We eat a lot of rice around here. It’s affordable, nutritious, and makes a great base to soak up the flavors of so many types of cuisine. Rice is an amazingly versatile food that’s been a staple in a variety of cultures around the world for centuries. In fact, rice is the staple food for more than half the world’s population! Part of this popularity comes from its suitability for growth in parts of the world like Africa and Asia. It’s also a great source of carbohydrates, fiber, and even some plant-based protein.
Another reason rice is so widely eaten is that it stores very well and has an extremely long shelf life. If stored properly, rice can maintain its nutritional value, flavor, and freshness for over 10 years! Whether you need your rice to last quite that long or not, it’s helpful to know how to store rice properly. That’s why I’ve gathered some practical tips to help you with your long term rice storage.
How To Store Rice Long Term
Rice isn’t one size fits all and neither are the storage requirements. There are so many varieties of rice including white, brown, jasmine, arborio and basmati rice. Basmati rice is one of my favorites and I recommend it for my turmeric rice recipe as well as my recipe on how to make cilantro lime rice in the rice cooker.
The main types of rice found in the United States are white rice and brown rice and both have different storage requirements.
How To Store White Rice Long Term
Long-grain white rice is the perfect choice for making lemon and chicken rice. One of the things that sets white rice apart is it’s been processed so that the outer hull is removed. This outer hull contains fats and oils that will spoil over time. Because the oily hull is removed during processing, it’s easier to store the rice for a long time.
How long you can store white rice
White rice can be stored for up to 10 years in room temperature conditions. It’s considered shelf-stable which means it doesn’t need to be stored in a fridge, freezer, or cold cellar. When you store the rice in the fridge or freezer, white rice will keep for upwards of 30 years!
How to keep white rice fresh longer
To keep white rice fresh longer, make sure it’s kept cool and dry. Exposure to air, heat, and moisture will cause the rice to spoil faster. A dry pantry or cool cellar are great locations to store rice. Keep your bags of rice in an airtight container and add an oxygen absorber to keep your rice fresh for longer.
The ideal temperature to store white rice
Although white rice is shelf-stable and can be kept at room temperature, keeping your white rice in a cold location extends its shelf life. According to Utah State University, the ideal temperature to store white rice is 40 degrees Fahrenheit — if you want to store rice long term — however, temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit will work as well.
How To Store Brown Rice Long-Term
One of the things that makes brown rice unique is that it still has its original oily hull. Brown rice has more nutrients than white rice because it hasn’t been processed the same way. Unfortunately, while this lack of processing is more nutrient-dense, it means brown rice will spoil faster than white rice.
How long you can store brown rice
Brown rice will have a best-before date on the package. This date is often 3 to 6 months from the time of packaging. This makes white rice better than brown rice in terms of long term food storage. Although brown rice is also considered shelf-stable and can be kept at room temperature, keeping brown rice in the freezer will extend its storage life to 18 months.
How to keep brown rice fresh longer
To help your brown rice last longer, store it in the fridge or freezer. Keeping your rice cool and dry will help extend its storage life. This means air-tight containers like vacuum-sealed bags or bags with oxygen absorbing packets are best for long term food storage of brown rice.
The ideal temperature to store brown rice
Similar to white rice, brown rice lasts longer when stored in cool conditions. For the longest storage life, keep your brown rice in a cool location with temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to know if your brown rice has spoiled
Brown rice spoils faster than white rice, but it’s pretty easy to tell if the fats and oils in the hull have gone rancid. Look for signs of animal damage on the outside of your food storage container, as well as signs of moisture or holes that would allow in air. When it comes to the rice itself, brown rice gives off an unpleasant odor and may change color when it goes rancid.
5 Rice Storage Containers
Mylar Bags
Mylar is a polyethylene film that’s used in everything from emergency blankets and helium balloons to preserving important documents at the white house and emergency food storage. This versatile, protective film is airtight and resistant to moisture which makes it the perfect material to store rice long term. Brown rice can be stored for up to five years in mylar bags, while white rice may still be fresh up to 30 years later.
When storing rice in mylar, look for bags with a thickness of between 4 and 6 millimeters. The thicker the mylar, the less chance of air or moisture getting inside. Mylar bags work best when storing completely dry foods like white rice. Keep an eye out for bulges in the bag which is a sign some bacteria may have gotten in, spoiling your rice.
Mylar bags are made of pretty tough stuff, making them perfect for tossing in the fridge or freezer. These food-safe storage bags won’t break down when exposed to the elements — some mylar is used up in space!
Mason Jars
Mason jars are designed to be airtight since they’re used in food preservation methods like canning. The glass, airtight ring, and sealed lid all offer protection from moisture and air, making glass mason jars ideal for storing rice. Both long grain white rice and brown rice can be stored in mason jars.
Since getting all of the existing oxygen out of a mason jar is tricky, add an oxygen absorber to your rice-filled mason jar before you seal the lid. This will help soak up any remaining oxygen that could cause your rice to spoil.
You can store glass mason jars full of rice on your shelf, in a cool basement room, or even in the fridge and freezer. The best part about storing frozen rice in a mason jar is that you can pull it out, cook what you need from frozen, and then put the jar back in the freezer.
Food Grade Buckets
If you have a lot of rice to store and you don’t plan on using it anytime soon, consider keeping your rice in food-grade buckets. These come in a variety of sizes with some of the most common in long term food storage being 5-gallon buckets.
Both brown rice and white rice can be stored in a food-grade bucket; however, the number of times you open the bucket determines how long the rice will stay good since you’re re-introducing oxygen into the airtight environment. This means food-grade buckets are best for storing emergency stashes of rice that you don’t plan on opening very often. Using an oxygen absorber inside your gallon buckets is also a good idea.
How do you know if your bucket is food grade and safe for storing rice long term? Look at the number inside the triangle on the bottom of the container. If it shows a 1, 2, 4, or 5 then it’s safe to store food. However, for long term food storage, look for buckets with a number 2 on the bottom. Gallon buckets that are safe for food should be labelled as such and come with an airtight lid.
Original Packaging
If you’re looking to store rice long term, keeping the rice in its original bags will give it a decent storage life. For white rice, the bags it’s packaged in will allow you to store the rice for roughly four years, which is plenty of time for most families. Brown rice kept in its original packaging will last 3 to 6 months at room temperature.
Vacuum Sealed Bags
One of the things that causes rice to spoil is oxygen getting into the bags. This is why air-tight containers, lids, and seals are all so important, and also why adding oxygen absorbers to your preferred storage method is always a good idea. Vacuum sealing your bags has the same effect since vacuuming removes oxygen from the bags, leaving your rice in a sterile environment.
You can vacuum seal rice in the bags that came with your Vacuum Sealer machine, or you can use mylar bags. If you use mylar bags, make sure to choose a good thickness since uncooked rice is hard, and the grains can puncture thinner bags from the pressure of the vacuum sealer.
Rice is a fantastic long term storage food, especially long grain white rice. Be sure to keep the rice in a cool and dry location, and remove as much of the air as possible before storing. And don’t forget to rinse the rice when you’re ready to cook it! Let me know what your favorite rice storage tip is in the comments below!
