How Long Do Jelly Beans Last?

How long do Jelly Beans Last? The shelf life of jelly beans depend on the best by date and how the jelly beans are stored. This is true for most any candy, including Skittles and other gummy candy. Jelly beans, sweet little nuggets of bean shaped jelly flavored with fruit pectin, are most visible at Easter but the Jelly Belly company keeps them coming in unique flavors all year round. The firm shell and gummy inside of jelly beans are made of sugar, which is a preservative. So, how long do jelly beans last?

When properly stored, unopened Jelly Beans last for the time periods indicated in the table below:

(Unopened)	Pantry
	Past Printed Date
Jelly Beans last for	1-2 Years
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans last for	8 Months
Gummy Candy last for	1 Year
Skittles last for	2-3 Years
Jordan Almonds last for	2-4 Months
Fireballs last for	Indefinite

Of course, jelly beans will last for a shorter period of time if it is not stored properly. But, like many other products, jelly beans may have a sell by date or use by date which is simply the last date by which a manufacturer will vouch for a product’s quality, not its safety. Because of this distinction, you may safely eat your jelly beans after the best by date has expired.

How to tell if Jelly Beans are bad, rotten or spoiled?

Beyond saving money, practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent food borne illness. You can’t tell how old a jelly bean is just by looking, this is one you really have to sink your teeth into… the best way to tell if a jelly bean is good is to try and bite it! If your jelly bean is not the freshest you will have to chew it harder than usual and it will probably stick to your teeth. There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled jelly beans, so always remember to practice food safety and eat your jelly beans prior to their expiration.

How to store jelly beans to extend their shelf life?

Proper food storage is the key to extending the shelf life of jelly beans. Store jelly beans in a cool dry place at a constant temperature. Heat will make gummy candy so sticky that it will stick to itself. Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

Interesting facts about the shelf life of Jelly Beans.

During the course of our expiration date research we can across some interesting facts about the shelf life of Jelly Beans:  

Jelly beans were the first candy sold by weight rather than price.

How long are jelly beans good for when prepared in a dish?

How long do jelly beans last? That depends. How long does chocolate last? In general, jelly beans last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient they are mixed with. To find out how long those other ingredients are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or search below!

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What are our shelf life resources?

Our how long does candy last content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scour the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of jelly beans.

*An important note about the expiration date of Jelly Beans …

Although the jelly bean shelf life information provided by Eat By Date is generally reliable, it is an opinion and not intended to substitute for the advice of your qualified health care provider.  Please eat responsibly!