The Case For Freezing Your Potato Chips

Let's talk about potato chips. We love them so much, yet are increasingly disappointed by them. The bags are never all the way full — owing to claims that filling half the bag with nitrogen leads to more intact chips, per the Atmospheric Research Board. And then, once you manage to get the bag open, they go stale after a week or two. This isn't really something you need to worry about if you're throwing a party since the chips will likely be gone before your guests even have the opportunity to sit down. But if you've bought a bag with the intent of using your potato chips as an accompaniment to your lunch, having them go stale after only a week is a nuisance.

There is a way, however, of storing your chips that is excellent insurance against sogginess and staleness. This tip will come very much in handy for those living in hotter, more humid climates as potato chips tend to wilt quicker owing to the frequency of temperature and moisture level changes, according to Food & Wine. This is why chefs and potato chip lovers alike recommend placing your potato chips in the freezer. Stay with us, stay with us. There is an extremely logical, scientific reason behind why this storage method works.

Throwing potato chips into the freezer may seem like a surefire way to ruin them. However, the opposite is in fact true. You actually end up improving them. According to Life Hacker, storing potato chips — or tortilla chips for that matter — in the freezer extends their lifespan from a matter of days to months on end. This longevity is, of course, only resulting if the chips are stored properly in a sealed, air-tight bag. After all, the instructions on the back of the chip bag do say to store them in a cool, dry place. And where in your house are you going to find somewhere that is cooler and drier than your own freezer?

You may be thinking, that's all well and good but won't they freeze? And if they freeze, they will need to thaw out. And if they need to thaw out, they will end up getting soggy. Won't they? Not at all, actually. Men's Health explains that since the majority of a potato's moisture has already been extracted during the chip-making process, there is little to no water left in the chip to expand and freeze. The only thing that is going to happen is that by storing your chips in the freezer, you will get colder and crispier chips. And honestly, why wouldn't you want that?