We’re just days away from Halloween with trick-or-treating happening on Monday, Oct. 31. Most kids, however, will likely load up over the weekend with trunk or treats and safe events throughout the region at churches and businesses looking to get in on the fun.
How long is Halloween candy safe to eat?
Alexis Hamilton, a postdoctoral associate and incoming assistant professor of food processing microbiology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech, says commercial candy products have a decent shelf life but homemade treats have a much shorter life.
“Being aware of how to safely consume or store your Halloween goodies can help ensure your holiday is all treats and no tricks,” said Hamilton. “Most of the commercial candy products you’ll see handed out this year are safe to consume and store for several months after trick-or-treating, but homemade candies and treats require a little extra scrutiny.
But, Hamilton said, if you are social distancing this year, or choosing to make candy at home, these treats won’t last as long as store-bought favorites.
While kids in most households will consume the sweet treats in days or a few weeks, some candies can last up to two years, meaning it’s OK to encourage your kids to slow down and savor Halloween candy throughout the year.
How the candy is stored has a big impact on its shelf life.
Safety recommendations
- Chocolate: All chocolate is made of cocoa butter and/or cocoa powder, and the fats in chocolate normally oxidize over time when exposed to oxygen, causing it to become stale or causing off-odors and flavors. The higher the cocoa content, the longer the product will last, so dark chocolate has a much longer quality shelf life than white chocolate. Dark chocolate may be kept for one to two years if wrapped in foil and stored in a cool, dark and dry place, such as a pantry or basement. Milk and white chocolate have a more limited storage time – no more than 8-10 months.
- Hard candy: Hard candies can last up to a year when stored at room temperature or in a cool, dry location.
- Jellied candies: If the packaging has been opened, soft candies should be stored away from heat and light at room temperature of about 70 degrees. Stored in this manner, the candy should last 6-9 months. If the packaging has not been opened, soft sweets will last approximately 12 months.
- Candy corn: If the packaging has been opened, candy corn should be stored under the same conditions as soft candies and will last approximately 3-6 months. Unopened packages will last about 9 months.
- Gum: As long as the packaging remains sealed, most gum products have a shelf life of 6-9 months. To maximize freshness, keep chewing gum packages in a cool, dry place and out of any direct sunlight.
- Caramel: Caramel treats should be kept covered, away from heat and light at room temperature. Stored properly, caramel should last 6-9 months and even up to 12 months in some cases.
Hamilton said that partially eaten or opened candies should be stored in airtight containers, whether plastic storage bags or airtight containers, in order to increase its shelf life.
Homemade Halloween sweets, though, are best enjoyed shortly after concocted in the kitchen, such as caramel- or candy-coated apples, crispy rice treats, fudge and more, Hamilton said.
“For items that are fully cooked to their crunchy and sticky best, these usually last at room temperature for anywhere from four to seven days,” Hamilton said. “Coated apples are a risk if partially eaten and not kept in the fridge. These can be safely enjoyed for up to four days after partially eating them. Of course, these storage recommendations are only a factor if these aren’t gobbled up before they even make it to a container.”
Properly made fudge can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. Fudge, along with coated apples, jams or jammy-candies, and some fondant or cream-based candies could benefit from the added shelf-life of storing in the fridge, according to Hamilton, along with any candy that is partially eaten. Homemade food items – including those in the fridge – should all be kept in airtight containers.
Easy ways to tell if items have gone bad
- Off-odors or off-flavors
- If something fuzzy is growing, don’t eat it.
- If a sealed package looks bloated, don’t eat it. The bloating likely means something is growing inside, especially if the package is pressed on and the bloating returns.
- When in doubt, throw it out.
If candy is left out to melt and stored it in the fridge to resolidify, it is still generally safe to eat even if it looks like Frankenstein, said Hamilton.
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Crystal Graham
