Meaning & use
non-perishable items
Last updated
UK/ˌnɒnˈper.ɪ.ʃə.bəl ˈaɪ.təmz/
US/ˌnɑːnˈper.ɪ.ʃə.bəl ˈaɪ.t̬əmz/
Meaning
nounplural
Foods that do not spoil quickly and can be stored for a long time.
Grammar: Always plural in this phrase: non-perishable items. For one, say a non-perishable item.
Patterns
- donate non-perishable items
- a list of non-perishable items
- non-perishable items such as
The food bank is asking for non-perishable items like canned soup and rice.
Please bring non-perishable items to the donation box.
We packed non-perishable items for the camping trip.
Word forms
| singular | non-perishable item |
|---|
Common combinations
- donate non-perishable items
- They donate non-perishable items to the shelter every month.
- canned non-perishable items
- Canned non-perishable items are easy to store.
- a supply of non-perishable items
- Keep a supply of non-perishable items in case of emergency.
- non-perishable food items
- The drive collected non-perishable food items.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shelf-stable foods
- Similar meaning, but often used in industry and less common in everyday speech.
- canned goods
- A specific type of non-perishable items; not all non-perishable items are canned.
Opposites
perishable items
Word family
- perishable adjective
- Likely to spoil quickly.
- perishables noun
- Foods that spoil quickly, such as fresh meat and produce.
Commonly confused: non-perishable items or perishable items?
non-perishable items vs perishable items
Perishable items spoil quickly; non-perishable items last a long time.
Practice
Which of these is a non-perishable item?
Choose one answer.
Canned beans can be stored for a long time without spoiling. Fresh strawberries, bread, and milk are perishable.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-perishable items”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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