Who isn’t a fan of pancakes!
Pancakes are consumed and savored by most households for breakfast, lunch, and even dinner.
They are not only delicious but also versatile.
Egg pancakes, banana pancakes, chocolate pancakes, cornbread pancakes, strawberry pancakes – you can never run out of options!
So, even at the deli counter, you couldn’t set your mind on one pancake flavor and ended up buying all five to six packets.
Now, they’re all sitting at your pantry or kitchen cabinet, and you wonder if the pancake mix would turn bad, or how long does pancake mix last.
Or maybe you are left with excess pancake mix from this morning’s breakfast and are wondering if you can store it for future use.
If you happen to have such similar questions, we’ve got all the answers for you.
In this article, we will discuss how long your delicious pancake mix would last;
Both store bought and homemade and also how you can check if your pancake mix has turned rancid.
How Long Does Pancake Mix Last? Does Pancake Mix Go Bad?
To answer this question, we’d first have to consider two major aspects – the ingredients used and the type of pancake mix you’re using.
There are typically two types of pancake mix that you’re likely to use.
One is the regular dry pancake mix you find at a deli counter. Other, is the liquid pancake mix (pancake batter) you make at home.
Let’s discuss the shelf life of each life individually.
Like any other store-bought food products, pancake mixes also come with a best before date.
This date indicates how long your pancake mix will keep its original freshness and taste.
You can obviously use the mix past the best before date. The only thing is that the pancake mix starts losing its quality slowly after its best before date.
When it comes to dry pancake mixes, there is no difference between the shelf lives of opened and unopened pancake mix.
Whether you store it used or unused, you have to store them sealed in a cool and dark place. We wouldn’t recommend you to store your dry pancake mixes in the fridge.
Dry pancake mixes have a shelf life of about 3 to 6 months. If you opened your pancake mix, make sure to store the remaining in an airtight container, and keep it in your pantry.
When it comes to homemade pancake batter or liquid pancake mix, its storage life depends upon the ingredients you use.
Homemade pancake batters usually contain eggs and milk. These ingredients can turn bad quickly.
So, it is best suggested to keep the pancake batter not more than two hours at room temperature.
But if you want to increase its shelf life, your best bet is to refrigerate your pancake batter. Pancake batter in the fridge can last for up to three to four days.
If you want to further extend its longevity, you can even opt for freezing your pancake batter.
Make sure to store it in an airtight freezer bag and seal it well before putting it in the freezer.
How to Tell if Pancake Mix is Bad? Pancake Mix Shelf Life!
Just like dry pancake mix and pancake batter have different shelf lives, there are different signs of spoilage for the two.
However, the dry pancake mix doesn’t go bad up to the extent that it becomes dangerous for consumption.
As long as you keep it stored and away from moisture, it’s good to go. B
ut if you notice wet lumps or development of any kind of molds or discoloration, these are a clear sign that it’s time to toss out your pancake mix.
Also, pancake mixes usually contain some raising agents like baking powder. Such agents tend to lose their properties past the best before date.
And when this happens, your pancakes wouldn’t come out as fluffy and tasty as before.
And if your pancakes are flavorless and flat, what’s the point of even having pancakes!
Thus, if your pancake mixes start giving crunchy or lumpy pancakes, you might want to get yourself a new packet of pancake mix.
When it comes to checking liquid pancake batter, look out for molds or foul smell.
Since pancake batter usually contains eggs, you are likely to get a whiff of stale eggs if your pancake batter has gone bad.
If you are not able to tell by the looks of it, you can taste a little bit of the batter.
If it has an unusual taste against its creamy sweet taste, it is better to discard the entire pancake batter.
Conclusion
If you love pancakes just as much as we do, there is no harm in stocking up on some pancake mixes.
While doing so, just make sure to follow the proper storage guidelines printed on the pancake mix boxes.
If you can’t find any useful information on it, you can store your pancake mixes sealed in a dark place at room temperature.
And for those of you who love making pancakes from scratch, you can always store the excess batter in your fridge for future use.
Now that you’re all set to store your pancake mixes, here are some delicious pancake recipes to get you started!
How Long Does Pancake Mix Last? Does Pancake Mix Go Bad?
Ingredients
- Pancake mix
- Air-tight containers or Ziplock bags
- Labels and markers
Instructions
- Read the guide thoroughly to learn how long it lasts.
- Label your container with the content and date and keep track of how much you’re using!
- Make sure to store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (pantry or fridge).
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