Should chocolate be kept in the fridge?

One of the oldest household debates is whether to store chocolate in your cupboard or fridge. With Halloween and Christmas coming up, people must know the answer to ensure the best possible taste.

Arguments on both sides are strong, leading to many passionate debates between family members and friends over the years.

To put an end to the debacle, Joshua Houston, Food Storage Expert at Household Quotes has warned against refrigerating chocolate.

Do not refrigerate chocolate 

Refrigerating your chocolate is bad for several reasons, the first being that chocolate can easily absorb flavours from other foods in your fridge. Secondly, if you chill your sweet treats you might notice that the cold can make them tasteless. This takes away some of the enjoyment and satisfaction chocolate can bring. Discolouring is another big problem, this occurs when moisture in a fridge results in ‘sugar bloom’, which is where sugar rises to the surface.

Can chocolate go bad?

Chocolate can go bad depending on what it is, bars with milk will go off quicker lasting around 10 to 12 months. Dark chocolate on the other hand which doesn’t contain milk can have a shelf life of over two years.

Where should you store chocolate?

People tend to store chocolate in their fridges due to the fear of it either melting or going off. Your cupboard is a better option as long as it’s dry, moisture can negatively affect the taste over time. The ideal temperature for chocolate is between 12 to 18 degrees Celsius as any more could result in melting. 

If you do open your chocolate (which I wouldn’t blame you), wrap it in an airtight wrapper or a container. This will help protect the chocolate from moisture and outside odours which could negatively affect the taste. 

Also make sure to keep chocolate away from direct light, it not only causes ‘sugar bloom’ but melting is a factor. Bloomed chocolate is still safe to eat, but it won’t look as appealing and might taste slightly different.

Joshua Houston, Food Storage Expert at Household Quotes:

‘’The fridge or cupboard debate when it comes to chocolate has gone on for years. This should hopefully settle some of the passionate arguments, so commiserations to the fridge storers.

However, ultimately how you store your chocolate is up to you. Some people enjoy cold chocolate more than room temperature. Just make sure it is correctly wrapped if already open.