What Is This 'Cool, Dry Place' Labels Keep Telling Us To Store Food In?

When you bring in the groceries after yet another trip to a beloved supermarket (or even if you had groceries delivered to your front door), you must then begin the mundane task of putting everything away. Perishables obviously go in the refrigerator, and you've got to make sure you don't put certain items in the door, while everything else goes, well, wherever you can find room for it, really. If you've ever read the label on a canned good or a boxed cereal, though, it often says "keep in a cool, dry place." Okay — where exactly is that?

For most people, that's their pantry, whether it's a built-in space in their home, or a freestanding cabinet. They are typically far enough away from the major heat-putting-off appliances, which can cause moisture in packaged food where you don't want it. For other people, it might be their basement, but if your basement is damp, you can invest in a dehumidifier, like this one from NineSky, to keep things dry. "Cool" typically refers to above 50 degrees and below 90 degrees Fahrenheit (but below 70 degrees is even more ideal).

Now that you know where you should be keeping your non-perishables, it's important to point out a few locations around your home where you should actively avoid storing them. First up — as mentioned, near any big appliance that regularly put off lots of heat, like your refrigerator, oven/stove, and even near the dishwasher or sink. This includes next to or on top of the refrigerator, since that can get pretty warm. Also, hot air rises, so when you're using your oven or stove, the heat generated can affect any food you might keep in cupboards directly above them. If you have a freestanding pantry or cupboard that you use to keep food in, make sure it's not close to a heating vent.

You'll also want to keep your non-perishables out of direct sunlight, as both the heat and the UV rays can damage the packaging and the food within it. So if you have lots of windows in your kitchen, with tons of natural light spilling in, you might want to go ahead and clear off any food you have regularly sitting out.

You can help extend your non-perishables' shelf-lives by not only keeping them in cool, dry places, but taking the time to ensure that they are well-stored according to best practices. That means using shelving, or adding some if you don't have any (wire shelving is best). Not only does this enable you to keep more vulnerable packaging off the floor and away from pests, it ensures proper air circulation around and among foodstuffs.

Speaking of vulnerable packaging, anything that comes in a paper container — boxed cereal, bags of flour and sugar, etc. — can and should be moved to plastic or glass airtight containers to both ensure that mice and insects don't make their way in, and to keep the food fresher for longer once you start to use it. 

When you're restocking your non-perishables, it's also smart to move the older stuff forward and put the newer stuff in the back. That way, you don't end up discovering a desiccated snack that even the best containers couldn't save after so long.