This is regardless if they are open or unopened, as long as they have been sealed and stored properly. Sprinkles are good for 3 years beyond the code stamped on the bottle.

Betty Crocker brand (actually made by Signature Brands) uses a code on the side of the plastic container instead of a use by date. The code appears in this format H014C where the H stands for August (ie. A=January, B=Feb, etc), the 0 could be the year 2000 or 2010 (ie. the last digit of the year that the sprinkles were bottled), the 14 is for the 14th day of the month and the C is the plant where they were produced. So, the sprinkles in the case of H014C were made on 8/14/2010 and are at their peak quality until 8/14/2013 according to the manufacturer. Sprinkles may be safely used for a few years after that, but the taste will be slightly compromised as the years pass.

But remember that sprinkles, like a lot of other baking products, usually have a best before date or production date and not a use by date. Because of this distinction, you may safely use sprinkles after the best before date has lapsed.

How to tell if Sprinkles are bad, rotten or spoiled?

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

It is the texture and/or color of the sprinkles that will change. Some that have been on the shelf for 10 years changed from a dark green to a lighter green due to a general whitening and drying throughout. A bad taste also developed over that many years.

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 Sprinkles to extend their shelf life?

The best way to store sprinkles is in their original container or a similar airtight container in the pantry.

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

How long are Sprinkles good for when prepared in a dish?

How long are sprinkles good for?That depends. How long do cookies last? In general, sprinkles will be the last expiring ingredients in any dish but can only last as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in any dish.

What are our shelf life resources?

In determining how long Sprinkles 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 Sprinkles.

*An important note about expiration dates...

Although the Sprinkles 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!