Not So Fast With That Candy Bar—Here's How Long Chocolate Actually Lasts, According to Experts

Stacey Feintuch
·9 min read
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Read this before tearing into that chocolate bar you've had forever.

You’re not alone if you adore chocolate. In fact, the annual chocolate consumption is projected to be around 7.5 million tons in 2023, says Dame Cacao—or a little under two pounds a year per person.

If you're like most people, the chocolate in your home likely doesn't last long. Still, sometimes we can't eat it all in one or two sittings (even if we want to!) and then there are those candy-fueled holidays that mean even more is probably laying around (we're looking at you, Halloween, Easter and Valentine's Day).

That's when you may be wondering: Does chocolate go bad? How long does chocolate last? Well, the answer is dependent on an array of factors like the type of chocolate, how it's stored and the quality of the chocolate. While chocolate definitely isn't as perishable as those eggs or milk in your refrigerator—or the apples and bananas in your fruit basket—it can have an expiration date, so we spoke to pastry chefs and culinary experts to find out exactly what that is.

How Long Does Chocolate Last?

The type of chocolate and how it's been stored impact how long chocolate lasts. "Solid dark chocolate that's unopened has a shelf life of two years," says Carol Gancia, founder and head chocolatier of Kodak Chocolates. "If it's open, the chocolate is good for one year; unopened solid milk chocolate can last one year unopened or six months if it's opened. But it must be stored in a place that's cool and dry." We suggest keeping it in an airtight container and away from light (which can make it taste bad).

Solid dark chocolate lasts for so long since it doesn't have dairy—and that's what bacteria need to grow. "That's why milk chocolate and white chocolate don't have as long a shelf life as dark, semisweet and bittersweet chocolates," adds Gancia. "Milk gives the chocolate more moisture. And that makes it more likely to grow bacteria."

Added cherries, nuts, peanut butter, nougats and other ingredients also make its shelf life shorter.

Related: Does Peanut Butter Go Bad?

Does Chocolate Go Bad or Expire?

Chocolate has a “best by,” not a “sell by,” date. Chocolate typically tastes best before that best-by date. Kat Connor, the co-founder of XO Marshmallow, explains, “Chocolate bars, chocolate chips and different varieties of chocolate all have expiration dates for good reason."

Expiration also depends on the chocolate. According to Jeff Stoeckel, CEO of Bridgewater Chocolate, if you're talking about the most basic form of chocolate (cacao + cocoa butter), it can last for several years (some even say more than five years) if stored properly in a cold, dark, dry environment.

"What makes most chocolates spoil are other ingredients that are included in the chocolate like fruits and nuts," he says. "These other ingredients will spoil faster than the chocolate itself."

Can You Eat Chocolate Two Years Out of Date?

It’s likely that few chocolate lovers would let chocolate last long in their home, let alone two years.

Whether you can eat chocolate two years out of date depends on what kind of chocolate it is and how it was stored. "Dark chocolate does expire and has a two-year shelf life," Gancia notes. "Milk chocolate expires in a year. It has a shorter shelf life because of the dairy."

Unopened solid milk chocolate can last one year unopened or six months if it’s opened. Store it in a place that’s cool and dry. “If any chocolate shows signs of spoilage—it smells off or has signs of mold—it’s absolutely not safe to eat,” says Connor.

Related: 100+ Non-Perishable Food Items That Don't Expire

How Can You Tell if Chocolate Has Gone Bad?

Here's a pro tip: Usually, chocolate that has gone bad has a change in color. "We call 'fat bloom' chocolate that has a thin gray layer of fat on top of it—it looks old, not perfect. That usually comes from a big difference in the temperature in the storage area," says Martin Diez, Barry Callebaut pastry chef and recipe developer. "You can also have 'sugar bloom' when you can have a grainy feeling when touching the chocolate on the surface. This comes from sugar that melted because of humidity and crystallized again."

And when the chocolate’s color looks off, that means it has been exposed to light. Diez says, "A white chocolate turning very white instead of keeping the ivory color of white, for example, This means the chocolate has been exposed to light." Remember that the more ingredients in the chocolate—like fruit or nuts—the more quickly it will go bad.

Beware of chocolate with a crumbly texture or that has holes on its sides. Justin Frank Polgar, minister of chocolate at Yes Cacao, explains that chocolate has been exposed to air and won’t taste fresh.

Gancia says, "Untempered chocolate that looks chalky, for example, as long as it's within the recommended shelf life and stored properly, can be melted down and tempered to go back to its glossy appearance."

If chocolate has a foul taste or odor, don’t eat it. “If you’re really in touch with your body, you can tell if something is off by smell or taste,” says Polgar. “Your mind may say yes, but your body will say no. It does a good job of telling you whether something is safe or unsafe to eat.”

Can You Use Expired Chocolate?

If chocolate has been stored in the refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature, it can be used after its expiration date. The date just tells you when its quality will start to go south. “You can use expired chocolate, but the flavor is often compromised,” says Gancia.

If it tastes, looks and smells normal, go for it. “When used in baking, typically there is no real detectable difference between expired and nonexpired chocolate,” Connor explains. She adds that you’ll get the maximum taste and texture in unexpired chocolate.

Stoeckel says the smell test is your best guide. Your nose has the best ability to pick up mold or other smells, and that's really the only way to tell if your chocolate has truly gone bad,” he says. “If you think it might be bad, toss it just to be safe.”

Gancia suggests this trick. “Make a habit to stick a tape with a date indicating when to dispose of it,” she says.

Related: Would You Eat Expired Food to Save Money?

How Long Do Boxed Chocolates Last?

That box of chocolates that Forrest Gump spoke of likely won’t last long in most homes. “Honestly, my advice is to always enjoy your boxed chocolates and treats as soon as possible,” says Connor. “Life is too short to save them for a later date.”

Assorted chocolates tend to have different types of chocolate (dark, milk, white) with various perishable ingredients. "Most boxed chocolates have delicious mix-ins that contain ingredients that will expire before the actual chocolate does including caramel, Nutella, nuts, cream, and artificial colors and flavors," Connor explains. "These ingredients compromise the shelf life of the product."

"At Stoeckel’s Bridgewater Chocolate, we believe the sooner you eat chocolate after it's produced, the better it will taste! This is why we generally say 90 days is a good benchmark before you start to see noticeable changes in quality."

How Long Does Chocolate Last at Room Temperature?

Typically, room-temperature chocolate will last for about a year, says Stoeckel. “Chocolate doesn’t like heat or humidity,” he says. So as long as you keep both of those away from chocolate, it will remain delicious for up to a year, he adds.

Gancia advises, "The best way to preserve your chocolates is to keep them in a location with a consistent temperature between 60 and 65°F at 55 percent humidity." Keep it away from direct or indirect heat, adds Connor, and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

How Long Does Chocolate Last Unrefrigerated?

Chocolate's quality is impacted by temperature. "Generally speaking, you want to eat chocolate at room temperature, but store it as cold as you can," says Stoeckel. "That’s because the longer chocolate is left at room temperature, the faster it degrades in quality." Remember that chocolate's expiration depends on the type of chocolate and the other ingredients in it. "It won’t necessarily go bad if left at room temperature from a food safety standpoint. But you will notice a degradation in quality as soon as one week after leaving it out in the open." You get what you pay for. "If you leave out chocolate at room temperature and you don’t notice a change in quality, then you didn’t start with high-quality chocolate."

How Long Do Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Last?

Since strawberries are more perishable than chocolate, Stoeckel says that chocolate-covered strawberries will last as long as the strawberries themselves last. "This is usually a few days in the refrigerator, but the best way to tell is to inspect the strawberries to make sure they haven't gotten mushy or moldy."

Gancia suggests using fresh, off-the-farm strawberries. “That way you have them for longer,” she says. Pay attention to the temperature here. “I find that dark chocolate can tolerate some fridge time,” she says. “The key is in ensuring the chocolate-covered fruit gradually adjusts to the new temperature when taking it out of the fridge. Chocolate does not do well in extreme temps.”

Overall, gobble up those treats as quickly as possible. “The strawberry is the most sensitive ingredient in this creation,” says Diez. “To have the best experience, you want to eat the chocolate-covered strawberries when they are freshly made.”

Related: 50 Best Strawberry Recipes

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