Can you eat expired cheerios

Is it okay to eat expired cereal? Or maybe your cereal is still within date but smells kind of weird.

In a pinch, you may want to reach for the long-forgotten, unopened box of cereal at the back of your pantry. But how old is too old when it comes to the beloved breakfast staple? According to the U. Department of Agriculture USDA , "most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely" — long past the date on the package. However, that doesn't mean the cereal will still taste as great as the day you bought it.

Can you eat expired cheerios

When you're hungry or low on cash, a trip to your storage room may yield a box of expired cereal. Before you crack open the box and dig in, ensure that you're willing to eat old cereal. While safety-wise it should be fine, it may not have the best taste or texture and also could have lost some nutritional value. Carefully rotating your food storage can help prevent your cereal from going past its expiration date before you have a chance to dig in. While eating expired cereal isn't necessarily dangerous, the quality of your food, such as the taste, texture and nutritional content, can be compromised. The purpose of expiration dates is to alert consumers when a food should be consumed by. After the expiration date, the manufacturing company makes no claims about the nutrition values, taste, texture and quality of a product. Certain types of food survive well after the expiration date. Dairy products and fresh foods are usually the first to go sour, while unprocessed pantry foods like cereals, rice, nuts and beans can be stored and used well past the manufacturer's expiration date, as explained by the USDA. According to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank , cereal is safe to consume for 12 months past its package date — as long as the inner bag is intact and sealed. The first thing you may notice when you open a box of old cereal is that it may not have the same taste and texture as usual. While old cereal is technically safe to eat, you take a risk in eating cereal that may taste strange or is softer or more limp than before the expiration date. To minimize changes in flavor and texture, store your ready-to-eat cereals in a cool, dry space.

Cheerios for breakfast.

Like many canned goods, certain cereals have long shelf lives but it's not always clear how long is OK. So, is that box still safe to eat? In , Malt-O-Meal voluntarily recalled its puffed wheat and puffed rice cereals after detecting a strain of salmonella responsible for making at least 23 people in 14 states sick. Salmonella is usually associated with wet foods like eggs, chicken and undercooked meat. But, according to experts, the salmonella bacteria also thrives in dry, heavily processed foods. However, it's important to note that this kind of contamination typically happens during processing.

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. For example, some types of Cheerios have a shelf life of up to two years, while other cereals like Frosted Flakes will only last about six months. The USDA has set guidelines for cereal manufacturers regarding how long certain products should be stored before they start to lose their freshness. The guidelines specify that cereals should be kept at room temperature degrees Fahrenheit and away from direct sunlight. Each cereal manufacturer sets its own expiration dates, but most of them fall within the same range. Cereals that are sold under private labels may vary depending on the company that produced them, so make sure to read the label closely.

Can you eat expired cheerios

Confusion over what expiration dates mean causes Americans to throw out tons of food that might still be perfectly good. Every day the average American throws out nearly a pound of food, according to a study from the Department of Agriculture. There are plenty of reasons why good, usable food is tossed: picky kids, overstocked pantries, or even leftovers that sit in refrigerators too long. Ninety percent of Americans misinterpret the dates on labels, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC , and they throw out food that could still be consumed or frozen for later use. With the exception of baby formula, there are no federal regulations on date labeling. Supermarkets may also use the dates as a guide when stocking shelves.

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That brings the question: how can you tell if cereal has gone bad? The likelihood of spoilage also depends on the type of cereal in question. Salmonella is usually associated with wet foods like eggs, chicken and undercooked meat. Read more: 11 Healthy Fortified Cereals and 10 to Avoid. Certain nutritionally fortified cereals can lose some of their nutritional value after long months of sitting on the shelf. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. After the expiration date, the manufacturing company makes no claims about the nutrition values, taste, texture and quality of a product. Bowl of Cheerios. Video of the Day. But if that's the case, what purpose do best-by dates serve? Because of that, cereals that include those might start to smell rancid or paint-like at some point.

How long do cheerios last in the fridge? Cheerios were first manufactured in as Cheerioats in the united states and have since become active in all other parts of the world.

Maintain Taste, Texture and Nutrition. Help avoid insect infestation by inspecting boxes for signs of damage periodically and before you pour the cereal into a bowl. Video of the Day. If everything about your cereal up to this point seems fine, eat some dry to assess the taste. Beware Insect Infestation. Because of that, cereals that include those might start to smell rancid or paint-like at some point. Nutrition Breads and Breakfasts Cold Breakfasts. By Katie Jackson. Tip While eating expired cereal isn't necessarily dangerous, the quality of your food, such as the taste, texture and nutritional content, can be compromised. Cereal up close. According to Time , the best-by date is used by manufacturers to gauge a product's freshness. IE 11 is not supported. Cheerios for breakfast. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.