Oats last a lot long than most perishable item , but they most definitely can go bad . Find out how to tell if your grains have muck up ( and how to put in them to reduce the risk that this will happen ) .
Kelsey Hansen
Just like certain movies detain in theaters for month ( we ’re smiling as we expect at you , Wicked ) and others debut for a workweek then make their speedy departure , foods have a full form of lifespans . Some types of leftovers last for just 3 days before being past their prime , while thesepantry staple are sound for more than a year(includingsalt , which maintains its timbre for 3 + years ) .
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
As we were making our latestmeal prepbatch ofovernight oats , we realized that we had been exploit our elbow room through the same tumid container of grain for several months . Which aim us enquire , “ does oatmeal go sorry ? ”
What Does the Expiration Date Mean on Oatmeal?
oat and most grains last much longer than the perishable you keep in the electric refrigerator , confirms Sarena Shasteen , culinary content medical specialist and marketing residential district engagement strategian at Bob ’s Red Mill in Portland Oregon . But if you check on the package , you ’ll almost always see that oatmeal does have an exhalation date .
“ The breathing out date is a general‘best by ’ dateand , if lay in properly , oatmeal can often last much longer than the appointment on the container , ” enjoin Sarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen brand manager .
The appointment listed on your container of traveling bag of oats indicates when lineament might start to worsen . Shasteen recommends direct to brush up off your packet before this date if possible , however , there ’s not an inherent prophylactic risk in dilute this , the experts agree .
Credit: Andy Lyons
Does Oatmeal Go Bad?
But just because this is a “ best by ” date does n’t mean that grains ca n’t bumble . Oatmeal can go bad . The three most common causes for spoiling : temperature wavering , moisture , and rancid crude .
“ Even if your burgoo is keep in a package , temperature change can make compression , make the contents inside to rot or molding . And if oats are exposed to moisture , they can develop mold . This can be see as unripened or dark blot , and it ’s a clear signaling that the oats are no longer safe to eat , ” Shasteen tellsBHG .
Rolled oat are steamed and toast as part of their normalprocessing , which take a leak them more stable . crude oat , such as steel - track , incorporate some oils that can go rancid over time — similar to other grains likewhole - wheat flour our nut flours
In addition to declining tone after passing the “ better by ” appointment , there ’s an increase risk for oats to be exposed to possible spoilage - inducing chemical element like moisture or airborne yeasts that can moderate to mold . Little hemipterous insect can also find their mode in if the oats are n’t in a fully varnish vas . This stand for it ’s of import to stack away your oat with guardianship — and to expend them as swiftly as you may . ( We ’re dishing up several awesome recipes with oat below to aid make this goal easy to accomplish . )
How Long Do Oats Last?
There ’s no need to sprint through your parentage , though . When stored aright , oats have a middling prospicient shelf life of about 1 class after opening . If give unopened for a just amount of time , oats may last up to 2 years , Shasteen says .
How to Store Oatmeal to Max Out Its Fresh Shelf Life
That promise beg the dubiousness : How do you store oats to keep them overbold for as long as possible ?
Keep oat in an airtight container with a tight lid in a coolheaded , glowering place , such as a glum cabinet or larder . If your oats are sell in a udder with a resealable top , that figure out too .
you’re able to also transport oats to a postcode - top bag andfreeze themfor up to 1 class .
Test Kitchen Tip : Another great alternative is to vacuum seal packages of oat . This extends shelf life and see no bugs can get in .
verbalize of the freezer , you could also freeze prepared oats . Shasteen walk us through precisely how to do so :
How to Tell if Your Oats Are Past Their Prime
“ The expert elbow room to tell if oat have gone bad is by using your senses , ” Shasteen aver .
If you notice any of these signaling , discard your oat and get endow in a fresh clutch , Brekke and Shasteen check :
The Best Oatmeal Recipes to Add to Your Menu
A informal roll of angelical or savory oats is never a high-risk estimate . We also love throw away a handful of oats into charmer to add heft , and frequently fold a small scoopful intopancake batterto amp up the alimentation . ( In case you missed it , oatsoffer gut - well-disposed and tenderness - healthy soluble fiber , a clean amount of protein , as well as energy - corroborate iron and magnesium . )
But these are far from the only ways to hire oats . To serve you vanish through your oat long before they have the chance to go risky , we ’ve rounded up some of our greatest hits :
