The majority of goods have a shelf life, but do potato chips like Pringles go bad? The shelf life of Pringles may be affected by a number of factors, including whether the bag is opened or closed, the temperature of the surrounding air, and if it is wet or dry.
Do Pringles expire? The length of time required for Pringles to go stale is contingent on the temperature and humidity of the environment in which they are kept after purchase. The good news is that Pringles are constructed to maintain their freshness for a reasonable amount of time while left unopened on store shelves. In fact, if they are not consumed within twelve to fourteen months of purchase, Pringles may still be considered fresh.
Who, exactly, is going to purchase a bag of Pringles and then not eat them for a whole year?
Regarding whether or not your Pringles are fit for consumption, there are a number of considerations to take into account, all of which will be covered in this article.
Contents
When Pringles Expire – Difference in Expiration Dates and Best-By Dates
Before you get too worked up over the fact that the Pringles you bought have an expiry date, you should first determine whether or not what you really have is a “best by” date, which is not the same thing as an expiration date. When something has reached its “expiration date,” it is no longer considered to be fit for human consumption. A “best-by” date simply indicates the point in time when a product has passed its peak quality.
Even after the “best-by” date has past, it is generally safe to consume Pringles. They just won’t taste as wonderful as they would have if you had consumed them before the expiration date. If you haven’t opened the bag of Pringles yet, you may consume them up to three weeks beyond the best-by date without risking your health and you probably won’t even realize anything is different.
If you consume them beyond that time, it is quite unlikely that you will have any adverse consequences on your health; nevertheless, it is possible that they will be stale and will not taste as delicious.
However, all of this information is only applicable to a can of Pringles that has not been opened, and how frequently does one have an unopened can of Pringles for that length of time? What about when you take some out of the can, but you don’t eat them all right away?
How Long Can an Opened Can of Pringles Last?
A can of Pringles that has been opened may stay fresh for up to two weeks if the circumstances are just right. These perfect circumstances concern the manner in which you keep the Pringles can after it has been opened. If you store it correctly, you just may be able to get this type of lifespan out of it. Unless you properly store them, their shelf life is probably just a few days at most.
A can of Pringles that has been opened should be kept in a location that is cold, dark, and has the lid on whenever it is feasible. Additionally, the can should be kept away from direct sunlight. On the other hand, if the lid is left off, the Pringles are stored in warm environments, or they are exposed directly to sunlight, they will go stale much more quickly.
Additionally, you will want to make sure that the Pringles are not exposed to any kind of moisture in any manner. We are certain that you are able to envision the reasons why moisture would fast render your chips unfit for ingestion.
Even though proper storage can extend the tasty lifetime of your Pringles, it is still difficult to prevent them from becoming stale once they have been exposed to air for a significant amount of time. For this reason, it is typically advised to consume your Pringles on the same day that you open them.
Why Do Pringles Last Longer when Unopened?
The air that gets inside the Pringles when the can is opened is the primary offender when it comes to their turning stale, since this is how they become stale. In spite of what most people believe, a can of Pringles does not contain a significant amount of air; rather, the can is filled with nitrogen, which contributes to the crispiness of the snack.
Because of this, a can of Pringles is airtight before it is opened; thus, air, which would normally cause the Pringles to become softer over time, is unable to enter the can.
Because of this, a can of Pringles that has not been opened may remain edible for many months or perhaps a whole year, however an opened can of Pringles cannot.
As a matter of common sense, as soon as you crack open a can of Pringles, it is no longer airtight; hence, the date on which they should be consumed by is advanced by a substantial amount. From that point on, they are competing against the clock. It doesn’t matter whether you put the lid back on the can; once the seal has been broken, there is no way to make the can airtight again, not even by replacing the cover.
Keeping the lid on the can helps prevent huge amounts of air from entering the can, but it does not completely seal the can off from the outside atmosphere. Even if you keep the cans of Pringles in the best possible conditions, an opened can of Pringles will only remain edible for a few weeks after it has been opened.
Where Can You Find the Expiration/Best-By Date on a Can of Pringles?
On the bottom of each can of Pringles is often printed the “best if used by” or “expiration” date. If you are curious about any of these dates, you may look there. When you look down there, you will be able to see a startling amount of information; nevertheless, the dates that are preceded by the letters “P” and “E” are the ones that you will be interested in.
The date that comes after the letter “P” indicates the time when the chips were manufactured, while the date that comes after the letter “E” indicates the time when the chips should have been discarded. Keep in mind that the “expiration date” on the bag of chips is not a hard and fast rule indicating when they are no longer edible; rather, it is only an estimate of when the chips will no longer taste as good as they once did.
You would need to leave the can of Pringles open for an absurdly long time for the chips inside to become dangerous to your health, and by the time you got to that point, you would probably be able to tell that there is something wrong with the chips just by looking at them, smelling them, or touching them.
FAQs
Is it okay to eat expired Pringles?
After being stored for a number of months, they might have developed a stale flavor. However, they may still be consumed without any concerns. If they have been opened, the outcome will be determined by the amount of time that has gone as well as the amount of moisture that has entered the package. A good rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t consume anything if it has an odd odor and a rubbery consistency.
Can you eat chips 7 months after expiration date?
Chips are perfectly OK to store for an extended period of time in the pantry as long as they do not get discolored or moldy before their expiration date.
How long do Pringles take to go stale?
After that seal has been broken, they will start to decay. The deterioration of the freshness of the Pringles is due to the oxygen and moisture that are present in the air. The fact that they are already exposed to air means that closing the lid won’t halt the process even if you try to slow it down. Around seven days after purchase, you are free to consume them without fear of…
Is it OK to eat expired chips?
Just like bread, potato chips may go stale beyond their expiry date, but it is absolutely OK to consume them even if they do so.
How long are Pringles good for?
The typical shelf life for a bag of Pringles is fifteen months.
This indicates that they may be safely ingested for the subsequent 15 months after manufacture has been completed (considering that they are kept stored the right way).
Can you eat crisps 2 years out of date?
Old potato chips may not be as crunchy as they were when they were first purchased, but eating them won’t make you sick in any way. Because of the salt that is often used to coat many potato snacks, this is the case; nonetheless, it is still advised to consume them within three weeks of the product’s expiration date.
Final Thoughts
In the end, whether or not you open a bag of Pringles will determine how long they will stay fresh in your pantry. A can of Pringles that has not been opened has a shelf life of up to fifteen months, beginning on the day it was produced and continuing forward. However, after the can of Pringles has been opened, the chips will only remain edible for a week or two under optimum conditions, and for little more than a few days under unfavorable conditions.
When everything is taken into account, the best course of action is to consume your Pringles on the same day that you open the bag. This is the standard recommendation. That way, you won’t have to stress about whether or not they are still fresh!