here’s exactly what the NCHFP says.)
Some people might read that statement and think that it means that they have exactly a year to eat through every last jar. The real answer is a bit more nuanced. You will get the very best flavor and quality from a jar that is in its first year, but there’s no internal self destruct devise inside the jar that goes off on day 366 or 367. Preserves older than a year are still safe for consumption.
Home preserved foods remain safe for eating far longer than their first year, but their quality does decline the longer the jars remain on the shelf (or in my case, under the couch). This means that the jam you made two or three years ago is probably still just fine to eat but it may not taste quite as good as did on that summer afternoon when you first put it in the jars. Chances are good, though, that it will still be more delicious than anything you’re able to buy at the grocery store.
If you have some elderly high acid preserves that you’d like to eat up but are making you nervous, here’s what to do. Pull one off the shelf and take a good look at it. In the case of jams, jellies, butters, and other spreads, look to see if it changed colors radically (a little surface discoloration is normal, but total color alternation or loss is suspect). For pickles, relishes, and whole preserved fruit, look at the quality of the brine or syrup. Has it gotten muddy or opaque? Has the liquid level dropped significantly?
If you don’t see any major change, open up the jar. Look at the surface. Has any mold or scum developed? Give it a good sniff. Does it smells funky, dirty, or boozy (do check to see if you added alcohol to the starting preserve, as then it won’t be a useful symptom of spoilage).
Once you’ve determined that all is well, give it a taste (for spreads that have darkened slightly on the surface, feel free to scrape away that top half inch). If you like how it tastes, dig in and include it in your rotation of open jars. Repeat these steps for each older jar you have in your stash.
Sometimes, long storage will rob a preserve of its flavor, particularly if it was sweetened lightly, or made with honey or a sugar substitute. If it doesn’t taste like a whole lot, it may not be appropriate for spreading on toast, stirring into yogurt or serving with cheese, but you can always use up those less delicious jars in quick breads or as part of a braising liquid.
All that said, if you feel at all uncomfortable about something you canned, it is still always better to toss it than eat something that gives you pause. If you cringe every time you reach for a particular jar, it’s time to empty it out and move on.
Additionally, sometimes people try new recipes and then determine later on that they just don’t like them (not every recipe is for every person). If you made something and you just don’t like it, either give those jars away to someone who will appreciate it or dump the jars. There’s no reason to torture yourself with something you just don’t like.
I have canned tomatoes and vegetable soup that are 4 to 5 years old. Are they safe to eat?
Did you read this post? Everything I have to say on the topic is included here. I cannot personally judge the safety of your jars.
Rebecca Marti I recntly moved into a house and found several jars of differen foods home canned from 1999. How would I know if these are still good
They are not good. You should discard the contents of those jars.
I’m canning some stew and I raw packed it. Therefore, I don’t think I should be able to smell the stew cooking… is this normal or does it mean a seal or jar broke in there while it is still processing?
Did you pressure can it? You definitely shouldn’t be able to smell it in that case.
5 year old stuffed peppers. Stuffed with prosciutto and cheese.
They look good in the jar.
Unopened.
What do you think
Read the blog post and make your own judgment. I am unable to advise on individual cases.
I received quite a bit of canned potatoes, corn, peaches, collards, apples. they were canned from 2017 to 2023 and the potatoes look like they have white cream in them, the corn looks fine, the sweet potatoes look dark, the beans are supposed to black eyepeas but they look dark brown, the apples are completely brown looking, the collards look okay. My question is are they okay to eat?
I cannot advise on the safety or quality of individual jars. Please read the post and make your own judgment.
So to be safe mark the date on tops and eat withen a year is safe . I was taught to turn upside down to check for leaks but it been many years sin e i helped my mom can . Im just making sure my memory hold good at 68
Yes! Always label and date!
Thanks for all the help
You’re welcome!
Hi,
I canned some stew and put two jars unopened in my fridge. Is this still safe to consume if the seal is still intact ?
It was in a cabinet originally for two months and refrigerated for one month.
Thanks
As long as the jars were properly pressure canned and not opened, they should be okay. But only you can be the judge of a canned food’s safety, not me.
I’m so glad I found this forum! Answered my questions and MORE!!!! Blessings Dear One! 🙌💜🙌
What about canned vegetables like green beans besns
The recommendation of 2-3 years still stands.
I canned deer meat. Need to know how long the shelf life is? Have read many options on it. One was as long as 25 years.?able. All pressure canned.
If stored in a cool, dark place, it should keep well for 1-3 years. Longer than that and it will start to lose quality.
I just had some wild duck I canned in March of 2015. Delicious! I only can meats or soup where meat is the main ingredient. I use a pressure canner for the appropriate pressure and time. I have never had a problem.
Long shelf lives don’t necessarily indicate spoilage. It’s just that things don’t hold their quality forever. I’m glad your wild duck was still delicious!
I canned tomatoes in 2021 .. they look good but are they safe to use? How long can you keep tomatoes you canned?
As long as the seals are good and the color/texture/smell hasn’t changed dramatically, they are fine to eat.
I have canned beets of my moms fron 2017 very well sealed are they safe
Provided they were properly canned, they should be safe. However, they might have lost a bit in terms of flavor at this point.
I made a mistake! I pressure canned my apples for 25 minutes instead of water bathing them.
Will they be ok ?
They might be a little mushy, but they will still be safe to eat.
Some berries don’t keep their color if not supported by ascorbic acid and cooked too much. I recently ate a few years old strawberry jam that was cooked to death by my neighbor, completely brown and unsealed. They threw it out. It was acceptable with other ingredients if not by itself. And saved from disposal. I have also proven for me that a high concentration of sugar is enough to keep stuff edible.
I have grape juice that we canned in 2015, is this safe to drink?
The red grape juice changed colors, the white looks ok.
If the seals are good, it should be safe. The quality may have declined some, but that doesn’t impact the safety.
Can you please tell me how long does homemade pico last after canned
I cannot judge based on the name of a recipe. So sorry.
I have some 1/2 pint jars of low sugar, water bath canned apricot jam. They are 7 years old, slightly darker in color throughout, but taste and smell fine. Is it safe to use a small amount of it in a recipe that will be cooked?
Thanks for your help.
Yes. As long as the seals are good, the product is safe to eat.
Thank you so much for elaborating on this. I’m new to canning and have so many questions. Speaking of which, I understand that once the jar is sealed up, the food can last over a year or even longer, according to what you wrote. But how long does it last once opened? Is there a list somewhere that says how long different homemade canned foods last once opened? Or do you have some examples?
It basically just depends on the product. High sugar jams and pickles last months in the fridge. The lower the sugar content of the jam, the less keeping quality it has.
If you canned beets in 2019 would they still be good
They would probably be safe enough, but the quality might not be great.
I made some honey oranges slices and water bath canned them. Then I made some and placed in sealed jar. Do I refrigerate those after opening or can they stay on the counter?
I use them in my tea.
If you water bath canned them, they only need to be refrigerated once you break the seal on the jar.
My Mom made her last batch of cranberry jelly maybe in 1988. My Dad passed in 1990. My Mom moved in with her middle son out of 5 in 1995+/-. In December 2000, she went into a nursing home. My brother asked if I wanted her cranberry jelly and my response was ‘definitely’. Back when my Mom did jelly, it got put into any kind of jars, melted wax was then poured over it for a seal and the lid was put on. That jelly was some of the best she and my Dad ever made. There were only a couple jars that were emptied into the trash ‘just because’. Enjoy your home canned goods, they are the best.
We have canned turkey breast that is about 2 and 1/2 to 3 years old Just wondered if it would be still safe to eat it looks good in the jars just I’ve not had the opportunity to use it at this point
As long as it was processed properly, the jars are still well-sealed, and it hasn’t changed consistency or color, it should be fine. However, the quality may have declined slightly over the last few years. I’d suggest opening on and giving it a try.
Once canned, how long do you have to wait before you can eat the pears?
You can eat them within 24 hours of canning.
I caned turkey figs preserves in 2015
They were under my bed and cool.
I didn’t think I had any more, but I have a case plus two jars. Now I want to know if they are too old to eat ? They look good but I don’t want to get food poisoning. Can you please tell me if they are eatable.
Thanks Martha
As long as you properly acidified them and the seals are still good, those fig preserves are not going to give you food poisoning. It is just that quality declines over time, so they may not be as good as they once were.
I have found a woman selling her vegetable soup she says was canned in jars in 2020? According to your article it will be safe for human consumption.
I just don’t know this person. So I’m apprehensive to buy her can goods. Thanks for your information. I’m going to pass on her goods.
I don’t really ever trust pressure canned foods from other people. I wouldn’t buy it.
We canned fruits and veggs last august and have them on sheves in a closet ar temps of 70-80 degrees how long will they last?
I can’t tell you precisely, but those aren’t super extreme temps. You should be good for the regular 18-24 month period.
My Father in the late 70s gave me some fruit and applesauce that my Great-Aunt had canned sometime in the late 50s to early 60s. The applesauce, pear, and apricots had a mild sweet taste that is hard to describe but I wish I still had some of them. I ate the last of the applesauce in the early 90s. According to what my Dad said back then that fruit never really goes bad but if it did it would turn to vinegar. Now the vegetables he tossed because you couldn’t always tell if they had turned.
I have some bottled apricots I canned several years ago. When I looked at a jar the other day the syrup(sugar water) has gone to a jelly texture. They are still sealed. What caused that and are they bad now?
If you used a heavy syrup, it’s possible it got to the gel stage during the cooking process and caused the current texture. They should still be safe to eat.
Thanks For being so thorough in your answers. It was really help
You’re welcome! I do my best!
I have tomatoes that I canned from 2018. I’m using a jar right now making tomato sauce. It smelled fine and tasted ok.
Glad they were fine!
When canning besns on 8/1/22, had 1 jar that did not seal. I put it in the fridge that day. How long is it good for refrigerated?
It will keep for months in the fridge.
I recently found my old vacola set . Inside we’re some jars of preserved fruit c1978! Will they still be edible?
I wouldn’t eat them. Chances are high that they will have absolutely no flavor. They won’t kill you, but they won’t taste good.
Hi, I bought canned cherries in Door County one summer about 4-5 years ago. They are in jars and the liquid looks good the cherries don’t look red but I think after canning they look a little brown. The seal is good. Are they safe to eat? One is cherry pie filling. Thank you in advance
They are probably safe to eat, but they may have lost some of their flavor. They will probably be best used in a baking project.
Thank you so very much. And again, I am so happy that I found your site—very informative! Pat
So glad to help!
Good afternoon from Augusta, GA, Marisa. I have a large Fig tree in my yard that I air-layered some years back; and it has the most delicious figs on it. Last year I made Fig preserves like my Mom and I made about 20 years ago. I canned them (using a water bath) and gave most away as jarred gifts to friends and family. However, I ha saved about three jars; and am making more preserves today with Figs I just picked from the tree. I am wondering since it has been about one-year since I canned those three—will they be safe and tasty if (1) I ate a jar now; and (2) would they be nice enough to give to someone? Thanks so much. I am so happy that I came upon this site. Pat
They should be just fine after a year in the jar. I have no qualms about giving someone a year old jar.
Thank you. I took the lid off an on the inside of the lid there is black circles on it so I’ve just been feeding it to my dog’s better safe than sorry
That is probably for the best.
My mom canned chicken an pork an deer meat I have a jar from 2014 would it be ok to eat?
As long as it was initially processed in a pressure canner, it’s probably okay. It may have declined in flavor, though.
would it be okay to store pickled cucumbers and peppers on the kitchen counter if they have been canned using a water bath? They look pretty on the counter and would love some thoughts on leaving them out. About 25 jars.
It’s really best to store them in a dark place. Light degrades preserves and so they won’t keep as well if you store them like that.
What about plums in very light syrup (used a ball recipe) water bath canned 3 years old? Does water bath vs pressure canning make a difference in the longevity/safety of canned fruit?
Pressure canning won’t make a difference in longevity. In fact, using a pressure canner on fragile fruit can break down the flesh more than a boiling water bath canner would, and so can shorten the quality of the product’s shelf life.
Now there are Botulism Test Strips.
Do you have a source for them? I’ve never heard of such a thing.
I canned antipasto 3 years ago. I tasted it. It tasted ok – maybe a little dry. Do you think it is still safe to eat ?
As long as you used a recipe from a reliable source in the first place, it should still be okay.
I have a store bought jar of vine leaves in brine. It has been kept in the fridge & the safety button hasn’t popped.
It is now nearly 6 years old. I wanted to make dolmas so they will be cooked.
What do you advise?
They’re probably okay, but that long in the jar means that they might have experienced some decline in quality. It’s really a call that only you can make.
I have a question I was hoping someone could help me with…. I make chili with meat and I also make a pot of different type beans with meat as well. The beans I use come from cans. I just bought a pressure canner cooker and want to jar the beans and chili to eat later. Does anyone have any info that would be helpful on how to go about it… I’m not sure of the settings on the pressure cooker for the chili and beans and also unsure of the shelf life after. Thank you in advance
There are no electric multi cookers that are safe to use as pressure canners, no matter what the box tells you.
Ball makes one for canning…
Unfortunately, they do not. The have an electric water bath canner and an electric canner that uses a small amount of pressure. However, it is not an electric pressure canner like what the previous commenter was asking about.
I just opened a jar of mulberry syurp, ( was supposed to be jelly but wouldn’t set so it turned into great syurp). Made said syurp in 2010. No mold, tasted just as good as the day it was canned. Not sure I would try other canned goods that old,but it was my last jar and dont have access to mulberrys anymore. Everyone thought it was ths best syurp they ever had.
I would add when opening a jar that is older, pay attention to HOW the lids comes off. If it seems to ‘fly’ off or seems to have pressure behind the lid, then throw it out. Botulism can NOT be detected by taste/smell or color – which is one reason it is hard to detect. However, the gas by product of botulism increases the pressure in the jar so the lid “POPS” off with force. If there is any doubt – throw it out.
Just opened jars of tomato juice from 08/2012 and it was just fine
I opened a jar of tomatoes that was canned in 2015 and they were fine.
How long do dill pickles last?
It depends on how much vinegar is in the brine, how you processed them, and how you’re storing them. Typically about a year if they’ve been processed correctly.
I recently ate my grandmas jar of pickled beans from August 2008. They taste exactly the same as newer batches, just a little mushier. I feel fine lol