Can you eat expired cheerios

Can you eat expired cheerios 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? InMalt-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.

Is it okay to eat expired cereal? Or maybe your cereal is still within date but smells kind of weird. Cereals last for months past the dates on their labels, but not all are created equal. The more ingredients prone to quality loss, such as whole wheat flour or nuts, the shorter the cereal will retain quality. Plain cereals keep quality the longest. It all depends on the ingredients.

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.

Cereals last for months past the dates on their labels, but not all are created equal. If you leave a box of cereal on the shelf can you eat expired cheerios a long period of time before trying to eat it, you may be greeted by a host of pests.

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. The likelihood of spoilage also depends on the type of cereal in question.

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.

Can you eat expired cheerios

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.

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According to Time , the best-by date is used by manufacturers to gauge a product's freshness. 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. Pulvermacher agreed, adding that the dates General Mills uses are dependent on keeping the cereal in the packaging it was tested in. If you're relying on old cereal to help provide some of your daily requirements for vitamins and minerals, you may want to look elsewhere to supplement your choice. With that in mind, you may wish to maximize the lifespan of your recently-purchased box of cereal — and luckily, there are actions you can take to keep it as fresh as possible. Nutrition Breads and Breakfasts Cold Breakfasts. Cereal up close. If you have a problem with pantry bugs, definitely go with airtight containers. Other ingredients, such as some dried fruit or flavorings, might simply not keep quality for more than a year or two. Or maybe your cereal is still within date but smells kind of weird. But if that's the case, what purpose do best-by dates serve? Help avoid insect infestation by inspecting boxes for signs of damage periodically and before you pour the cereal into a bowl. According to the U. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Date on cereal label.

Like many canned goods, certain cereals have long shelf lives but it's not always clear how long is OK.

The more ingredients prone to quality loss, such as whole wheat flour or nuts, the shorter the cereal will retain quality. With that in mind, you may wish to maximize the lifespan of your recently-purchased box of cereal — and luckily, there are actions you can take to keep it as fresh as possible. But if that's the case, what purpose do best-by dates serve? Salmonella contamination in cereals happens in the factory. But, according to experts, the salmonella bacteria also thrives in dry, heavily processed foods. While these cereals may not provide the optimal breakfast experience , they will still be "technically safe to eat," said the website. Video of the Day. Beware Insect Infestation. IE 11 is not supported. To minimize changes in flavor and texture, store your ready-to-eat cereals in a cool, dry space. Cereal, rice, beans and other dry goods are magnets for certain insects like boll weevils that like to invade your pantry. By Katie Jackson.