Who doesn’t like granola? Granola comes in a snack food or breakfast made from nuts, oats, dried rice, honey, or other ingredients.

Whether you have it in the form of a snack bar, or as a cereal with milk or any other confectionery thrown in, you might wonder, does granola go bad.

Quick Answer

Granola can go bad in six to eight months but it can still be edible after that point. Bad granola can get stale or even attract insects when it does go bad. It canrestored in the oven and stored elsewhere.

One might also ask why does granola go bad and what can I do to prevent it. More details will be shared about how granola goes bad and what to do.

Does Granola Go Bad? How Long Does Granola Last?

While just about every food goes bad after a while, every food is made differently meaning there are different reasons why they go bad. Granola needs to be protected from external stuff that it can be exposed to outside of its packaging.

How Long Does Granola Last Outside

If it isn’t closed or contained properly, then it can expire months before its best by date. Once you open a granola-based food you do not finish, it is best to close them and put them away in a safe place.

When it comes to granola bars, if you don’t finish them in one day it is best to seal them and put them away. As for cereal, it is best to close the cereal bag by rolling it up, closing it with a bag pin, or in a vacuum container.

How Long Does Granola Last in the Fridge

Unless you live somewhere humid, the refrigerator is a place you do not want to put it or it’ll get soft and smell like the other foods in the refrigerator.

Even putting it on top of the refrigerator can be bad since the cereal boxes could block the heat coming from the fridge. When that happens, this means that the refrigerator has to put in more effort than usual to keep everything cold.

How Long Does Granola Last in the Freezer

If you decide to store it in the freezer, granola can be frozen well. Not only does the shelf life of granola extend, but it can last in the freezer for three to five months.

Freezing granola is a great way to store it away for later use and for making a cold and fresh snack.

Frozen cereal, specifically doesn’t freeze into chunks but it’s a crunchy treat that won’t be soggy. Avoid adding milk until after freezing it since it won’t taste right otherwise.

You can put granola in a bag and in a freezer since it keeps them fresh longer.

How To Tell If Granola Has Gone Bad?

Nearly all foods have external and internal signs that it has expired. After 6 months, if granola has any of these signs it went bad.

Off Odor: One of the first signs of bad granola is if it develops an off odor. A moldy smell is the #1 sign that granola isn’t suitable for consumption and should be disposed of.

Stale: Another sign of bad granola is if the oils inside lose their flavor and become harder to chew. If the flavor changes for the worse, then it is still safe to consume and can be restored with heat.

Moldy: Mold would only appear on the granola if water comes into contact which shouldn’t be a problem if it’s stored properly.

Insects: Unwanted insects are drawn to dry foods including your granola if you aren’t careful. Closing the bag and even putting it in an airtight bag will prevent infestations.

How to Store Granola?

There are only a limited number of places to put cereal up in, unfortunately. These places are easy to access and will seem obvious after being explained.

Pantry: The ideal area to put cereal in is a dry, cool, and dark area away from moisture and any open areas. Your pantry in the kitchen is the most ideal place for this as it is away from anything wet and possible bug-sized holes.

Dry and Cool: Just like a pantry you want to put cereal in an environment that is dry and cool and away from moist places like the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Granola? How?

As stated previously, you can freeze granola in a certain way to ensure safety and as an alternative way to eat it.

Method: You will need to remove any pockets of air to prevent freezer burn. Just squeeze the container without crushing the food to get the air out.

Make a snack: Granola can be frozen to make frozen granola and yogurt bars through this method. You can use granola to freeze, then mix together berries and yogurt to freeze together.

How to Thaw Granola?

After you freeze granola and don’t eat it frozen, you will need to thaw it out. Here’s how to thaw granola without messing with the flavor.

Sit out: All you need to do to thaw frozen granola is to let it sit out. Just put it on the counter at room temperature and wait an hour or two to thaw.

It shouldn’t get too soggy if it’s defrosted like this and there are no consequences if it’s left out too long making it the ideal defrosting method.

Not in the fridge: As stated previously, you will not want to put granola in the refrigerator. It’ll take longer to defrost making it an unnecessary inconvenience for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About Granola’s Shelf Life

As you read along, there were probably some questions about granola’s shelf life that popped up. Here are a couple of frequently asked questions and answers about granola.

How Do I Prevent Insect Infestations?

Insects like weevils, ants, or pantry moths can get into your cereal. Before buying food, inspect the outer packaging to ensure there are no holes.

Wipe your pantry to make sure there’s no spilled food residue for the insects. Laying out ginger, turmeric, or garlic in rice containers or bags of black pepper keeps insects at bay.

Putting the granola in the sunlight for a day is one way to get the bugs out of the food.

Freezing granola for a week also kills eggs and prevents infestations.

Can I Make Bad Granola Fresh Again?

Unlike other foods, granola can be revived after it expires, making it crisp and somewhat edible again.

Microwaving granola is one way to make the nuts and grains crisp again after 10 seconds at a time.

Another more solid way to make granola crispy again is to put it in the oven at 400°F.

Wrap Up

So these are the ways you can prevent granola from going bad and how to store it for longer. These steps will show you how to enjoy granola for as long as possible and in different ways.