How long will your Halloween candy last and when is it time to toss it? (2024)

FAQs

How long will your Halloween candy last and when is it time to toss it? ›

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.

When should I throw out my Halloween candy? A good rule of thumb is to simply toss it when it stops tasting good. You probably won't get sick — unless you eat all of it in one sitting, that is. Dana Hatic is an associate editor for Eater Boston.

In many communities, trick-or-treating can start as soon as school lets out and can go until 9 p.m., with the bulk of younger trick-or-treaters out and about around sunset (typically around 6 p.m.)

Does Sweets Expiration Date Matter? Most sweets remain edible after they have passed their expiration date. But, their quality, flavour, and texture will deteriorate over time.

Do they expire? “Yes, candy does expire, but the good news is that most types of candy are good to eat for six to 12 months,” says registered oncology dietician, Kaitlin Mckenzie. The shelf life of a candy also depends on the type of candy and where you store it.

Most trick-or-treaters start their trek at sunset after dinnertime, around 5:30 or 6 p.m., and end their collecting by 9 p.m.

THE THREE DAY RULE

When the kids return with their Halloween candy they can eat as much of it as they like before bed that night, and as much as they like whenever they like for two days after Halloween.

Again, children will have to be up bright and early the next day to go to school, and swap candies of course. So that and the age of the trick-or-treaters will be a deciding factor for many parents on how late the little ones can stay out. Most people agree that trick-or-treating should end between 8 pm and 9 pm.

So, how old is too old to trick-or-treat? Answer: It is OK for a 12-year-old to go trick-or-treating… and a 14-year-old, and a 15-year-old. In fact, the teen years are fair game, according to Catherine, author of Catastrophic Happiness: Finding Joy in Childhood's Messy Years. "I begrudge teenagers nothing," she says.

Do skittles expire? ›

Q: How long will my product stay fresh? A: While we quote a shelf life of 52 weeks for all our treats and snack products to consumers, the actual shelf life can vary.

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.

Starbursts expire and have an expiration date, but it's important to note that it primarily indicates the point at which the candy's flavor and freshness start to decline. If you store Starbursts under appropriate conditions, they can remain consumable for up to one to two years.

“In the case of most commercially processed foods, it's contamination during processing and packaging that leads to foodborne illness, not the age of the food. So, even after some time passes, candy should be safe to eat as long as it was properly handled and it remains unopened prior to eating.”

However, if properly stored, licorice candy has a shelf life of 6-12 months and will remain safe to consume well past its expiration date. So yes, it is safe to eat expired Twizzlers! The only time you need to worry is if there's an off smell or mold appears on your licorice.

Additionally, sucking on hard candy for extended periods of time coats your teeth in sugar and makes them much more vulnerable to cavities and decay. Keep your teeth healthy and avoid Jolly Ranchers altogether this year. It's easy to forget about your oral health when there's an abundance of candy around.

So, even after some time passes, candy should be safe to eat as long as it was properly handled and it remains unopened prior to eating.” This notion is just one of many misbeliefs that people have about when to toss their leftover sweets, Eifert said.

According to Wright, most candy should be around for nine months. She says that chocolate is going to oxidize a little longer, meaning that the fat contained in the chocolate changes into other substances. This leads to the chocolate creating an unappealing smell and it starts to go bad.