8 Things You Should Never Store In Your Kitchen Pantry
Prevent food spoilage and kitchen clutter by keeping these items out.
Whether it’s a freestanding cupboard or a walk-in closet, a pantry is a miraculous kitchen storage solution. Your pantry is probably the place where you keep all your canned goods, baking essentials, and packaged snacks, so they’re easily accessible but never an eyesore. If you aren’t careful, though, your pantry can easily become a catch-all, a place where you throw all those miscellaneous items that don’t have a home. But because your pantry is supposed to be a space dedicated to food, inedible items are always off limits, both for food safety reasons and organization purposes.
Surprisingly, though, there are a few edible ingredients that don’t belong in your pantry, either. Of course, plenty of shelf-stable goods are designed to withstand room-temperature spaces, but some food items can spoil, turn rancid, lose their taste or texture, or attract pests when stored on the shelves. Not to mention, the items that come in big boxes or bulky packages can quickly overtake the coveted space.
To keep your pantry clutter-free and to preserve the quality of your ingredients, these are the top nonfood and food-related items you should never store in your pantry—and where to put them instead. By moving these objects to a better location, your pantry will look more organized, and your food will stay fresher for longer.
Continue your pantry clean-out:
Cleaning Supplies
Because your pantry is not a catch-all, cleaning supplies simply don’t belong here. When stored inside your pantry, these products can leak or spill and release harmful chemicals. Not to mention, they often come in bulky packaging that tend to take up valuable space. Tuck them away in a utility closet or beneath your kitchen sink instead.
Loose Batteries
Like cleaning products, batteries are another nonfood item that you should never store in your pantry. Over time, batteries erode and release a toxic liquid that can contaminate the food sitting on your shelves. To keep your pantry chemical- and clutter-free, put batteries in a separate kitchen drawer or a battery organizer in your office.
Open Condiments
While many store-bought condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayo will stay good in your pantry, once you open them, relocate them to the fridge. Otherwise, they can easily spoil or lose their taste and texture at room temperature. The cold interior of your fridge will do wonders for preserving their freshness and flavor.
Nuts and Seeds
High in unsaturated fats, nuts and seeds become rancid pretty quickly, especially during the warmer months. Instead of storing these crunchy items in your pantry, where they can turn sour, bitter, and soft, pop them in the freezer. The icy conditions will keep them edible for up to two years, while boosting their flavor profile.
Natural Nut Butters
Organic and natural nut butters don’t include the same stabilizers as shelf-stable brands, which means they’re more susceptible to oil separation and spoilage at room temperature. After opening a jar of all-natural nut butter, slot it in the fridge, where it’ll stay fresh and combined.
Whole-Grain Flour
While flour is commonly stored in pantries, this baking staple goes bad much faster than you’d think. Whole-grain flour contains natural oils that turn rancid at room temperature, and opened bags easily attract insects and critters. A better alternative is sealing them in plastic bags and placing them in your freezer.
Delicate Oils
While cooking oils like canola oil, olive oil, and avocado oil will generally keep in the pantry, more delicate variations, such as infused oils and nut and seed oils, require refrigeration. At room temperature, garlic-infused and herb-infused oils will develop bacteria, whereas walnut, flaxseed, and sesame oils run the risk of spoiling if they aren’t cold.
Pet Food
It might seem like a seamless fit, but the kitchen pantry is no place for pet food. The strong odors in kibble can seep into packages of human food and throw off its flavor and attract pests. With its big, bulky packages, pet food can also easily overrun your shelves. Keep bags of pet food in a dedicated pet closet instead.
Lilly Blomquist is the associate editor at The Pioneer Woman, where she writes lifestyle stories across a wide range of topics—including news, entertainment, holidays, food, and more.
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