Yes, you can(dy) eat your Halloween sweets once the trick-or-treating is over — but they aren’t good forever.
If your treats somehow make it past the week of Halloween, just make sure you’re being a Smartie about their shelf life.
There are many components that can cause candy to go bad, mainly the ingredients. Though a majority of candies are safe to store in the pantry to keep it fresh, some chocolates could be fine in the fridge or freezer.
Here’s how long you have to finish up your fun-sized treats.
Chocolate
The lifespan of chocolate is dependent on its type.
While chocolate bars are best eaten fresh — and hard to resist — they’re actually safe to eat and edible for long after the marked date, according to The High Five Company.
Dark chocolate lasts longer than milk or white chocolate thanks to the lack of dairy products. If dark chocolate is unopened and properly stored, it can last two years from the day it was made. However, that time is cut in half for a one-year shelf life if it’s opened and stored properly.
Milk and white chocolate’s shelf life is cut in half even further, lasting one year if unopened and stored properly. If these chocolates are opened and stored properly, it lasts six to eight months.
Hard candies
Hard candies such as lollipops, Jolly Ranchers and individually wrapped hard treats pretty much last forever if stored properly, according to Kansas State University.
However, the National Confectioners Association suggests keeping them for just one year when stored at room temperature or in cool, dry conditions.
Candy corn
If you’re someone who enjoys the divisive candy corn, you can keep eating from an opened package for three to six months if stored at room temperature.
An unopened package can last for up to nine months, according to Hackensack Meridian Health.
Gummy bears
Gummy candies should last for six months to a year, depending on how it’s stored, according to Candy Club.
Typically gummies should be stored in a cool, dry area. But if you live in a hot and humid climate, refrigerating the candy will keep it from melting, and the shelf life reduced to six to eight months.
Sour candy
Sour candies last up to a year, and storage conditions typically don’t change that time frame.
To increase the shelf life, keep it in a sealed, airtight container after opening, Still Tasty suggests.
When do I throw out my candy?
A good rule of thumb of when to toss your candy is if it smells, if it has mold or if it tastes bad. Taking a small bite to test probably won’t make you sick.
