Does ice cream expire? The truth behind its shelf life and storage tips
– Frozen foods like ice cream do expire, contrary to common belief
– Unopened commercial ice cream stored in a cold freezer can last about 2 to 4 months
– Homemade ice cream without preservatives lasts about 1 month
– Freezer burn occurs when moisture seeps into ice cream and forms ice crystals
– Thawing ice cream ruins its texture
– Ice cream can be refrozen after thawing, but it will negatively impact its creamy texture
– The warmest part of the freezer is the door, so storing ice cream there can lead to thawing
– Ice cream has a “best by” date instead of an expiration date
– Signs of bad ice cream include ice crystals on the top or inner lid and a change in texture (gooey with small ice shards)
– A sniff test can also indicate if ice cream has gone bad.