shelf-stable

adjective

shelf-sta·​ble ˈshelf-ˌstā-bəl 

: processed or packaged to withstand prolonged storage without refrigeration

All the rage in Europe and Latin America, boxed shelf-stable milk has yet to catch on with U.S. consumers.

—Christine Foster

Examples of shelf-stable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each family gets fresh produce, shelf-stable items, and a bag of hygiene and cleaning products. —Emily Witt, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026

Much of that volume is shelf-stable items and consumables. —Bloomberg, Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026

The brand is also the top-selling liquid tea compared with any shelf-stable brands, too, when measuring based on dollars spent, not volume like bottle or cans purchased. —Chloe Sorvino, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026

The reliance on organic and fresher components means that the chocolates themselves are a bit less shelf-stable than your grocery-store Russell Stover, but the taste differential is quite dramatic. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shelf-stable

• able
• chaebol
• fable
• label
• sable
• stabile
• stable
• table
• allocable
• educable
• integrable
• purchasable