Coconut Oil Concerns...

Okay, so, first of all, I'm completely jazzed to have located this community! In our crazy world, I'm growing so concerned about how I would be able to create a sustainable lifestyle...I'm grateful for this group. I'm busy planning a list of items that can keep for extended periods of time, and I'm fascinated by herbal medicine (herb extracts) and natural oils (essential and coconut, more specifically). Might any of you know the average shelf life of these kinds of products? I know that you can't always go by the expiration date since, many times, companies use such guidelines to entice you to buy more! I'd really appreciate your feedback!

 

Coconut Oil has a shelf life of 2 years +, depending on storage conditions.

 

A cool dark place is the best as this extends the life of any product. A relatively consistent temperature also is important. Any oil can be kept for a very long time by freezing. Even putting it in a spare fridge with the extra soda should at least triple the life expectancy.

Things like oils will go rancid eventually but they can then be used for lighting.

I don't pay attention to expiration dates on most items. I know of canned goods that were still good after 100+ years. Personally I have eaten my own canned fish that was 20 years old. My only regret is that I only forgot that one jar of smoked salmon, on the back of a bottom shelf, as that was a really good batch.

 

I save all of my old cooking oil. In the event of TEOTWAWKI there are a lot of things that it could be used for. I have made oil lamps that will burn cooking oil. It is free and smells a lot better than motor oil. It also makes a good fire starter in a Sweedish campfire that you make out of a log that you cut notches in.