Grains, Beans & Pasta: How Long They Keep

Most of this category is dry, sealed, and patient: rice, pasta, dried beans, lentils, and whole grains carry pantry windows measured in years, with a shorter one running from the day the bag is opened and air gets in. Whole grains come in under refined ones — brown rice against white is the clearest case, because the oil in the germ turns rancid long before anything else gives out — which is why the fridge shows up on those pages at all. Then there’s the short list that behaves nothing like the rest: fresh pasta, cooked quinoa, homemade bread, and opened refried beans are measured in days, not years.