Here's The Actual Shelf Life Of That Hard Candy In Your Purse

Whether they be colorful fruit drops or swirled peppermints, chances are that you have a couple of regular or popular sugar-free hard candies in your purse right now — but who could blame you? The individually-wrapped sweets are great to keep on hand for whenever your breath might need freshening or a tickly throat needs soothing. Not to mention that hard candies are also the ultimate pick-me-up for anyone with a sweet tooth. Regardless of how or why they made their way into your bag, it's worth knowing just how long a hard candy will last.

The good news is that hard candies have a pretty lengthy shelf life. In comparison to gooey caramels or chewy gummies that spoil in a matter of months, boiled sweets (as they're also known) remain in tip-top shape for longer thanks to their low moisture content. But that isn't to say that they'll last indefinitely. In fact, hard candies will often keep for no more than a year before declining in quality. However, factors like composition, packaging, and storage can impact this figure.

When determining whether hard candies have passed their prime, we suggest first consulting the expiration date listed on the confection's package if possible. Although unopened sweets generally remain fresher for longer, premature spoilage can occur at any time if candies are kept under unfavorable conditions. That said, should you notice any discoloration, unusual aromas, or the presence of mold on those strawberry-wrapped Old-Fashioneds, lollipops, cough drops, and the like, it's best to toss the sugary morsels into the trash bin.

The truth is that the best place to keep hard candies isn't at the bottom of your purse. Instead, the confections should be kept in containers with a tight seal. Ideally, non-porous materials like glass will effectively preserve the candy's aromas and flavors the best. Speaking of which, we also recommend keeping like with like, since mixing the candies with softer gums or chocolates will trigger the sweets to stick and take on similar flavors, even if they're wrapped.

Additionally, jars of hard candy must be kept somewhere that's both dry and cool to prevent melting or changes in flavor. While placing candy jars on a pantry shelf is a suitable solution, depending on where you live, moisture can still be a threat. Tossing in a packet of silica gel (like this 15 pack by Wisesorb on Amazon) is one solution to keep candies crisp and crunchy. Otherwise, sweets can be placed in the refrigerator or the freezer — inside of an airtight container or bag, that is — as these drier environments will work to keep confections fresh for longer.

At the end of the day, you can find peace knowing that hard candies will keep for quite some time at room temperature. To guarantee that the sweets look and taste their absolute best, however, we do advise buying candy in smaller quantities and consuming it shortly thereafter. Of course, tasty varieties — like these homemade lemon rock candies — are unlikely to linger for long, anyway! If all this talk has you wanting to replenish your stash, you can order a 1-pound mix of American candy favorites on Amazon.