Soda is one of the most commonly consumed items and with it being sold in bulk, many wonder about its shelf-life. How long can soda last before it needing to be tossed if not being used?

Quick Answer

Soda is typically good for three years but it’s best to go by the best by date on the packaging. The pantry is the ideal place because it’s protected from light, extreme weather patterns, and animals. Although, you may want to serve them chilled in the fridge instead. Outside in a temperature safe space where it doesn’t fluctuate greatly. In the fridge for as long as it’s necessary, even for a few months past the expiration date. 

Let’s take a look at how long you can keep soda outside, and in the fridge, and if you can freeze it – either to make it last longer or for a cold treat.

Does Soda Go Bad? How Long Does Soda Last?

Soda keeps best in the pantry or in the fridge – it doesn’t matter if it’s outside or in the fridge, the shelf life stays the same and the soda lasts at okay quality six to nine months after the best by date.

How Long Does Soda Last Outside?

If you don’t have a lot of storage space inside, or a pantry or only want to keep a limited selection of soda in your fridge for your kids, outside is the best option for you.

Soda kept outside can last 6 to 9 months past date. Ideally, if you have it outside, store it in a cooler or an air-safe box to protect it from extreme heat or extreme cold (both can cause a build-up and explode), and animals.

If the soda is open, it’s done for and probably should not be drunk. It attracts bugs and will lose its carbonation and can grow mold once exposed to oxygen.

How Long Does Soda Last in the Fridge?

The fridge is one of the best places to keep your soda – it’ll keep it nice and cold ready to be served over ice, if preferred. It’s protected from any sort of damage that could compromise the can as well.

Unopened soda, much like when it gets kept outside, can last 6 to 9 months past date. The fridge keeps a consistent temperature, and it won’t be affected if you take it in and out (without opening). It’s also safe from animals that could get into it – if you live in an area prone with wildlife.

If you’ve already opened your soda, but didn’t finish it, it lasts in the fridge for two to four days. After that, it’s lost all its carbonation and could be growing bacteria so it should no longer be consumed.

How Long Does Soda Last in the Freezer?

Soda doesn’t freeze well in the can or the bottle. It can expand, and explode and ruin your freezer or, if removed from the freezer, can hurt yourself with the sharp pieces from the can if it explodes – which is very easy to do.

You can however, freeze soda in different things to make like ice cubes or ice cream, or popsicles or fun treats for the kids to help make. The thing being is that the carbonation should be exposed or at least have a way to be flat (so putting it from one container to another.) If frozen in the original container without being opened to allow oxygen to mingle with the carbon dioxide, it could explode.

So, in conclusion, keep your soda outside in a safe space, inside in your pantry, or in your fridge for the best and the safest results. Don’t freeze soda unless it’s being put in a different container for safety reasons.

How to Store Soda?

Soda should be stored in one of two places – either the fridge or the pantry.

The Pantry: When storing soda in the pantry, keep it nearer to the ground as heat rises and in the summer, the pantry may get hot. Extreme heat and light can ruin the shelf life of soda, and cause it to go flat or evaporate. So, try to keep the pantry cooler and dark.

The Fridge: When storing soda in the fridge, you can keep it in the door if you have a can rack in the door. Where you store soda in the fridge doesn’t matter as long the soda is kept away from extreme heat and light which be detrimental to it’s shelf life. Storing soda in the fridge protects it also from any sort of environmental issues that can cut down the shelf life as well like dropping it repeatedly or animals getting into it.

Can You Freeze Soda? How?

The beverage itself can be frozen, it just should not be frozen within its container – like the aluminum can or the plastic. Both pose health hazards when frozen, heated and thawed.

The beverage can be frozen, however, to make popsicles or even ice cubes if you want to chill beverages that don’t get watered down.

Make It Into Popsicles: Use a popsicle tray or even any cups you have that are disposable, then pour the soda into the cups until about 2/3rds full, then freeze completely. To eat the popsicles, don’t thaw them – just allow them to sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften enough to pull them out from the cup.

Important Tip When Freezing:  The key here is to make sure the soda has a way of releasing the pent up carbon dioxide or else it will explode. So, you can’t freeze it in the original container unless the original container has been opened. Again, though, freezing the original container is not the best idea as there is not a safe way to open the container and it could be a health hazard as the sharp aluminum could cut you if you cut it wrong or if it exploded.

Frequently Asked Questions About Soda’s Shelf Life

How long do different types of soda last past the expiration date?

Now, there are two different types of soda: diet and regular. Diet soda when kept in safe conditions will last three months after the expiration date, and when opened, should be tossed after drinking and not refrigerating leftovers. Regular soda will last six to nine months after stamped best by date.

Can bacteria grow in soda?

Bacteria growth occurs when oxygen hits and is present in non-carbonated drinks, so not soda, unless it’s opened. But, if you want to double-check, mold in soda is going to look like white fluffy cotton balls in the liquid. Don’t attempt to taste something if you think it may be bad.

Wrap Up

Hopefully, this article showed you how to keep your beverages safe outside, in the fridge, or in the pantry and cautioned you not to use the freezer to store your soda. This article went in-depth into how you can safely freeze soda (remember to take it out of the container to allow oxygen in) and get a yummy treat out of it for you or your kids on a hot summer day. This article also showed how to tell if your soda is safe to drink (or what mold will look like in your soda. If you’re in doubt, don’t taste anything or attempt to use it for any sort of recipe, just make sure to recycle the can.