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Does Campbell’s Soup Expire Or Go Bad? (And How To Check)

Quick Answer

Campbell’s soup does not expire or go bad. There is a best used by date printed on the tin, but this refers more to the nutritional quality and taste rather than if the soup is safe to eat.

Most people can enjoy Campbell’s soup for up to six years after the point of purchase, but you must inspect the soup for any changes in consistency or mold growth before eating.

Do you have some Campbell soup in the cupboard and want to know if it expires or can go bad? Maybe the soup has been there a while and you want to know if it is safe to eat or not?

Does Campbell’s Soup Expire Or Go Bad

Or are you curious and want to know more? No matter the reason that brought you here today, we have the answer for you! 

Campbell’s soup is a staple across the country, with most kitchens having a tin or two lurking in the pantry. But can this delicious soup expire?

Can it go bad? These questions plague us, running through our mind day and night. 

But with so many conflicting opinions online, you can find yourself scrolling and scrolling, but never finding the answer you need.

Confused and frustrated, you start to wonder if you will ever find out if Campbell’s soup expires or goes bad. 

Well, no more! Today we are here with the answers you need. Keep reading to find out if Campbell’s soup expires or goes bad and everything else you need to know about it! 

How Long Is The Expiry Date On Campbell’s Soup?

Campbell’s soup comes with a best used by date of two years. This is stamped on the tins from the time the soup is manufactured, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the soup. 

At any point within the two years, you can enjoy the soup without worrying about its taste or texture! Canned goods can last for years, with some tins being okay to eat after 100 years!

We don’t recommend doing that out of choice, but it is reassuring to know that your canned soup has a long shelf life. 

Generally speaking, canned food can be enjoyed for up to two years after the best used by date printed on the can. 

It’s worth noting that not all countries use a best before or expiry date on their food. This is often done to help cut down on food waste, as food is often safe to eat after the use by or best before date. 

While a Campbell’s can of soup in the US might have a shelf life printed on it, Campbell’s soup sold in New Zealand and Australia won’t.

You can find a batch code printed on them which can be used to work out when it was manufactured, but you won’t find a use-by date. 

Does Campbell’s Soup Lose Its Taste When It’s Old?

After roughly six years, your soup should start to lose its taste and the smell should change. 

Despite the cans being sealed under high pressure, the soup will lose its original flavor and smell. 

This doesn’t mean that it has gone bad, but it will have gone past its peak and won’t be as enjoyable as eating the soup within its first six years!

It’s worth eating the soup while it is still in its first few years so you can enjoy its original flavor! 

How Can You Make Campbell’s Soup Last Longer?

There are a few ways you can make your Campbell’s soup last longer. 

First, you want your cans to be in good condition. Make sure they are free from dents and any rust when you purchase them and store them carefully to avoid denting them. 

Next, storing them correctly is key. Keep them in a cool, dark, and dry place, like a cupboard or pantry. Make sure the space you are keeping them in never reaches temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. 

Campbell’s soup is securely sealed in steel cans and heated at high pressure to lock in its flavor and goodness. Provided you store these cans correctly, they can last for years without going bad!

How To Know If Campbell’s Soup Has Gone Bad

There are a few simple ways to tell if your Campbell’s soup has gone bad. The first step is to look at the can. 

If the can is leaking or bulging then throw it away immediately. If not, look for signs of rust or other damage.

These are signs that something is wrong inside the can and you should throw it out instead of eating the soup. 

Dented and rusted cans can let bacteria into the can which will spoil your delicious soup!

Before attempting to open your can of Campbell’s soup, inspect the can carefully and decide if it is safe for you to use or not. 

If your can seems fine, you can open it up and assess the contents inside. If there are any signs of mold or changes in the color of the soup, throw it away immediately. 

If there are no visible signs of change, give the soup a sniff. Your nose has good instincts, so trust them! If the soup smells bad or is different from how it usually does, throw it away.

Don’t risk the chance of food poisoning on a tin of soup, it is better to be safe! 

If the can has passed each of these tests, the final one is to taste the soup. If the can has been kept for six years, then it will have lost some of its flavors, but it will be safe to consume.

If the soup does taste bad or gone off, stop eating it immediately and throw it away. 

How To Avoid Campbell’s Soup Going Past Best Used By Date

To avoid eating soup that has gone past its best used by date, you will want to rotate the stock in your pantry or cupboard.

This can seem like a boring task, but if you want to enjoy your food while it is still in date, it is a necessary task. 

Make sure the oldest cans are always at the front to avoid them getting forgotten about! When you purchase new cans, put them at the back of the shelf and eat the older stock first. 

Doing so ensures that your canned soup doesn’t get forgotten about and can be enjoyed while it tastes fresh!

Spend some time organizing your pantry and make sure when you add more stock that the newest goes at the back of the shelf! 

How Long Will Campbell’s Soup Last After Opening?

After you have opened a can of Campbell’s soup, you have three days to consume it.

The opened soup should be stored correctly in a refrigerator during this time to keep it tasting fresh and safe to eat. 

Before putting your open soup in the refrigerator, you should transfer it from the metal can into a different container, ideally a plastic Tupperware or bowl. 

Metal cans can leach into the contents of the soup once exposed to air, leaving you with a metallic-tasting soup! Nobody wants that, do they? 

After using the soup that you need, transfer the rest of the can into a Tupperware, glass jar, or bowl and cover it with the lid or saran wrap.

Place the contents in the refrigerator to keep the soup safe to eat and full of its lovely flavor! 

You don’t want to leave soup out of the refrigerator as it will go bad. The soup can develop yeast, bacteria, and even mold as it comes into contact with the air.

This will make your soup unsafe to eat and should be thrown out immediately if you notice any mold in your soup. 

This mold and bacteria growth can happen quickly, so make sure you transfer the soup into a container and store it in the refrigerator immediately.

You can leave it in the refrigerator for three days, giving you plenty of time to consume your favorite soup! 

Final Thoughts 

And there you have it! Campbell’s soup doesn’t really expire or go bad, but its taste can change over time!

For the best and freshest tasting soup, enjoy it within the first two years of the soup being manufactured. 

You can leave your soup for up to six years and still enjoy it, but be sure to store it correctly! You will want the cans to be free from damage and stored in a cool, dark, and dry cupboard or pantry. 

When eating Campbell’s soup after its best use by date, make sure you follow the safety steps listed above to check that the soup is safe for you to consume.

While there might be a slight change in the taste of your soup, it will still be safe for you to eat and enjoy!

Jess Smith
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