Does Chocolate Expire? Is It Safe to Eat Past the Best By Date? (2024)

FAQs

Does Chocolate Expire? Is It Safe to Eat Past the Best By Date? ›

Dark chocolate, with its higher cacao content, can be good to eat for as long as three years past the best before. Due to their high milk contents, milk and white chocolates might not last as long as dark, but their longevity is still nothing to sniff at — you can expect to get another 8 months or so out of it.

Solid Chocolate: If stored properly in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, solid chocolates (like plain milk, white, or dark chocolate bar) can often be eaten for up to 6 months past their 'best before' date. The taste and texture might not be optimal, but it's generally safe.

It's generally okay to eat chocolate for months past the expiration date if it's been unopened or stored correctly.

Most candies do have expiration dates, but like most foods, these dates serve more as guidelines for when to consume them. It's generally fine to eat candy past its expiration date, though the quality and texture does decline after a certain point.

"Eventually (yes), but it takes longer than you might think," she says. She explains that whether it goes bad depends on the percentages of cacao and milk (if the particular type of chocolate has any) in the chocolate. "Dark chocolate has the longest shelf life, because it does not contain milk," D'Agostino explains.

"Though the appearance of bloom looks unappetizing—some may even mistake it for a type of mold—the chocolate is absolutely safe to consume," says Michael Laiskonis, creative director at the Institute of Culinary Education who also oversees the school's Chocolate Lab, which does bean-to-bar production of chocolate.

Can chocolate go out of date? Chocolate doesn't have an expiry date and is usually fine to eat for several months after the best-before date. So, if you're wondering “Can you eat out-of-date chocolate?”, the answer is yes.

What does expired chocolate look like? There are several indicators that chocolate may have gone bad. These include a dull appearance, a whitish film on the surface (known as chocolate bloom), a rancid smell, or a sour taste.

You may not “ruin” your chocolate bar or baking chocolate when you put it in the fridge. It's still edible, and it won't “go bad” just because it's refrigerated. However, you should know that chilling it will change the taste and texture of even the highest quality chocolate.

In order to maximize your cocoa powder's shelf life, you'll want to keep it in a dry, cool place. And make sure the lid on the container is airtight, too. But as long as it's not moldy and it doesn't have an unpleasant odor, there's no reason to toss a jar of cocoa powder that's a year or two past its expiration date.

What to do with expired chocolate? ›

Remember that good dark chocolate has a shelf life of two or more years if left unopened, so unless you have reason to believe the chocolate has gone bad—if it doesn't smell right or looks like something is off—rest assured that chocolate is just fine to eat or bake with.

After that date, the food may have poorer quality due to deteriorating properties of the food, grow harmful bacteria, or lose its nutritional value. Consuming expired food can lead to food poisoning, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever.

According to the National Peanut Board, unopened, commercially processed peanut butter lasts for up to 9 months in the pantry, while opened conventional peanut butter lasts up to 3 months in the pantry and up to 9 months in the refrigerator.

If chocolate is stored in a refrigerator, the humidity inside can lead to 'sugar bloom,' where sugar crystals rise to the surface, affecting the chocolate's smooth finish.

If the package is unopened, it can last for months past its expiration date if it's been stored at room temperature, or even longer if it's been in the fridge or freezer. Although it can be safe to eat months or even years after its best by date, you may notice differences in its taste or appearance.

We all love to hoard candy after Halloween is over, but how long are these candies good for? Do they expire? “Yes, candy does expire, but the good news is that most types of candy are good to eat for six to 12 months,” says registered oncology dietician, Kaitlin Mckenzie.

Chocolate milk goes bad around 7-10 days past its best-by date if it's refrigerated and sealed, and several weeks past its best-by date if it's shelf-stable. Once opened, aim to use chocolate milk within a week for the best flavor and freshness. (It can also be frozen for up to three months.)