There are differences between being edible, and being desirable. Some foods may last for five years, but generally speaking, should be consumed at the three-year mark. Always try to undercut the expiration date by 40% so you don’t have odd-tasting food. That being said, each individual food is different, so it’s important to go through your emergency meals and make a priority checklist of what will need to be replaced first. For example, dried corn lasts for ten or more years, but dried peas or lentils will only last for about four.\r