Of course, all foods last for a shorter period of time if they are not stored properly. Remember that gingerbread, like a lot of other sweets, usually has a best by date and not an expiration date. Because of this distinction, you may safely use gingerbread to compliment your favorite meals even after the best before date has lapsed.

How to tell if Gingerbread is bad, rotten or spoiled?

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

Although not a perfect test, your senses are usually the most reliable instruments to tell if your gingerbread has gone bad. Gingerbread, whether in the form of cake, cookies or a house will get harder with time. So, how long it lasts will largely depend on how strong of teeth you have. Since cake is moister than cookies or a gingerbread house beware that cakes may form mold over time, but gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses are generally dry enough that they just become drier and denser.

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

How to store Gingerbread to extend its shelf life?

You can help keep freshly baked gingerbread cake fresh a little longer by storing it in the fridge, but it is not recommended because it dries out much faster there. Gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses should be stored in a tightly closed container on the counter or in the pantry.

For a long-term option, you can freeze your gingerbread while preserving its taste and texture if you use an air-tight freezer safe container. Foods freeze indefinitely, but the quality does decline after the times indicated on the table.

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

Interesting facts about Gingerbread:

How long is Gingerbread good for when prepared in a dish?

How long does gingerbread last? That depends. How long does frosting last? In general, foods last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the dish. To find out how long those other ingredients are good for, please visit the Dairy section.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Gingerbread 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 Gingerbread.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Gingerbread 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 eat responsibly!