There is a lot of debate about the expiration dates of frozen food products.
Some people swear by them and religiously toss out foods once that date has passed. Others throw a bit of caution to the wind and will partake in expired frozen foods long past that “best by” date.
The ever-popular pizza rolls are a perfect example of this. But can they actually expire in a frozen state?
While pizza rolls should be consumed within 18 months of their purchase, technically, they do not go bad or expire if they are appropriately stored in the freezer and can hence last indefinitely. However, their texture and flavor can, over time, be affected by freezer burn.
Keep reading this article to learn more about pizza rolls and how long you can keep them in your fridge or freezer.
How Long Can You Keep Pizza Rolls in the Freezer?
For a pleasant eating experience, you will want to be sure to enjoy those pizza rolls within 18 months of purchase.
Does this mean that once month 19 arrives, those rolls need to be sent immediately to the garbage bin? No!
The good news is that they will still be safe to eat past that period. In fact, frozen food, such as pizza rolls, will last indefinitely if stored properly and at 0 °F (-18 °C).
“Properly” would imply that they are stored both dry and air-tight and that your freezer keeps running and cooling continuously.
The bad news is that they will certainly be lacking in quality.
It is likely that if these pepperoni-and-cheese-filled pastries have been living rent-free in your freezer for too long, then they are not going to be as tasty as their manufacturer has promised.
The reason for this is not their long-passed expiration date, but freezer burn!
Freezer burn occurs when frozen food is damaged by oxidation and dehydration due to air that has reached it.
This “burn” will occur on your food’s surface and cause it to dry up and lose flavor, resulting in an often poor taste and chewy texture.
Most commonly, freezer burn occurs on food that is not properly sealed. In other words, it’s most likely to happen with pizza rolls in an already-opened package.
And while freezer burn is merely a food-quality issue, not a food-safety one, it’s still best to try to avoid it, as freezer-burned pizza rolls are just not at all tasty!
So, either consume them sooner rather than later or make sure to seal your already opened package securely.
How Long Can You Keep Pizza Rolls in the Fridge?
If you have thawed your pizza rolls but decided not to eat them, you can certainly store them in the fridge instead of refreezing them. Once thawed, pizza rolls can last in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Since these are not kept frozen, the risks of eating them beyond that five-day mark are just a tad more serious.
Since pizza rolls contain both meat and cheese, they may be susceptible to foodborne germs and illnesses. The most common of which would be salmonella.
In other words, after five days, it is definitely not worth the risk! Toss those pizza rolls into the trash bin and make yourself something else to snack on.
Of course, your pizza rolls could go bad even before those five days are up, so make sure to implement the tips suggested in the next section of this article to avoid getting ill!
How Long Can Pizza Rolls Sit Out?
If you let them thaw or sit out after they have been cooked for too long, the risk of getting food poisoning can increase significantly.
When meats and some cheeses are allowed to sit out at room temperature for too long, they can become a fun little breeding ground for bacteria.
So, if you let your thawing or already heated pizza rolls sit out on the counter for more than two hours instead of properly refrigerating them, they may become unsafe to eat!
PRO TIP: Common symptoms of food poisoning can include stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and fever. If you experience these symptoms after having eaten a certain food, the best thing you can do is to stay hydrated and rest! Most commonly, food poisoning will pass within a week!
To be safe, make sure to put them in the oven after an hour or two of thawing. Alternatively, try to enjoy them shortly after they have been prepared. It’s best for both your health and your taste buds!
RELATED ARTICLE: Is It Okay to Eat Pizza Rolls for Breakfast?
How Do You Know if Pizza Rolls Are Bad?
Thankfully, there are a few easy tips and tricks to follow when trying to decide if you should enjoy those pizza rolls, and all of them involve your senses.
If your pizza rolls – or any food, for that matter – begin to smell bad, then that is a clear sign that you should not eat them.
And even if they smell just fine, be sure to give them more than just a passing glance. Any discoloration or spotting means that these snacks are past their prime and should hence not be eaten.
If your pizza rolls passed both the sniff and sight test but taste slightly off (e.g., bitter or sour) when you have your first bite, spit that bite out and toss the rest!
It’s never great to throw food away. But if it could cause a hazard to your health, it’s just not worth it.
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