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shelf-stable

American  
[shelf-stey-buhl] / ˈʃɛlfˈsteɪ bəl /

adjective

  1. (of food, liquid, or medicine) able to be stored safely for a long time without refrigeration.

    We always keep a couple of shelf-stable boxes of almond milk on hand now that both of us have gone vegan.


Etymology

Origin of shelf-stable

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On top of all the sociopsychological wrangling, there came an explosion in the availability and affordability of portable, shelf-stable foods.

From The Wall Street Journal

With everyone at home, making their own food and loading up on shelf-stable pantry staples with all the time in the world for simmering beans, Rancho Gordo’s orders suddenly exploded from hundreds a day to thousands.

From The Wall Street Journal

“U.S. consumers signaled that for most essential categories, their spending intentions remained largely unchanged from the previous quarter. A slightly larger share of consumers said they intended to spend more on core categories, including meat, dairy and shelf-stable groceries, compared with the previous quarter,” they added.

From MarketWatch

Infographics like one from the United Way Family Resource Network suggest offering shelf-stable foods alongside the candy bowl this year.

From Salon

For its fourth, flavor-seekers turned their attention to the shelf-stable dinner kit favored by yesterday’s working moms, thanks to the episode titled “Worms.”

From Salon