24 Adorable Stories of Grandmothers Who Took “Old Is Gold” Too Far

We all have a little “hoarder” in us. Living simply may keep our lives uncomplicated in general, but most of us don't practice minimalism. We keep what we buy, and sometimes this leads to a bit of storage crisis. Plus, age can complicate matters, as these grandmothers and other people prove by keeping bizarre stuff in their pantries and homes.

1. “My grandma quit drinking cola over thirty years ago...”

Today, after cutting her grass, I asked her if she had anything other than milk and water to drink. She told me there was a Coke in the crisper drawer... to which I discovered an 80’s relic. © Random-Non-Sequitur / Reddit

2. “Just a big bottle of poison hanging out next to the Tums for 50 years.”

Found while moving. Apparently Mom and Dad had ants in the 70s, then Dad brought this home from the lab and used it once. Had to have a whole discussion about whether to take it with us. suzieking85 / Reddit

3. “My great-grandmother’s Valentine’s Day candy from the mid-1920s.”

4. “Other people inherit money or a house; I inherit the Heinz Ketchup Limited Black Edition.”

5. “Nutmeg that expired in ’74 found at my Grandma’s.”

My brother cooked with this nutmeg and after being told it tastes weird, he looked at the expiration date. © SlamHamwitch / Reddit

6. “Not pantry, but found this cleaning my Grandma's basement out.”

7. “Older than my adult daughter.”

8. “Found in the freezer at my work.”

9. “Upcoming clean out of Nan’s bathrooms.”

I just got news that my Nana will be spending a few hours at my Aunt’s house this weekend! That means I can do a ninja clean out of her expired meds. I’ll also be going through her bathroom cabinets and drawers, which are stuffed full.

I’ve been trying to get to this for a long time, since we’re concerned about her using products that are so old. Somehow I’m going to have to figure out how to make the cabinets still look full after my clean out so she doesn’t fuss. © brighterbleu / Reddit

10. “38-year-old brownies.”

There’s a sad story to these nearly 4-decade-old brownies. My great aunt, who lives with dementia, had a son who tragically died at 12 in 1986. Not long before, he baked these brownies for her, and ever since then they have sat in the back of her refrigerator.

We found it while going through her fridge. I won’t take off the lid until we decide to throw it out (which surely will be soon) but it seems like they’ve aged without growing mold, which is mildly concerning, but pretty cool. © Zaytherlegit / Reddit

11. “Found in cellar. Peaches canned in 1976.”

12. “Found cleaning out my grandparents’ house that they’ve lived in since 1965.”

That pantry was so full of this stuff. Makes sense with seven kids though... © Clementine7162 / Reddit

13. “I was given 6 bags of food, and nearly all of it expired more than a decade ago.”

A family friend made a big deal all weekend about bringing me six bags of food for me and my wife to go through and dump the rest off at the “blessings pantry.” This is some of it!

• The best part: The Ghirardelli's mint chips and dumpling mix are so antique they don't even have an expiry date. Exciting, we love old food YouTube!
• The sun-dried tomatoes (2009) are congealed into a whole new product, may patent it…
• Thought about eating that 2008 dark chocolate because damn!
• The caviar has no date, not sure if it's even that old, but… no.
• The rancid smell coming off that Crisco (2007) was intense.
• The cheese Fantastico bottle was creating a vacuum, may implode one day, may keep for science.
• And what is Molly McButter??!! © AliveWeird4230 / Reddit

14. “Nana kept everything.”

15. “Found these in my grandma’s closet.”

16. “Chips, from ’94.”

17. “Forgotten emergency snacks found in our earthquake kit from the 90s.”

18. “Unopened soap from 1940.”

19. “In a shocking turn of events, the wet wipes from the 1979 First Aid Kit are still wet!”

20. “My Nana’s secret stash.”

I took it outside to unwrap it, but stopped in my tracks and screamed as soon as I saw this: an old vial of umbilical tape. I called my sister because there was no way I was going an inch closer. My sister and I are both screaming outside, yes I know we’re dramatic, and that made our Nan come out and ask what all the racket was about. I said, “Nana, you’re freaking us out, what is all this stuff?” She reminded me that she told me to throw it away.

Then, rather nonplussed, she explained that her boys were always getting into things, my Dad being the worst culprit. She wanted to keep the prescriptions, so she wrapped them up in the ugliest way possible, so the boys wouldn’t get curious. She then hid it on the top shelf in her laundry room, way in the back behind all her cleaning supplies, where it has remained for nearly 50 years. Yes, I found a date on the newspaper — February 8, 1975.

We both stood there, gob smacked. I held out the ampoule of umbilical tape and told her it was a strange thing to have. She said, “Oh, I didn’t want it to get broken.” She said the old prescriptions belonged to her Mother and Grandmother. And with that, she turned around and went back inside.

The next time my Nana, who never wants me to get rid of anything, tells me I can throw something out without batting an eyelid, you can bet I’m going to be suspicious. © brighterbleu / Reddit

21. “It really is Great-Grandma’s pantry.”

Keeping this amazing pantry & baking station that has been in the family for 5 generations. Flour on left, sugar on right. Above the sugar is a pie safe. Has cooking instructions on left & a built-in egg timer. Oak & an enamel top that slides forward & back. There are many built in racks, and tin linings in some cabinets.

It even came with spices from 1933. Soon to be filled with snacks, canned goods, & utensils. All original parts will remain! © TitzKarlton / Reddit

22. “My grandmother was an eccentric woman.”

The story I was given by my mother is that the family had just recently moved from Pennsylvania back to LA (where my mother was born and mostly raised). My grandmother was feeling cramped, like a sardine in a can. She was quite the unique person. She commissioned this gold and diamond pendant. Yep, sardines in a can.

Because why not? She passed several months ago and my mom didn’t know what to do with this, and I said, give it me, I’ll wear it. I think it’s fantastically weird. © ToxicologyFiles / Reddit

23. “Radium hand cleaner found in my grandma’s pantry.”

“Takes off everything but the skin.” I'm not so sure about that… Damaniel2 / Reddit

24. “Didn't pick up almond extract from the grocery store because I was told we already had some.”

Meanwhile, here are times food brought back sweet memories of people no longer with us, including some adorable grandmothers.