Single-serve coffee makers are pretty popular these days. They are known for producing a delicious cup without a lot of hassle in each serve.
The main element of these single-serve coffee makers is the coffee pod. Coffee pods are small pre-packed cups of ground coffee that come along with their filter. If you own such a coffee maker, it is pretty normal to assume that you might find one or two coffee pods in some corner of the kitchen.
You might get a bit concerned regarding whether it is safe to consume those or not. So the question here is, do the coffee pods get expired?
Understanding the expiration dates
If you check your coffee pod carefully, you will see the date being mentioned as “best by.” What the manufacturers mean by this is that till the mentioned date, the pod will deliver the promised quality of the coffee.
Beyond the date of “best by” the quality of the coffee will keep deteriorating. But this does not mean it will go bad immediately after the date. The quality might not remain as superior as promised by the manufacturer, but it is still safe to consume.
Often the coffee pods last longer than the printed date. It’s a marketing tactic used by the manufactures to keep up the flow of sales. Otherwise, you can use your coffee pod about 3 to 8 months beyond the expiration date. Do check our guide to know more on where to buy the pods in the offline market.
Endnote
Coffee is all about getting that caffeine kick with a beautiful aroma and delicious taste. So, if you find a lonely pod in the corner of your drawer, don’t hesitate to consume it. Just make sure the place you had stored it in was cool and free of moisture. Make sure the seal wasn’t damaged or broken from any corner.
If it’s all covered and dry, pop it in to get a steaming hot cup!