Do you ever find yourself with leftover bags of stale, bland chips? From movie marathons to game nights, you’ll be surprised by how quickly half-opened chip bags start piling up in the kitchen. Then, one day, someone finds a lone bag in the corner, thinking they’ve hit the jackpot, only to unroll the bag and find chips that are well past their prime.
Many of us find ourselves taking stock of these half-eaten bags of chips and wondering if there is a better way to avoid the inevitable. Who wants to waste that kind of money and food?
Well, we’re here to tell you there’s a solution to all this, and it involves none other than your freezer.
Why You Should Store Opened Bags of Chips in the Freezer
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Read the storage instructions for chips, and it’ll usually instruct you to store them in a cool location to maintain maximum freshness. The reason being, the moment a potato chip bag is opened, it is exposed to air, light, and moisture—all of which impact the overall flavor and texture of chips. The freezer, being a controlled environment, prevents all these different factors from affecting the chips. Storing chips in the freezer will result in chips that stay crispy and maintain their crunch. If you’re worried about chips becoming rock-solid, don’t worry: chips don’t really freeze, they just get really cold.
Why Freezers Keep Chips Fresh
When chips are cooked for commercial packaging, most of the moisture is cooked out of the potato or corn to prevent the chips from becoming soggy or limp. The small amount of water that’s left behind in the cooking process is enough to prevent the starches from breaking down. While this allows unopened bags of chips to be shelf-stable, once the bag is torn open, it’s a free-for-all. Everything, from light and air to temperature and humidity, will affect the freshness of the chips.
When stored properly in a sealed, air-tight bag, putting potato chips in the freezer extends their freshness from a matter of days to months. Not only will they stay crunchy, but they’ll taste just as good as brand new.
So, the next time you don’t manage to finish a bag of chips in one sitting, place it in an air-tight container and chuck it in the freezer. When the craving strikes, simply pull it from the freezer and allow the crisps to come to room temperature before enjoying.
