Calling all chocolate lovers—this ones for you! If youve cleaned out your pantry and found a stash of old Halloween candy or half-used bag of chocolate chips, you know how thrilling and confounding it can be. While youre tempted to snack or bake immediately, youre probably also thinking, “How old is this anyway—does chocolate go bad?”
Theres no hard and fast rule for knowing if your chocolate is fresh. In fact, the shelf life of chocolate depends on a few factors, namely the type and quality of the chocolate, and how its stored. The good news is that as long as it looks, smells, and tastes normal, its generally safe to eat. However, there are still a few things to consider before eating or baking your favorite chocolate dessert recipes.
Ahead, were sharing how to tell if your chocolate has gone bad regardless of whether you have dark chocolate versus milk chocolate or even white chocolate, as well as providing some tips for storing chocolate to preserve its freshness.
It is safe to eat if there is no change in odor,color,texture to softer. You should check the sell-by date to determine if it is still usable. A highly bitter flavor or garlicky aftertaste are clear indicators of a spoiled batch.
Here’s a quick guide to chocolate types and their shelf lives:
Dark chocolate, baking chocolate, bittersweet, or semi-sweet: The higher the cocoa percentage, the longer the shelf life. These chocolates will generally stay fresh for one to two years.
Milk chocolate: So many holiday candies are made of milk chocolate. If you come across a piece thats unopened, it can stay fresh for up to one year. But if there are nuts or other ingredients involved like a Snickers bar or Reeses peanut butter cups, the candy is more prone to going bad at a quicker rate.
White chocolate: The outlier of the group—some might even say its not real chocolate, but it is. Since white chocolate is made up of dairy and cocoa butter, its likely to go bad earlier. It can last up to six months unopened.
How long does it take for chocolate to go bad?
So how do you know if its expired? First things first: Look at the expiration date on the packaging. Chocolates will taste better if eaten before their best-by dates, but that doesnt mean you cant still nibble on it in the weeks to come. The shelf life of chocolate depends on the type of chocolate. Chocolate with higher milk content (like white chocolate or milk chocolate) will go bad quicker than chocolates with lower milk content (like semi-sweet, bittersweet, and dark chocolate). Its generally okay to eat chocolate for months past the expiration date if it’s been unopened or stored correctly.
When you see a woman eating chocolate chips straight out of the bag, it’s best to just let her be!
FAQ
Can I eat raw chocolate chips?
How do you know if chocolate chips have gone bad?
Is it OK to snack on chocolate chips?
How do you eat chocolate chips?
Do chocolate chips go bad?
Chocolate chips do go bad, and the amount of time it takes for them to go bad depends on how they are stored. Chocolate chips often have milk as part of their ingredients, and it will cause the chips to expire faster than if they had no milk. But because of shelf stabilizers, they still last a very long time. How Long Do Chocolate Chips Last?
What are the risks of eating large portions of chocolate?
Chocolate is a candy derived from cocoa and is rich in fats and sugars, which can overload the body when consumed in excess. It can cause diarrhea, reflux, nausea, stomach aches, headache, and even trigger an allergic process.
Can you eat chocolate chips after the expiration date?
In most cases, chocolate chips can be consumed even after their expiration date has passed, as long as they have been stored properly. Proper storage includes keeping them in a cool, dry place and in an airtight container to prevent them from spoiling.
How do you store chocolate chips?
There are two ways to store chocolate chips, and each way affects its shelf life. You can either store chocolate chips in the refrigerator or in the pantry. We recommend storing the chips in the fridge after you open them. When you bring the chips home from the store, place them in the pantry until you are ready to use them.