How long are Lipton tea bags good for?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “How long are Lipton tea bags good for” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of Lipton tea bags. Moreover, we are going to discuss tips to properly store Lipton tea bags.
So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.
How long are Lipton tea bags good for?
Lipton tea bags last for about 18 months if they are stored properly in a cool, dry, and dark corner of your pantry away from direct sunlight and heat. It is not recommended to refrigerate or freeze Lipton tea bags.
Afterward, the tea begins to lose its flavor, aroma, and quality over time. So if you want to enjoy the best flavor and aroma of the tea then it is better that you use your Lipton tea within 18 months.
Once you open the pack in which Lipton tea bags are stored, it is recommended to transfer the remaining Lipton tea bags in an air-tight container or plastic zipper bag and store them in a cool, dry, and dark place. You should never store your Lipton tea bags in a humid environment as the high moisture content of the humid environment can mess up the quality of dry Lipton tea bags and can even make them stale.
It is worth mentioning that the figures mentioned above are the estimated shelf life of Lipton tea bags.
Are Lipton tea bags safe to use after the best by date?
The “best by” or “best before” date that is written on the pack of Lipton tea bags refers to the quality rather than safety so the Lipton tea bags don’t necessarily go bad immediately after the best before date.
This date refers to the time during which you can enjoy the peak quality of Lipton tea bags but you can still use Lipton tea bags that are past this date as long as they were stored properly.
Tips to properly store Lipton tea bags
- When it comes to the unopened package of Lipton tea bags, you can store them in a cool, dry, and dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. It means that you can easily store the unopened box of Lipton tea bags in a dry corner of your pantry or kitchen cabinet.
- In the case of the open Lipton tea or tea bags, it is recommended to store your tea in an air-tight container or air-tight plastic zipper bag and store it in a cool, dry, and dark corner of your pantry or kitchen cabinet to preserve its freshness for a long time. You should never store your Lipton tea in a humid environment as humidity is the enemy of the delicate flavors of tea and it can even spoil your tea (if tea is stored for too long in a humid environment and that too uncovered).
- The quality of Lipton tea can degrade with the fluctuations in temperature. Therefore not only should you store Lipton tea bags at room temperature but you should also make sure that you are not storing them near a heater or an air-conditioner.
- Tea can pick up smells and that is another reason why we advised you to store your open Lipton tea or tea bags in an air-tight container or resealable plastic zipper bag. Moreover, you should always try to store your Lipton tea away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and onion.
- UV radiations present in the sunlight can also mess up the delicate flavors of Lipton tea, therefore it is recommended that once you open your Lipton tea pack, store the rest of the tea in a tinted or colored air-tight container. The reason behind using a tinted or colored container is that the sunlight won’t be able to penetrate it, thereby the quality of Lipton tea will be preserved for a long time.
- In the case of tea, never use a wet spoon to scoop out Lipton tea. Moreover, you should close the lid of the container in which you stored Lipton tea as soon as you are done scooping out the tea that you needed.
- You should never store your dry Lipton tea bags, irrespective of whether it is green tea or black tea, in the refrigerator. The reason behind this is that the moisture content of the fridge is high and if this moisture finds its way to your Lipton tea, it will make it stale. Therefore you should never store Lipton tea in the fridge. The same holds the truth for a freezer and freezing the dry Lipton tea is also not something that we recommend.
You can read about different types of tea here.
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Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “How long are Lipton tea bags good for” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of Lipton tea bags. Moreover, we discussed tips to properly store Lipton tea bags.
