How long does cereal, dry mixes last?
In the pantry, cereal, dry mixes keeps for 1 month after opening. Once opened, use it within 1 month.
1 month
after opening
No guideline
1 month
in the fridge unless noted
Does cereal, dry mixes go bad?
Cereal, dry mixes is shelf stable, so the pantry time is about quality rather than safety: past it, flavour and texture fade before anything becomes unsafe. The date on the package is the maker's quality promise; the times here count from purchase unless marked "from the package date".
Two numbers to keep in mind: a fridge at 40 F (4 C) or below, and no more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 90 F / 32 C) for anything perishable.
How to tell cereal, dry mixes has gone bad
General signs for baby food, the group USDA lists cereal, dry mixes under.
- Lid pops or bulges when you open the jar
- Sour or off smell instead of the usual mild scent
- Colour looks darker or duller than a fresh jar
- Watery separation that will not stir back together
- Mould spots on the surface or under the lid
More on baby food. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
How long do other baby food last?
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.