Buying or getting more Halloween candy than you can finish in a month is not surprising. Generally, Halloween candy can stay for up to 5 months or even more. However, it depends on your storage pattern and the type of candy you have.
Yes! In fact, they do not just go bad; Halloween candies can also expire. They can go bad as a result of so many factors. One general saying about candy is, ” The softer the candy, the shorter it stays.”
They should be stored properly. Below are methods to store some of your favorite candies.
- Jellied candies should be consumed once opened or left in the wrap and kept at room temperature.
- Caramel should be kept away from heat and light (heat and light make it melt and soft ) and should be kept at room temperature.
- Hard candy should be stored in a cool, dry place at room temperature. It should be left in its original wrap.
- Dark chocolate should be wrapped in aluminum foil and kept in a dry, dark, cool place.
However, Halloween milk chocolate candies do not last more than 9 months even when stored properly.
You should not feel compelled to consume expired or spoiled candy. In any case, they do not give you the elevating taste that other fresh ones give and are merely empty calories.
How long is Halloween candy good for?
All kinds of Halloween candy have different shelf lives, expiration dates, and storage types. Did you mean chocolate, caramel, jellied candy, candy corn, gum or Hardy candy?
This is how long each of these types of candies should stay good.
Jellied candy
Jellies should last up to a year if left unopened in a cool and dry environment. Otherwise, even if you leave them unopened but in a covered container, they will go stale after about 8 months.
Candy corn
If left unopened, it will last about 8 months before it gets stale and hard.
Caramel
This candy’s shelf life depends on the packaging. However, it should last up to about 8 months if properly packaged (packaging in a cheap wrap will make it go stale and hard earlier than 5 months).
Harry Candy
This candy has a grainy and stocky texture when stale. When properly stored, they can last for about a year and a half, just like regular butterscotch and lollipops. What really matters is the temperature and storage.
Chocolate
You should be aware of when chocolate is no longer safe to consume due to molds and a bitter taste. However, sometimes when we see a white coating on the chocolate, we consider it bad. However, it is perfectly safe to consume. It is called “chocolate bloom”. Chocolate can stay for up to 9 months if properly wrapped and left in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Gum
Halloween gum should last up to 8 months if wrapped and stored properly.
A dark, cool, airtight container in a dry cupboard or pantry is one of the best places to keep left-over Halloween candy. They should be left in their original package. Well, I’m sure you will not open the candy if you want it to last for some months.
Can you eat expired Halloween candy?
This does not just apply to Halloween candies alone. Expiration dates on foods and Halloween candies are mainly guidelines for consumption time. Expired candy is totally edible. But, the texture and quality will not be appealing.
Contrary to popular belief, eating expired Halloween candy will not harm you. It is very rare to get affected by an expired confection, especially a sugar-based one like candy corn or hard candy. Except you get a toothache, what you should worry about is the quality of the candy. Some types of candy, like chocolate candies, will outrightly start showing signs of spoilage, like forming bloom.
When your Halloween candy stops tasting as nice and does not look the same, you should not consume it. You will not get sick from eating Halloween candy or any other normal candy that has gone 2 months past its expiration date. However, if you feel like you should be on the safe side, throw it out.
What happens to old Halloween candy?
Did you wear a costume and walk for at least 5 miles to collect pieces of Halloween candy, and now you want them to just disappear like they were never there? Good news is finally here. There are so many ideas you can make use of without forcing yourself to preserve them or visit the dentist this year. You worked really hard for these candies. Finally, there is a rescue.
- Unopened candies can be frozen and kept fresh for months.
- Thanksgiving cookies can be decorated with candy corn.
- Distribute it to your friends, visitors, and neighbors.
- Chocolate can be melted or crushed and used in making ice cream toppings.
These candies can also be stored and left as children’s school stockings (they would never know), especially those ones without the Halloween wrappers. You can also give them to bakers or resell them for cash.
How can you tell if candy has gone bad?
The first way to notice something bad is through its appearance. Candies are no exception. You can tell how good and safe a chocolate is by tasting it or just looking at it.
Below are some ways you can tell if your candies are no longer good.
- When they have become softer than when they were bought or made,
- The flavored smell changes.
- The candy’s flavor changes, and it becomes merely soft and plain, colored with butter or sugar.
- It develops molds.
If you have left your candy out for longer than its required shelf life, you should expect it to go bad. When preparing or purchasing chocolate to keep for a period of time, you should consider the time that it can last even when properly preserved, in addition to the expiration label date.
How do I save Halloween candy for next year?
Saving Halloween candy is not a big deal; you just have to follow the right steps and storage pattern.
- Store the candy in your pantry or basement. Your kitchen pantry is dry, cool, and dark. It does not go through the temperature swings.
- Sort and separate the candies. You should keep the absorbing and moist candies away from each other. Moist includes non-chocolate mints, caramel and hard candies. While the absorbent candies are representative of those that easily melt in your mouth,
- Wrap chocolate in foil. Although the white and milk chocolate will not last as long as the dark chocolate, this means you should not store them together. In both ways, keep it in a cool, dry, dark place.
- To prevent them from absorbing moisture, dust lollipops with powdered white sugar before storing them. Also, make sure that they are individually wrapped.
- Do not refreeze candies with nuts and fruits.
Leave the candy in its original package and wrap the ones that are not wrapped. Generally, sunlight and heat are not good for candy. Once you discover a torn wrap in the container, pour out all the candies, throw out the torn wrap, and clean to preserve the good ones. This is because one bad candy can spoil the rest.
Was Halloween created by candy companies?
Halloween candy started around the 20th century with candy corn. This candy corn was initially produced by George Renninger. He was a candy maker who worked at Philadelphia’s Wunderle candy company. This candy corn was made in large quantities and made to look like chicken feed.
Halloween was not created by candy companies. In fact, candies were not initially used when Halloween was introduced.
In the ancient age, a pre-Christain feast day known as Samhain was started on Halloween. They kept it aside as a day to celebrate. This was initially on the 1st day of November. Halloween, which was initially called Hallows Eve, is currently celebrated on the 31st day of October every year. It was introduced around the 19th century to the U.S. by Irish immigrants during the Irish potato famine.
Where did all the Halloween candy go?
It’s the day after Halloween. You’re probably wondering where all the candies disappeared. Well, aside from the ones in your stomach.
Pediatric dentists usually pay for the Halloween candy leftovers to minimize the rate of obesity and cavities. Then they are sometimes used as additional presents in gift boxes given to soldiers.
How did candy become a part of Halloween?
Halloween is one time of the year everyone looks forward to. At this time, people come together to have fun. Children walk miles from house to house getting candies. Did you know that, as of 1920, Halloween candy was not even a thing?
People celebrated Halloween in the early 1990s with hazelnuts, chestnuts, and apples. After candy corn, Hershey’s milk chocolate bar was produced. These chocolates used to be a luxury mainly bought by the average American, but the Pennsylvania Hershey’s chocolate factory produced them in mass for a cheaper price.
As modernization started, people started using candies because of their wraps. Parents who did not want their children’s candies to be tampered with or poisoned also bought them for them to share.