How long do homemade potato chips last?
In this article, we will answer the question “How long do homemade potato chips last?”, and how to make the best potato chips at home?
Read on for brief guidelines on how to safely store potato chips and get the longest out of their shelf-life.
How long do homemade potato chips last?
Homemade potato chips are best consumed straight out of the deep fryer when they are at the peak of freshness and crispiness. However, they can last 2-3 days in the pantry if kept in an air-tight container.
The shelf-life of Potato chips
The following table shows an estimated shelf-life of different types of potato chips.
| (unopened) | Pantry |
| Past Printed Date | |
| Packaged potato chips | 2-3 weeks |
| Vegetable chips | 2-3 weeks |
| Bugles | 2-3 weeks |
| Fritos | 2-3 weeks |
| Chex Mix | 2-3 weeks |
| Pringles | 2-3 weeks |
| Tostitos | 3-4 weeks |
| Doritos | 3-4 weeks |
| Goldfish | 3-4 weeks |
| Pretzels | 3-4 weeks |
| Crackers | 3-4 weeks |
| (Opened) | Pantry |
| Homemade potato chips | 2-3 days |
| Packaged potato chips | 5-7 days |
| Packaged tortilla chips | 1-2 weeks |
| Crackers | 2-4 weeks |
How to make the best potato chips at home?
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 1-quart oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Drop the potato chip slices into a bowl full of cold water as you slice. This will prevent the slices from browning. When you are done, swirl the potato slices gently and drain the milky water.
- Fill the bowl with fresh cold water. Add some salt and let the potatoes rest in there for about 30 minutes.
- Pour oil into a deep fryer. Put it on the stove and heat until the oil reaches 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
- Toss the potato slices into the heated oil and fry until golden. Do not overcrowd the deep fryer. Fry a small batch at once for an even golden color.
- When the slices turn golden brown, transfer them onto a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Sprinkle some salt if you like.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 179 |
| Proteins | 2.2 g |
| Carbs | 18.6 g |
| Fat | 11.1 g |
| Sodium | 2622.6 mg |
What is the best way to store potato chips?
The following storage guidelines apply to both commercially packaged and homemade potato chips.
- The rule of thumb is to keep the potato chips somewhere dry and cool, away from direct sources of heat like the sunlight or the stovetop.
- The second most important factor in determining the shelf-life of the potato chips is the seal of the containers. Keeping the potato chips in an air-tight container with a sound seal will preserve their freshness and crunch.
- When using a freezer bag for storage, press the bag to draw out as much air as possible from it.
- Refrain from frequently opening the sealed package of the chips and then leaving it open. Doing so frequently will make the chips go stale due to repeated and prolonged exposure to air.
Can you freeze potato chips?
If you follow the above-mentioned storage guidelines, you can prolong the shelf-life of your chips for upto 2 months. However, for firm safety of the quality of chips, freezing them is a good option. This is a particularly good choice for people living in humid areas.
You just have to pop the original package of chips in the freezer if the seal is intact. You can add an extra layer of protection by wrapping the package in plastic. However, this is optional.
However, if you have opened the package, you must pack the chips in an air-tight container before freezing. You can use a heavy-duty freezer bag or good-quality and shallow Tupperware for this purpose. Remove as much air as possible if you go with the freezer bag.
Can chips go bad? Can you eat expired chips?
The printed date on the package of chips does not indicate the safety of the chips. Rather it is an estimate of the keeping quality of the chips, by its manufacturer.
If the chips are stored using the best practices, they can easily preserve their freshness and crisp past the printed date.
So this concludes that stale chips are not necessarily bad. They have just run out of their time and lost their desired crispiness.
Consuming stale chips isn’t a pleasant experience but it is not risky either. Your best bet is to use these stale chips in cooking instead of throwing them in the bin.
Other FAQs about Potatoes that you may be interested in.
Can you get sick from eating green potatoes?
Can you eat a baked potato left out overnight?
How to Keep Potatoes from Sticking
Conclusion
In this article, we answered the question “How long do homemade potato chips last?”, and how to make the best potato chips at home?
