How long can you store unopened Hamburger Helper?

[CW&M Mom]

I wouldn't worry about the noodles, more concern about the sauce powder packets because eventually they can go rancid. I would probably say within a year or so of when the best buy date is...if they are going to be in a reasonably cool area. However if they get stored above the stove or similar....I wouldn't stockpile more then a couple.

I also don't eat expired PB any longer. Last time I did...it had gone rancid....blech.

[clippyclippy]

I'm not a big fan of HH, but here are a few things I do, because I do buy it when it's free .
Think "out of the box"
I take the seasoning packet and stick it into a plastic freezer bag and label it with the type. I staple the instructions and any additional packets together.
Then I store the baggies in the freezer.
The noodles go into a basket in the pantry. They may or may not be used for the original HH meal. I might use them for soup, or any other pasta dish.
Then I tear off the box top and recycle the box.
This way they probably take less than 1/2 of the original space.

Another tip - I take the pizza out of the box before putting it into my freezer - I can store twice as many that way.

[XUfan]

You've gotten lots of good advice here. I've used HH a few months past the date on the box without a problem. I've found that if it's 6 months or more past the date, the sauce doesn't thicken like it should, and doesn't have as much flavor.

You might also consider that some of the tuna and chicken flavors are good without adding tuna or chicken, and can be used as a side dish. Same with the Mexican flavors of HH, since they are all rice dishes. Using them this way, you might use them up faster than if you used them for a meal.

[Gertie2u]

I've never put rice in the freezer. We like rice, so if I get a HH with rice, it doesn't usually hang around long. DH doesn't like pasta, but DD and I sometimes just crave something with pasta. That's when I feed DH leftovers and make a HH pasta meal for DD and I.

I buy most of my rice in the form of a 25 pound bag of Jasmine brown rice at the Asian grocery. As long as it is stored in a cool, dry place in a sealed container, it should keep fine up to a year is what the grocery's wife told me. I've never actually tested it. Takes us around four months at most to eat 25 pounds. I'd been considering picking up a 50 pound bag next time, but recently picked up 1 pound bags of Mahatma rice on sale. After coupon doubled to $1/1, I ended up with 29 free pounds of rice. Gotta love free rice.

[3timesoccermom]

I have stored rice in the freezer with no problem at all - the 25 pound bags from Sam's. If I had the space I'd still be putting it in there.

[JulieDB]

I wouldn't worry about the noodles, more concern about the sauce powder packets because eventually they can go rancid. I would probably say within a year or so of when the best buy date is...if they are going to be in a reasonably cool area. However if they get stored above the stove or similar....I wouldn't stockpile more then a couple.

I also don't eat expired PB any longer. Last time I did...it had gone rancid....blech.

Oh yeah. Did that once. Will never do it again! It wasn't even badly expired. But it was during the summer and it was hot. Apparently it goes rancid very quickly.

[CW&M Mom]

Oh yeah. Did that once. Will never do it again! It wasn't even badly expired. But it was during the summer and it was hot. Apparently it goes rancid very quickly.

Mine was less then a month expired.

I can still taste it...double blech.