How Long Candy Lasts Before it Goes Bad

After a busy and cold night of Halloween trick-or-treating in Illinois, just how long will your candy stash last before you shouldn't eat it? We have the answer.

You worked hard to bring home all that delicious candy. Now you need to know how long it will survive in the cupboard before it's no good to eat.

MORE: Freezing Temps on Halloween in Illinois Could Harm Trick-or-Treaters

How to Keep Your Halloween Candy Fresh

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My home provides shelter for 3 trick-or-treaters who all have their mother's sweet tooth. My wife's love for candy is strong and our children are no different. The haul of candy in three separate (shoebox-sized) plastic totes in the pantry after every Halloween is absolutely ridiculous.

The kids asked my wife and me if we knew how long the candy would last until it went bad. We didn't really know the answer. The candy wrappers don't really cover this question, either.

So, we looked it up. Here's what we found.

When Your Halloween Candy Goes Bad

Two things play a big role in how long your candy stash will last.

How do you store it
Personal preference

Expiration dates on the candy really refer to when the candy will be beyond 'peak quality, not when it is no longer safe to eat.

Is it safe? Does it taste good? Those are two very different things.

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How long will chocolate last?

Dark chocolate lasts the longest at up to 2 years. Milk and white chocolate's peak quality begins to fade after around 9 months,

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If your chocolate is filled, like those peanut butter cups, it's good for about 6 months.

Photo by Amit Lahav on Unsplash

How long will gummy candy last?

If you've got any kind of gummy candy in the pantry, it will need to get in your mouth within 6-9 months.

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How long will hard candies last?

Your Jolly Ranchers are all good for about a year. For us, if you can't peel away the wrapper on hard candy because it's sticky, it's time to toss it.

Marie Fields