You want all your Halloween candy to last as long as possible. But how long can you store Halloween candy? Do candies expire?
Best Food Facts was contacted Fadi Aramuniin Food Science, Kansas State University to find out the shelf life of Halloween candy.
“If there are concerns about the safety of sweets, it is usually a question of quality, not expiration date,” Dr. Aramouni said.
This is great news for parents who want to ration sweets to their children so that they don’t eat them all at once. (This is also good news for parents who keep a few bars for themselves – like 72 percent of us do.) The durability of the candy is influenced by the amount of moisture and fat it contains – he explained.
“In general, candy is very complex to spoil due to its low moisture content, but it depends on the candy. With difficult candy and chewing gum, there’s really nothing to worry about,” Dr. Aramouni said.
It is recommended to follow the guidelines from National Confectioners Association about how long to store different types of sweets.
- Milk and white chocolate: eight to ten months
- Dark chocolate: One to two years if wrapped in foil and stored in a chilly, murky and desiccated place.
- Hard Candy (lollipops and toffees): Up to one year if stored at room temperature or in chilly, desiccated conditions.
- Candy Corn: Approximately nine months after sealing and approximately three to six months after opening the package.
- Jelly candies: Unopened for up to one year. Once opened, store in a covered candy container for six to nine months.
- Rubber: Six to nine months, provided the packaging is sealed.
- Caramel: Six to nine months if stored at room temperature, away from heat and featherlight.
Knowing how long sweets last is helpful because there are many good reasons to save some sweets and ration treats over the next few weeks.
“Sweets are full of empty calories and people need to eat sweets in moderation. We are also concerned about the impact of sugar on the development of tooth decay. If people eat one or two pieces of candy a day, everything is fine. But all this is worrying,” said Dr. Aramouni.
As a parent and food science expert, Dr. Armouni shares with his children how he deals with sweets.
“My kids limit themselves to one or two a day. If children eat too many sweets, the sugar will make them feel full and their glucose levels can affect their feeling of fullness. First of all, children need to eat nutritious meals,” he said.
He will also hand out candy to trick-or-treaters or dogs. “We’ll be handing out fun-sized chocolate bars – the waffle kind,” he said.
Halloween candy will last for many months. To maintain freshness, store it unopened in a chilly, murky place such as a pantry or basement. Just because your kids have a lot of sweets doesn’t mean they have to eat them.
“And remember, you can throw away your ancient candy. Don’t feel pressured to eat it – after all, it’s mostly empty calories,” Dr. Aramouni said.
Originally published October 30, 2013
