Pancake mix lasts for how long?

[jake]

Hi Everyone,

Notwithstanding the thread elsewhere on this forum that says that I will die if I eat past-the-expiry date pancake mix (which I don't totally believe, at least not more then any other dry food like flour that can also go bad), what are your experiences in storing pancake mix? I know that I can make my own mix when needed myself, but I would like to just buy the store bought kind that comes in boxes. This would be stored in a cool, dark place. Any idea on how long it might last? Should I move it to plastic or glass containers first?

Thank you,

Jake

[BonnyLake]

My experience is that anything that contains the powdered oils/shortenings doesn't have too long to live past the expire dates - they go rancid like the ramens do that also have powdered oils.
I had some bisquick brand box mix that lasted quite awhile, but it was in my normal daily food rotation. I like the Jiffy mixes, they seem to do better for me but they contain lard, as in animal oils, perhaps there-in lies the difference?

I'm not too sure which brands have what, it would be interesting to see how many names the oils have; similar to how many names salts and sugars have, when it comes to labeling foods.

[momma_to_seven_chi]

I have some that is five years old or more. As long as it smells ok, it is ok. I just add a pinch of baking soda to older products that I want to rise (bisquick, jiffy), so they still rise a bit.

[NCLee]

Yep, gotta agree. It's the oil/shortening in those mixes that can go bad first. Open it and it stinks, the fats have gone rancid. Similar situation with commercial stuffing mix, cereals, and such.

While a pancake mix has a relatively short shelf life, properly stored, pasta can keep for 30 years. http://providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7798-1-4224-1,00.html Yet, both of them are flour products, as a general rule.

A FWIW....

Personally, I prefer to store the basic ingredients for long term storage, than to make up mixes ahead of time. Any mix shelf life is dependent on the item in it that has the shortest shelf life. Edit: Forgot to add, when a mix goes bad, all of the ingredients, even those that are still good, have to be tossed.

Plus, any ingredients already committed to a mix can't be used for anything else, if the need arises. And, it takes less storage space, over all. Don't need to designate any long term storage space for xyz mix.

That said, I use several homemade mixes. Just make them up in small batches that'll be used before it's time to worry about them going bad. Thus, only need enough space, somewhere in the kitchen, for the current jar of x mix that's in use.

Just 2 cents, as YMMV.
Lee