Chocolate

[harbormaster]

The bars themselves seem to have a 12 month shelf life - not all that good. But what about cocoa powder? The other ingredients seem to be reasonably easy to accumulate among preparations but I don't store the powder and am not sure how long it might last - does it store like flour or no? Can't seem to google / find that answer.

I am a single guy, no kids, and I just thought chocolate might be a good prep to have the kids not hate the guy at the end of the street some time.

[FeuerFrei]

We don't store chocolate bars because they never store well unless frozen. With a freezer it works great.

We have better luck with hard candy sans freezer/fridge. One of our favorites are "Dum Dums" lollipops. They are kid sized and easy to store on the shelf. (iir there about 300/bag)

When we need a chocolate fix we turn to a water only hot chocolate mix in foil pouches. You can sprinkle it on anything. Oatmeal etc.

Good to have some comfort food aka morale boosters available.

[gcvt]

I recently put up three pounds of Hershey's cocoa powder in the 8oz plastic tubs. They have best by dates of 09/2022 so they are good for at least two years in their original packaging. There are fats though so I'm not sure what, if anything, could be done to extend shelf life.

[CWL]

I use stilltasty.com to check when foods become inedible (not expired).

Apparently, unopened cocoa powder in the can lasts forever if stored in cool & dry place.

https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16913

[SCVlongstroke]

I use stilltasty.com to check when foods become inedible (not expired).

Apparently, unopened cocoa powder in the can lasts forever if stored in cool & dry place.

https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16913

Save your ammo, barter chocolate.

[Librarian]

Save your ammo, barter chocolate.

... no one can shoot that back at you.

[Epaphroditus]

Cocoa nibs vacuum sealed and frozen. Make your own chocolate.

[KevinB]

Chocolate sauce lasts forever. You can buy hot fudge in a # 10 can. Store it forever. Most hard candy will store longer than you will live.

[madland]

Can you store other candy bars as well or should they be straight chocolate only? Would it matter if they're in the freezer at that point?

[FeuerFrei]

Can you store other candy bars as well or should they be straight chocolate only? Would it matter if they're in the freezer at that point?

We've done all of our favorites. Pay Day, Crunch, Kit Kat, Snickers & Hershey's.

As long as you can keep them frozen they last. Unfortunately they never seem to last much more than a year around here. So we don't temp ourselves beyond our ability to say "NO!". Thus, the Dum Dums lollipop stores. Less sugar and smaller sizes.

Kev is right about the syrup in a can. In the ice cream section for smaller size cans. I had forgotten about that and had to ask the better half. We got it covered.

[gcvt]

I use stilltasty.com to check when foods become inedible (not expired).

Apparently, unopened cocoa powder in the can lasts forever if stored in cool & dry place.

https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/16913

Well, that's good news.

[madland]

We've done all of our favorites. Pay Day, Crunch, Kit Kat, Snickers & Hershey's.

As long as you can keep them frozen they last. Unfortunately they never seem to last much more than a year around here. So we don't temp ourselves beyond our ability to say "NO!". Thus, the Dum Dums lollipop stores. Less sugar and smaller sizes.

Kev is right about the syrup in a can. In the ice cream section for smaller size cans. I had forgotten about that and had to ask the better half. We got it covered.

Sweet!! ( No pun intended ) Already told the wife. We'll be hitting Costco tomorrow to add to the garage freezer stock.

[harbormaster]

This is good to know about cocoa powder thanks @CWL