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How Long Do K-Cups Last?

How long do K-cups last? K-cups can last a year beyond the date printed on each cup. These products do not actually go bad for a very long time, but the flavor and quality do decrease over time. The shelf life of K-cups is influenced mainly by the best by date and your taste buds.

K-cups are individually sealed pods of ground coffee, tea, hot chocolate or apple cider. Each K-cup is sealed and impermeable to moisture, oxygen and light after being nitrogen-flushed to ensure its freshness. Because of this, they actually stay fresher longer than regular size packages which are constantly exposed to air and other contaminants once the package is opened. They are so well packaged that it makes you wonder if K-cups go bad.

So, how long do K cups last? When properly stored, K-cup containers last for...

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K-Cups Expiration Date

	Pantry
	Past Printed Date
K Cups Coffee last for	3-8 Months
K Cups Tea last for	6-12 Months
K Cups Hot Chocolate last for	6-12 Months
K Cups Apple Cider last for	8-12 Months

Of course, K cups last for a shorter period of time if they not stored properly or if their original seal is somehow broken. But remember that K cups, like a lot of other drinks, usually have a "best by date" which is simply the last day a manufacturer will vouch for their optimal quality and flavor, not their safety. This date is printed on each K cup, but some manufacturers make it very hard to read by printing with white ink on white containers or black on black. You may safely use K Cups in your single brew machine even after its best by date has lapsed. The Best-If-Used-by-Date is a guideline for optimal freshness recommended by the Roaster, it's not an expiration date. According to Keurig, K-Cup packs are flushed with nitrogen and then sealed for freshness. The resulting K-Cup package is impermeable to oxygen, moisture and light.

How to tell if K-Cups are bad, rotten or spoiled?

Practicing proper hygiene and food safety techniques will help prevent foodborne illness.

A K-cup has gone bad if the seal has been broken and moisture has gotten inside. If the K cup became wet inside then mold can and will grow there.

There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled drinks so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy your drinks before their shelf life has expired!

How to store K-Cups to extend their shelf life?

K-Cups should be kept in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. A pantry works perfect.

Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

Interesting facts about K-Cups:

Since K-Cups are packaged with nitrogen, which keeps them fresh longer, they remain fresher than product exposed to air.

K-cups can be re-used within 2 hours of the first brew (although the coffee will be weaker, not as flavorful and a bit acidic tasting), but after that they should be thrown away.

How long are K-Cups good for when prepared in a dish?

Yeah, that question doesn't make sense for K-cups. But, how long does coffee last? In general, coffee lasts only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient it is mixed with.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long K-Cups lasts, our content incorporates research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and the shelf life of K-Cups.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the K-Cups shelf life information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and that our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a replacement for your health care professional. Please drink responsibly!