From condiments to alcohol, most of us haven’t got a clue how long we should really be keeping our food. But despite them still being edible, you’ll be surprised at just how quickly, or how long, it takes many of our essentials to start to deteriorate. Here we round up the recommended lifespans of some of our most popular foods according to stilltasty.com.

Surprisingly, mayonnaise doesn’t have much of a shelf life either, and should only be kept for two months if it’s stored in the pantry or three months in the fridge. Due to its egg and vinegar content, it’s likely to start developing an off odor and alter in appearance after this.

That’s right – one of the world’s most used condiments should only be kept for one month in the cupboard in order to retain its flavor and texture. Otherwise, you can store it in the fridge for six months. But if you only use it every so often, it’s recommended to buy a smaller portion and make your way through it quicker to avoid a nasty acidic taste.

Many of us like to hoard canned soup in our cupboards for winter days, sick days, or for just for rations. But little do we know, those tins of tomato, mushroom or chicken soup don’t stay fresh forever. They have a shelf life of up to five years, but start to deteriorate after two.

Canned tomatoes can sit comfortably next to canned soup in our cupboards for ages. While we might go through them quickly, we also have a habit of hoarding them, especially as they’re so cheap. But after 18 months, they are likely to have lost a lot of flavor and freshness, so try not to hoard them for too long.

If you’ve been hoarding old Easter eggs or boxes of chocolates for longer than a year, it’s time to throw them away. Packaged chocolate candy bars will start to deteriorate after 12 months in the pantry, fridge or freezer, so treat yourself to a binge if your cupboards have been full of candy for a bit too long!

If you love peanut butter, the chances are it won’t last longer than a couple of weeks. But, be sure to use it up sooner rather than later as it’s no good after about three to four months in the fridge.

BBQ sauce is just as vulnerable as ketchup, and will only retain its best quality for about a month, so be sure to keep it in the fridge and not leave it hanging around for too long.

The shelf life of bananas is usually quite obvious as the skin will rapidly change color when it becomes inedible. But typically, bananas will last for around two to five days, or until they are ripe. Keep them in the fridge and they’ll last for up to seven days.

When packaged in brine, feta cheese can last up to three months in the fridge. But it needs to be fully covered in order to preserve it and prevent it from mould.

Eggs can be kept in the fridge for up to three to five weeks as long as they are still uncooked and in their shell. But if you decide to boil them and don’t get around to eating them straight away, you’ll want to bin them after a week (if you can put up with the smell for that long!).

Sausages are great once they’re cooked, but they really don’t have much of a shelf-life before that. One to two days is the longest you should keep uncooked sausages in the fridge to avoid any unnecessary illness, but they’ll be fine after two months in the freezer.

We probably don’t ever think about how long our black pepper has been in the cupboards, but it’s best to keep it no longer than three years in a cool, dark place in order to retain its flavor.

Milk will often last one week longer than its sell-by date, or three months in the freezer. But to maximize shelf-life, you should try to keep milk in the main body of the fridge, rather than in the door to avoid the temperature being too warm.

If it’s continuously refrigerated, butter will usually keep for about one month after this date, but be sure to keep it in the same main body as milk if you want to keep it fresh.

Like most cheese, if it’s stored properly, parmesan cheese can last longer than its use-by date on the package. But you’ll have to be sure to keep it in tight packaging in the fridge to avoid any nasty smells when you open the fridge door.

Chicken is probably the food we all worry about the most, and it’s obviously important we know exactly what is safe and what isn’t. But before we even think about cooking it, we should always be aware that raw chicken will only last for one to two days in the fridge. Stick it in the freezer and you’ve got it for nine months, or cook it, and you can keep it in the fridge for three to four days.

Much like white meat, fish also needs to be used up as quickly as possible. If you’re keeping cod raw, you should only store it for one to two days, but once you’ve cooked it, you can store it in the fridge for a couple of days longer. Alternatively, it’s got a lifespan of about 3 months in the freezer.

Along with chicken, takeaway food is a bit dubious, and we're never quire sure how long it's safe to keep it for. But to be on the safe side, Chinese takeaway should only be kept in the fridge for about three days, or freeze it and keep it for up to four months.

Like most herbs and spices, chili powder is only good for about three months before it starts to lose its flavor and dry up, so use it as soon as you can to get the most out of its heat!

How long you can keep apples for very much depends on how you store them. To keep them fresher for longer, pop them in the fridge. When kept cool, they can last for three to four weeks, but kept at room temperature they’ll only last for one to three days.

Olive oil is a cupboard essential and fortunately will keep for around four years - although it's impressive if you don't need to use it up by then.

Keeping raw asparagus in the fridge will keep them fresh for around three to four days. But if you decide to freeze them, they’ll last for up to 18 months.

Much like asparagus and other green vegetables, broccoli will last for three to five days in the fridge, but up to a year and a half in the freezer if you want to save it for a later date.

With the likes of garlic puree and pre-chopped garlic, it's a lot easier for us to avoid the dreaded task of cleaning a garlic crusher. But for those of us who prefer it fresh, keeping garlic bulbs for more than five months is a bit of a no-go – the ideal storing time is three months.

Frozen French fries are a freezer essential for days when we are feeling a bit lazy or just fancy something a bit more indulgent. But it is recommended to eat them within 10-12 months, so try not to leave it too long until you treat yourself!

A crucial part of the perfect hangover breakfast, hash browns are as important for your freezer as French fries. But, the same rules apply – you’ll probably want to think about getting a new batch in if they’ve been in there for over 12 months.

An unopened pack of bacon should still be fine to eat one week after the use-by date. But once you’ve broken into the packet, you’ll need to keep it in the fridge and eat within 7-10 days.

This famous superfood has a mind of its own. We never know what we’re likely to find under the skin, and unfortunately, a lot of us will have wasted many an avocado just finding out. But typically, avos will last for around four to seven days, or until they’re ripe. Once ripe, they’ve only got three to five days left in them.

You can keep sweet potatoes at room temperature for 5-7 days, but the best way to store them is in the fridge where they’ll last slightly longer and retain their freshness… and they’ll obviously still taste great.

Carrots, however, are one type of veg that will last for much longer. Typically, if you keep carrots in the pantry, they’ll still be just as fresh and crunchy for up to four weeks, but freeze them and they’ll be safe to eat for up to 18 months.

You can keep cheese in the fridge for up to 6 months if it’s kept in its packet, but once it’s opened, it will lose its freshness by about 3-4 weeks. Make sure you keep it in an air-tight package to avoid it growing any mould too quickly.

Although it’s not a regular in everyone’s kitchen, soy sauce is a key ingredient in many oriental dishes and fortunately will keep for three years, so it’s ready to hand when you need it.

This staple salad dressing will last for five years where it is opened or unopened. But for the best quality, it’s recommended to only keep it for about three years.

Spirits keep forever – woohoo! But it’s a matter of quality, not safety, so keep it bottled up in a cool, dry room to keep it fresh. Assuming proper storage conditions, a bottle of rum has an indefinite shelf life, even after it has been opened.

Honey is one of the only food types that will keep indefinitely. This was proven when archaeologists discovered ancient honey in the Egyptian pyramids, and it was still entirely edible. It will crystalize over time, but all it takes is a little heat and it will melt back to the right consistency.