shelf-stable food
Keeps without refrigeration
Shelf-stable food is food that can be safely stored at room temperature for extended periods without refrigeration or freezing.
Canned goods, dried pasta, and packaged snacks are shelf-stable; fresh meat and dairy are not.
The term appears frequently in emergency preparedness contexts: Stock your pantry with shelf-stable foods in case of disaster.
- cannedSealed for preservation
- canned goodsFood sealed in tins
- pantryHousehold provisions closet
- preservedKept from deterioration
- driedStripped of moisture
jerky · dry goods · beans · rice · pasta · stockpile · bulk buying · emergency · emergency kit · disaster preparedness · bunker · bomb shelter · expiration · vacuum-sealed · dehydrated · crackers · survival · MRE
- military rationsMRE, K-rations, C-rations, ration packs, ready-to-eat meals
shelf-stable foodfresh produce
Unprocessed plant foods
perishables · fresh food · frozen food · fresh meat · fresh fish
shelf, shelves, shelving, shelved, stable, stability, stabilize, stabilizer, unstable