PSA: Oats can go bad.
Here are two reasons why and how to avoid having to compost spoiled oats.
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The trouble started when I madea bowl of oatmealthe other day.
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Two bites in, I realized something didn’t taste right.
The oatmeal tasted salty, a little sour, and justoff.
I sniffed the milkit was fresh.
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I tasted the almond butter I’d dolloped on the oatmeal.
That too was just fine.
There was no questionmy oatmeal was rancid.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
I thought oats rarely, if ever, go bad!
I took to the internet, as I am wont to do in such moments.
Most food safety resources confirmed that oats rarely go bad before you’ve finished the container.
Full disclosure: On that particular day, I was out of the old-fashioned rolled oats I always use.
Instead made my porridge with fancier, rolled oats I had in the back of my fridge.
I’ll be honest, they were definitely about 12 months old.
Here’s what I found out in my research.
Unprocessed Oats Spoil Faster
Oats can go bad more quickly if they haven’t beencommercially processed.
After the oats go through this processing, the oats will stay fresh for longer.
Simple Tip!
Oats have a “best by” date printed on the package.
The Packaging Makes a Difference
Another reason oats can go bad has to do with packaging.
While affected oats will still look OK, their sour flavor will convince you otherwise.
That is why oats stored in a non-porous airtight container will last longer.
Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
How To Store Oats
Preventing oats from going bad is easy.
