How long will my gift box of chocolates last?

The short answer is “Months.” The longer answer is “It depends.” As foods go, chocolate is quite long-lasting. That’s because it’s rich in chemicals known as flavonoids, which hinder the oxidation of fats. In addition, chocolate candy contains a lot of sugar, which is a preservative.

Those heart-shaped boxes displayed in supermarkets and drugstores starting in late January generally have a use by date somewhere between May and December. (The dates on different brands vary quite a bit.) The same is true for packages of individually wrapped solid chocolate pieces, such as chocolate kisses. There’s nothing wrong with long-lasting kisses, right?

The shelf life of chocolate candy depends in part on what’s inside the chocolate coating. Chocolate-coated fresh fruit needs refrigeration, or the fruit might spoil in a day. Solid chocolate lasts longest, cream-filled ones less long. If you've got chocolate-covered fresh fruit, refrigerate it promptly.  If you’re planning to save a box of mixed chocolates until next Valentine’s Day, into the freezer it should go.

Some fine candies have only “sell by” dates that tell the salespeople when to take the product off the shelf, so you’ll have to rely on your taste buds to decide how long these last.

When shopping for packaged candy, check those “use by” dates and buy the freshest candy available. You may find the ones with the latest “use by” dates at the back of the shelf since store managers, wanting to sell the oldest products first, put them at the front.

Note: For more information about the effects of oxidation, click here: 

http://shelflifeadvice.com/faq/what-oxidation-and-how-does-it-alter-food-products

Sources:

Store research

Interview at Fannie May store