Does Pancake Mix Go Bad? – Full Analysis

Pancake mix has been an easy and exciting way to cook delicious breakfast treats in only a few minutes. The mix can be extremely convenient, with some mixes that only require the addition of water. Other types of mixes may just require some milk and eggs.

Does pancake mix go bad? Yes, pancake mix does go bad. Storing your pancake mix in an airtight container and keeping them away from bugs will ensure that their shelf life will last one year. But once the package of pancake mix is open, it will only last six months no matter if you place it in the pantry or the fridge. 

Once you cook a batch of pancakes, they will last up to three days at most in the fridge. To ensure proper storage, keep the unopened bag of pancake mix in its box and place it in the pantry covered, or in the fridge. 

Does Pancake Mix Go Bad?

Although you don’t see it very often, packages of pancake mix go bad if it is not used or if it is not stored away correctly. Since the average shelf life for a bag of pancake mix has one year, after that time, the mix will begin to lose its flavor, and the color will start to fade. 

Depending on how well it is stored and what kind of ingredients are in the mix, you may be able to cook with the pancake mix three months after its expiration date.

How to Know if Pancake Mix Has Gone Bad?

There are two ways to know if pancake mix has gone bad: cooking and smelling it.

If you need to cook it to know if it has gone bad, cook a tiny pancake and test it out. A flat pancake with no spring or fluffiness means that the ingredients are old and are no longer active inside the mix.

Another way to know if a pancake mix has gone bad is by smell. This method works best with flavored pancakes like cinnamon pancakes and chocolate pancakes. Before cooking the flavored pancake, open the bag and smell it first. If you cannot smell any cinnamon or any chocolate chips from inside the mix, it means the ingredients are turning stale.

How Long Does Pancake Mix Last?

As long as the box of pancake mix is stored away properly and kept away from bugs and insects, it can last up to one year in the pantry. If you place the pancake mix in the fridge, it will also last one year.

After a package of pancake mix is open, its shelf life is shortened dramatically. An open package of pancake mix will only last about six months, even if it is placed in the fridge. Be sure to write the date the pancake mix was open, so you don’t accidentally eat the old pancake mix. 

How Long Does Pancake Mix Last? Shelf Life [Chart]

How Long Do Cooked Pancakes Last?

Unfortunately, cooked pancakes do not last as long as the mix they came from. That is such a shame, because wouldn’t it be great to have pancakes whenever you want them all year long without having to cook them yourself? But if we want instant pancakes, we will have to settle for going to the freezer aisle in the grocery store. 

Depending on the ingredients, cooked pancakes can last for two to three days. If they have full-fat dairy and eggs as part of their ingredients, the pancakes may smell different by the third day. People who add water and or coconut milk to their pancake mix report that the pancakes are still good after three days.

How to Store Pancake Mix

Storing pancake mix, so it lasts as long as possible is quite easy. All you need to do is leave the package in the box it came in and place it in your pantry or cupboard. If the pancake mix only comes in a bag and not a box, then place the unopened bag in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag for extra protection. If it does come in a box, then there’s no need to do this.

One thing we do recommend doing is checking your covers and pantry for any insects or bugs. They will not be there when you first look, but you can spot the signs of their existence. One major sign that you have a bug or insect problem is a trail of droppings. 

Also, when there is not enough food for a roach to eat, they will chew on cardboard. Check around the cardboard in your cupboard or pantry to see if it has any small holes or dents in them. When you see these small holes and dents, that is proof that roaches may be living in your pantry.

If your household does have a bug problem, then place the pancake mix in the fridge. If you don’t have any room in the fridge, then you can take the plastic bag of pancake mix out of the box and play fit in two heavy duty zip lock bags. Just do anything you can to keep the critters from eating their way through the pancake mix packaging.

Conclusion

• To store pancake mix the right way, just leave it in its box and place it in the cupboard or pantry.
• If you have a roach or a rat problem, then place the package of pancake mix in the fridge.
• One of the biggest reasons why pancake mix goes bad before its time is the invasion of cockroaches and rats.
• These vermin eat through the packaging and ruin the mix.
• One way to tell if a box of pancake mix has gone bad is to cook a small pancake and see how high it rises.
• Pancake and waffle mixes usually have ingredients that cause the pancake or waffle to rise, so if the pancake looks flat, the ingredients have gone stale and are no longer active.
• Another way to tell if the pancake mix has gone bad is if there is no flavor. Flavored pancakes will lose their flavor, and buttermilk pancakes will taste more sour than buttery.
• Cooked pancakes only last 2 or 3 days in the fridge.