Do Grits Go Bad?

Grits is oatmeal made from boiled corn. There could be either stone-ground or instant grits. Instant grits are quick to make, while stone-ground grits take up to 45minutes because they contain whole grains and nutrients. Grits are often served for breakfast. They can either be sweet or savory.

Usually, uncooked grits don’t go bad, but they can smell odd, then you would not want to eat them because of the smell. It could happen when they were not stored properly or stored for a very long period.

For cooked grits, yes, they do go bad. And when that happens, you can easily notice liquid separating from the porridge or ingredients.

How to Store Grits?

Storing grits isn’t a big thing to deal with. You have to look for a cool, dark, and dry place. Just make sure they are far away from moisture sources or where any temperature change can’t affect them. Because when anything goes from a temperature change warm to cool or cool to warm, the moisture from the air tries to lessen in the stored packages, which then leads to the formation of molds and would spoil grits.

Storing Uncooked Grits

The most suitable place to store instant grits is in the pantry that can provide a suitable temperature and dryness. When placing it in the pantry, you should also look for an airtight container, and if you don’t have one make sure to close it well to seal away the moisture.

For storing stone-ground grits, since they are spoilable, you should use a freezer. The nutritional profile and flavor of the grits can be preserved when they are kept frozen.

Storing cooked grits

Cooked grits must be stored in the refrigerator, or they may not last well. Let the leftovers be cool down a bit by keeping them at room temperature. You can speed up this process by increasing the surface area of the grits. You can shift them into different plates.

After that, you can place them into an airtight container and put them in the freezer. Make sure to follow these steps for the better storage of grits:

• Cooked grits should be placed below 40 degrees of the temperature.
• Clean the container or the box thoroughly before putting the grits to avoid cross-contamination.

Can you freeze Grits?

Yes, it’s possible for you to freeze grits. For this purpose, store the uncooked grits in an airtight container; otherwise, clumps could be formed inside the grits. There are some insects called ‘Weevils’ that are present in dry grains, could be present in your grits.

To remove them from the grits, you should place the grits in the freezer for up to 30 days so that the insects’ eggs can’t be hatched. And once they are frozen, they can be stored in a cool place like a pantry for up to one year from the time of purchase.

To freeze cooked grits, take a pan and spray it with a non-stick cooking spray and top it with some cheese, and then cover the whole pan and grits within it with foil. Allow it to cool before freezing. Cooked frozen grits would be best to go for up to one month.

How long does Grits last?

The shelf life of grits is so long that you may forget when you bought them. However, their shelf life depends upon their variety, the method you use for their storage, and how well you store them.

Instant grits have longer shelf life than stone-ground grits, but when comparing the nutrient profile, it doesn’t have a good one. Instant grits last up to 2 to 5 years when stored in a pantry. As for stone-ground grits, they can be stored for up to one year in the pantry. Cooked grits would be good to go up to a week in the refrigerator.

Like every product made in a factory, grits are labeled best before the date, which is generally the date the manufacturer has estimated for the product’s good quality. Because of that, you could safely eat the meal before the time runs out.

How to Tell If Grits Are Bad?

You can tell the grits are going bad if you notice any of these:

• Any black specs formation after bringing them home. There’s no issue if the black specs are already present in the grits while buying them from the market.
• If water droplets got in the grits package, it would form molds, which is a bad sign, and you should immediately throw them away.
• If you notice any change in the aroma or color of the grits, it means that they have been stored for a very long time, and it’s time for them to go.
• If you notice any change for prepared grits, whether it is in the appearance, color, smell, or taste, throw them away.

Sources

• How Long Do Grits Last?
• Does It Go Bad?
• The Shelf Life of Grits