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If you are a prepper, then it is likely that you are already very familiar with Clif bars, and how useful they can be in emergency situations. Not only are they lightweight and easy to carry, but they help to provide a good amount of energy, and they are quite calorie dense too.
The perfect option to consider putting in your go bag!
While they are a great option to consider, they come with one problem – the expiry date. Unless you look closely, this can often be easily missed, which is an issue if you are looking to purchase food in advance, and are worried about its shelf life.
However, you can rest assured knowing that the shelf life of Clif bars is surprisingly long, which does make them a good option to consider. In this article, we will be discussing everything you need to know about these useful bars, from their shelf life, to storing them correctly.
What Are Clif Bars?
Clif Bars are an American food that is created by Clif Bar & Company. They were created with energy in mind. While they are aimed at those who are working out, they can be a great option for those looking for a calorie-dense snack.
They contain nearly 45 grams of carbs, which is significantly high, and they have a high sugar content. The protein and fat content is reasonably high too. While they are not the healthiest snacks to eat if you are not working out, they can help to keep you nourished and satisfied in a survival or emergency situation.
What Is The Expiry Date Of Clif Bars?
As to be expected, the expiry date of Clif Bars is fairly good. The expiry date will vary depending on when the Clif Bars were purchased, but on average, the date on the packaging will be around one year after packaging.
While this is not as long as some of the other protein or energy bars, it is still a significant amount of time. It is worth noting that Clif bars have a “best by” date, rather than an “expiry date”.
This means that, technically speaking, a Clif Bar can be safely consumed after the date shown on the outer packaging. However, after the date, the taste, and the quality of the Clif Bars will likely deteriorate.
Can Clif Bars Be Eaten After The “Best By” Date?
Yes, given that they have a “best by” date, they can certainly be eaten after the date shown. The best by date is more of a guide as to how the Clif Bar will taste, but even after this date, for a good while it will be safe and enjoyable to eat.
Studies have shown that Clif Bars can still be completely safe to eat two years after their “best by” date. This is great news for preppers as it means they can be purchased in bulk and stored away for emergency situations.
The only thing you need to take into consideration when eating Clif bars long after this date is that the quality may not be as good as when it was in date. This is understandable.
When looking at the ingredients of Clif bars, they don’t contain anything that is perishable. This is why they tend to last for so long. When looking at the ingredients, Clif Bars contain things such as: seeds, nuts, and organic rolled oats. In general, these ingredients are long-lasting and will keep well when sealed.
If you have Clif Bars that are over two years past the “best by” date, then more care will need to be taken if you are considering eating them. This is to ensure that they have not gone bad.
The best way to check this is to smell the bars, if they don’t smell good, it is likely that they need to be thrown away. In addition to this, you can typically tell from the appearance of the bars and the taste too.
How To Correctly Store Clif Bars?
The best way to ensure that Clif Bars last for as long as possible is to correctly store them. If you are storing them incorrectly, this will prevent them from lasting, and can cause them to become rancid quicker than expected.
As with any other type of dried, and packaged food, we would recommend that you store Clif bars in a cool and dark place. In addition to this, the place you store them needs to be dry and free from dampness.
Sunlight and damp can have an effect on the Clif Bars, even though they are individually wrapped, which is worth keeping in mind. You should also ensure that you are keeping them wrapped in their original packaging.
If they are taken out of the original packaging, this can seriously affect the quality and shelf life of the Clif Bars. The air and bacteria reaching the food will cause it to break down quicker and become bad sooner.
You will need to ensure that they are well protected from damage and that the packaging remains intact. To keep them safe, you can place them into a sealed box while they remain in their original packaging.
When Clif Bars Should Be Thrown Away?
In some cases, Clif Bars and their packaging can become damaged. While this isn’t ideal, you need to be aware of when the correct time to throw the Clif Bars away is.
If the packaging of the Clif Bar is damaged, you should always discard it. The bar may be contaminated, and could have gone bad, especially if you are unaware of when the packaging became damaged.
If the Clif Bars have been out of date for over two years, the chances are that they need to be thrown out. However, you can do the taste, look and smell test before doing this, as they still may be okay to eat.
Even if the Clif Bars are in date, if they smell, taste or look incorrect then they should always be thrown away. They could be unsafe to eat or have gone bad. This is why it is always important to ensure that you check the quality of the bars before eating them.
Clif Bars that have been stored in a warm or damp place for a long period of time will likely need to be thrown away. This is because they can become affected by both of these environments, and this will cause their shelf life to be reduced.
Summary
To summarize, Clif Bars are a great option to consider if you are looking for food that has a long shelf life. By storing them in the correct conditions, you can help to prolong the self life and maintain their quality and taste.
While these are long-lasting bars, if they are not stored correctly, this can cause their shelf life to be reduced, which is worth keeping in mind.
Overall, it is unlikely that Clif Bars that have been kept and stored correctly will go bad. In fact, they will last for a good number of years past their “best by” date, meaning they are a great option for preppers to consider.
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