How long does canned food actually last?

A lot of the answer to that question resides in how it is stored, the condition of the can, etc. If you have a can of Beef Stew that says it is good for 2 years, but the can is dented or rusty, it is probably already bad. If it was stored in a hot environment, it could promote bacterial growth in the food and it will likely not be good. But if it is kept in a cool area, the can is not rusty or dented, it is probably good for several years past its Best By date.

Totally agree with wulfie on that.

Generally wasaaay longer than the expire date. Like mentioned above, conditions matter. Some people use a special paint on cans to extend their life dramatically.

I go by bulge date. If the can is bulging and ready to explode, don’t eat. If can looks good, it’s edible.

Until it is either the wrong texture, the wrong smell, the wrong taste, or looks wrong.

Doing your own canning is so much better. When you pressure can, you have a ready made indication if it is good or not: if the top is still sucked down or not. When you open something that you canned yourself, the jar seal gets sucked down. When you open the jar (or if the seal wasn’t good) it pops back up. Gently tapping the lid tells the tale. If I have something we canned on the shelf it should be good for years and years. But if I check and one of the seals indicates it is not sealed good it goes right into the trash.

I actually need to know the answer to that question for my zombie dungeons and dragons campaign.

@Caravanfan You might want to check out the post-apocalyptic RPG Aftermath!, and/or GURPS After The End, then.

@Caravanfan For portable, long term food (when you want a quick bite with Zombies on your tail), I’d go with dehydrated. Beef Jerky, if properly dehydrated, will be good to eat for a year or more without the need for refrigeration. Ditto that for any fruits and veggies you dehydrate. And because the water is removed, they are much lighter than canned foods. Very important for the Zombie slayer on the go.

@Zaku Oh, I have the game. Just thinking of a mechanic for the food. We use a D20 Modern variant

I go up to 1 year after expiration date. Taste has always still been good. Beyond that I would throw it away. So far so good. Haven’t died or turned into zombie.