Can you eat m&ms after the expiration date?
In this article we are going to answer: can you eat M&M’s after the expiration date, what M&M’s are, what is the best by date, what is the expiration date, how long do M&M’s last, and how to store M&M’s correctly.
Can you eat M&M’s after the expiration date?
M&M’s do not have an expiration date but they can be consumed after the best by date. The best by date only indicates the date until the manufacturer can assure that that product, in this case, M&M’s, will keep its freshness, taste, and aroma if handled and stored correctly.
What are M&M’s?
M&M’s are multi-colored button-shaped chocolates consisting of a candy shell surrounding a filling of chocolate. Each of them has the letter M in lower case printed on them. The original flavor has a semi-sweet chocolate filling. There are other variations of the inside such as
- Peanut butter
- Peanuts
- Almond
- Pretzels
- Dark chocolate
- Caramel
- Brownie
All flavors are surrounded by a candy shell and inside semi-sweet chocolate plus the flavor varieties.
M&M’s originated back in 1941 in the United States and are sold now in more than 100 countries all over the world. The idea of M&M’s and its candy shell surrounding came with the slogan melt in your mouth, not in your hand.
What is the best by date on M&M’s?
Best by date or best before date tells the consumer that food is no longer fresh or in the same shape such as 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 safety, freshness, and taste of the products 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.
What is the expiration date on M&M’s?
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 that have 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.
How long does M&M’s last?
According to MARS, the brand that manufactures m&m’s, they should be eaten 13 months after the date they have been made. If they have gone bad, it is easy to know just by sight because the inside of the chocolates will look different.
It is hard to contract a food-borne illness from eating bad m&m’s but there is still a risk so always check labels if you are not sure if they are good or bad.
How to store M & M’s correctly?
M&M’s should be stored in a cool dry place. Try no to store them in a very hot place because they can go bad very quickly because of the chocolate milk and their low melting point. According to the brand, m&m’s should be stored in their original package at 65 to 75 Fahrenheit.
Also, m&m’s tell their consumers not to store them in the refrigerator because of the high humidity levels. If you have some leftover m&m’s try to store them in an airtight container. They can also be frozen but not for too long because they can change their texture and flavor.
Of all their flavors, plain m&m’s are the ones that can be kept for a longer period of time without going bad. They can also be frozen and last for about 6 months.
If you need more information on how to store correctly your m&m’s follow this link.
Other FAQs about Chocolate that you may be interested in.
Can you eat Twix with a peanut allergy?
Can you eat dark chocolate on keto?
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat M&M’s after the expiration date, what M&M’s are, what is the best by date, what is the expiration date, how long does M&M’s last, and how to store M & M’s correctly?”
