How long does it take for boxed cereal to get stale?
I have a few boxes of cereal I’ve had for a month or two now. The open boxes are stale, but I have a box of Frosted Flakes that was never opened. The expiration date says July of 2010, but can it have gotten stale from sitting in the pantry for so long anyway?
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If the plastic hasn’t been opened and the expiration date is in half a year, it’s probably not stale.
May as well try it.
I have a unopened box of cereal in my pantry since 2001, it hasn’t started breathing yet…
I think it should be okay if it’s not opened. Now if it sits in your pantry a couple months after expiration then it might be stale.
8 to 14 months is the usual shelf life for boxed cereal. Something like Fruit Loops would have a longer shelf life than an organic or health-food-type of cereal.
You can still eat it once it’s gone stale, it’s just the texture and taste aren’t at their best.
Edit: Sorry, I just noticed the body of your question. If the box hasn’t been opened and the expiration date is in the future, I think your Frosted Flakes won’t have gone stale yet.
The more preservatives there are in the boxed cereal, the longer its shelf life—- though perhaps the shorter your life, since preservatives are known to be generally unhealthy for those who ingest them.
Usually a few months if you leave the tops open. You should close the boxes. They’ll go for a long time. I dunno how long though. As a person that eats cereal just about every other meal cereal doesn’t usually last here. Maybe I’ll get some nasty cereal and then test and see how long it lasts.
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