First, a little love for the humble can. It’s basically a tiny, hermetically sealed time capsule. As long as that aluminum or steel wall isn’t dented, rusted, or bulging like a bad botox job—you’re in pretty good shape.
Here’s the deal: the official “best by” date is more of a snooty suggestion than a hard deadline. For unopened canned beans, that date is usually two to five years from when it was made. Yes, years. Your beans are practically immortal.
