Can you eat expired Oreos?

In this article we are going to answer can you eat expired Oreos, what is the expiration date, what is the best-by date, what happens if you eat Oreos after the best-by date, and are Oreos healthy to eat, and how to store Oreos correctly. 

Can you eat expired Oreos?

Oreos do not have an expiration date, instead, they are marked with a best-by date which indicates that after that date Oreos might not have the same flavor or texture as when they were manufactured. 

You can safely eat Oreos after the best-by date but they might not be as good as when you bought them. The risk of food poisoning with Oreos is very unlikely. 

What happens if you eat Oreos after the best-by date?

Nothing will happen to you if you eat Oreos after the best-by date. The risk of food poisoning with Oreos is almost impossible unless they have mold, which is very hard in this type of cookie. 

So bottom line, Oreos are safe to eat after the best-by date unless they are clearly not good enough. When Oreos have a change in flavor, smell rancid, or look old it is better to throw them away. 

What is the expiration date?

The expiration date in the product tells the consumer the last day a product is safe to consume. The expiration date is not in all products. It is required on certain products with a specific nutritional composition that could change after the expiration date. 

The expiration date is required in some products such as

• Liquid diets

• Foods sold by a pharmacist

• Meal replacements

• Nutritional supplements

• Infant formula 

If a product has passed the expiration date, it should not be consumed.

What is the best-by date?

Best by date or use-by date tells the consumer that food is no longer fresh or in the same shape, texture, and taste as when you bought it. It might lose some freshness, taste, aroma, or nutrients but it doesn’t mean that the product has gone bad and is no longer safe to eat. 

The product’s safety, freshness, and taste depend on how it has been stored. So, if the product has not been handled correctly, it can lose all its qualities long before the best-by date. 

Are Oreos healthy to eat?

No, Oreos are not healthy cookies. Oreos contain a high amount of sugar, trans fats, and preservatives so they can last for a long time. 

2 cookies of the original Oreos contain 100 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrates of which 18 grams are from sugar, 3 grams of fat, and 1 gram of protein. 

Oreos do not have any nutritional benefits. Its nutritional content is basically just sugar and fat. If you are on a weight loss diet, Oreos are not a good option for you. There is a high risk that if you overeat Oreos you will gain weight and might have diabetes and heart problems. 

The inside of Oreos is the part that has the most sugar, trans fats, and artificial flavors. So it won’t work if you throw away the cookie and just eat the inside because it is the worst part of the whole cookie.

A high amount of Oreos and sugar has been linked with an increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol that in the long run will lead to health problems. 

How to store Oreos correctly?

Unopened Oreos can last for at least 2 months in the pantry and when open, they can last up to 2 weeks in the pantry. Once open, they should be stored in an airtight container or a sealed bag to keep moisture away. 

If you are not going to eat Oreos for a long time, you can store them in a sealed bag in the refrigerator or in the freezer. In the refrigerator, Oreos can last for about 6 months as long as they are properly sealed and in the freezer, they can last forever, even past the best-by date.

Follow this link for 5 tips on how to freeze Oreos. 

Other FAQs about Chocolate that you may be interested in.

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Conclusion

This article answered can you eat expired Oreos, what is the expiration date, what is the best-by date, what happens if you eat Oreos after the best-by date, are Oreos healthy to eat, and how to store Oreos correctly. 

Citation

https://www.mashed.com/478206/can-you-eat-expired-oreos/

http://www.eatbydate.com/other/sweets/oreos-shelf-life-expiration-date/