Shelf Life Information
On a regular basis, we are asked the question about the shelf life of our products. Given that, we thought it would be good to explain in depth the shelf life of our products, both before and after opening the bags, and the best way to maintain a long shelf life of our products.
Unopened Bags
Freeze Dry Wholesaler, Inc. guarantees a shelf life to 10 years on every product we sell. But with the advances that have been made in the new multi-layered, bonded and composite mylar packaging that we use, you can likely double that and probably even triple it if you just keep them sealed in the factory packaging and store them out of direct sunlight. This is similar to the shelf life of canned items, with the only difference being that cans are more rodent-proof than mylar pouches, so store you pouches in a bin or an area that is rodent free.
We use this new packaging on all of the products we manufacture, because besides better portion control and the cost savings of not having to use a steel can, the biggest benefit to you is that we can now ship all of our items in smaller boxes without bulky packing materials without fear of damages or denting like you would normally worry about with cans. And since all of the shipping carriers base their rates on “dimensional weight” (or size) instead of just the weight, for the first time ever, we’re able to offer free shipping on all of our products because our shipping boxes are smaller and lighter and therefore less expensive for us to ship to you safely and discreetly.
Another advantage of this new packaging is that you can actually see the product through the window without having to open a can or a pack. No more guessing what is in there! Plus, when you do open a pouch and want to save a portion for future use, it is quick and easy to just “zip” the remaining portion back up in the pouch with the integrated closure and leave it for a future date.
After Opening
The bags we use have their own zip enclosure built-in, so it's easy to just "zip" the remaining portion back up in the pouch and leave for a later date. However, if you have a home vacuum sealer, you can reseal the pouch using your sealer to remove any residual oxygen and that will extend the remaining shelf life out to 5+ years at a minimum.
To be safe though, we recommend that you use any remaining portions of meat in a bag that was opened and re-closed within 90-days/3 months. Non-meat items like fruits, vegetables, side dishes and desserts will probably last up to a year once opened and re-sealed depending on the conditions where you are.