Yes, you can freeze granola. If stored properly granola can be stored in the freezer for up to 8 months. Typically granola is a pantry staple that has a long shelf life, but if you’ve made a larger batch and want to keep it on hand for meal-prepping quick breakfast or easy after-school snacks I’ll show you how.
{This postcontains affiliate links. Please see my fullDisclosure Pagefor details}
There are a few ways you can store granola to ensure it will last as long as possible. The best way is to store it using a food saver with vacuum-sealed bags, next is in an airtight container, and lastly, a resealable bag works well too. If you love making homemade granola but can’t enjoy it all before the granola is stale consider freezing it to have on hand anytime.
This post was inspired by my favorite Almond Coconut Granola recipe. It only takes 15 minutes to make is it’s so crunchy and delicious that you’ll never buy store-bought granola again.
Making a big batch of granola is perfect for a quick easy breakfast and makes a healthy snack when you are craving something sweet. The best part is you can freeze granola to keep it for months and it thaws out quickly when you are ready to use. While you certainly don’t have to free granola to make it last longer it is a good idea if you’ve made too much.
Jump to:
- Instructions
- How Long Does Granola Last?
- Does Granola Go Bad?
- How To Thaw
- What to Serve With Granola
- Storebought Granola
- Substitutions
- Equipment
Basic Granola Ingredients:
- Old fashioned oats
- Whole almonds
- Sea salt
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Coconut oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Almond extract
See the full Almond Coconut Granola Recipe HERE.
Instructions
To freeze granola, first, make sure it is completely cool. Remove the granola from the parchment paper and break it into small pieces. Place it in a food saver bag and vacuum seal or store it in a ziplock freezer bag. For the longest-lasting granola, I recommend vacuuming sealing to prevent moisture from getting in. Label and date the granola and, place the container or bag in the freezer. For weekly meal prepping freeze granola in smaller containers or freezer bags and just get out what you need for the week. This is especially helpful when your kids decide they’re on a waffle kick this week and they don’t want any granola!
How Long Does Granola Last?
Granola that has been stored properly can last 6-8 months in the freezer. Expect a little less time (3-4 months) if granola is stored in a ziploc bag in the freezer because it will be exposed to more air and moisture even if you try to remove as much air as possible. Granola also keeps well when stored in an air-tight container like this or in glass jars with a sealable lid. Homemade granola stored in a cool dark place can last for up to 4 months.
Does Granola Go Bad?
It depends…the granola recipe I use doesn’t necessarily go bad but it certainly can go stale and start to lose its flavor. Some things to consider when deciding if your granola is ok to eat. How Old is it? If you don’t remember the last time you made granola, you should probably throw it away and start from scratch. It only takes 15 minutes to make a delicious fresh batch. Does it taste and smell ok? If it has an off smell like rancid nuts or mold discard it immediately. If it smells ok do a taste test to see if your granola is stale. If the texture is off then throw it out. If it’s storebought what is the expiration date? Expired granola probably won’t make you sick or give you food poisoning but will it’s probably best practice not to eat something much past that manufactures expiration.
The shelf life of granola is typically pretty long but that can vary depending on the ingredients. A granola mixture with dried fruit, dried coconut, and chocolate chips may expire faster than basic granola recipes would. Granola that was left out unsealed for a long time will also go bad much faster than granola that was stored properly.
How To Thaw
When you are ready to enjoy your frozen granola remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw out to room temperature for a few minutes. It can also be added directly to cold or warm milk, yogurt, or oatmeal. Note that freezing granola may change its texture, and it might become a bit more crunchy after thawing. It’s worth mentioning that some ingredients like fruits, chocolate chips or nuts may not survive the freezing process well, so if your granola contains these ingredients you might want to add them after thawing.
What to Serve With Granola
Almond Coconut granola has the perfect balance of flavors. The toasted golden oats and coconut flavors combine for the perfect amount of sweetness, and a touch of sea salt to balance it out.
Making your own granola is great for an inexpensive breakfast and makes a great snack as well. Our house enjoys making this recipe year-round with Instant Pot Greek yogurt and fresh or frozen berries.
Storebought Granola
To freeze storebought granola consider the ingredients and if they freeze well (nuts, seeds, dried fruit). For best results freeze it before the best-by date. If stored in the original packaging unopened granola can last 4-6 months in the freezer. If you have opened granola transfer it to one of the containers recommended below, label and date it and enjoy it in the next 3-4 months.
Substitutions
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of freezing your large batch of granola here are a few other ways it can be stored for up to 4 months:
- Mason Jar & Lid –glass jars like these are perfect for storing nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds dry fruits, spices, and chocolate chips
- Air-Tight Canisters – Plastic canisters with air-tight lids are great for granola, rice, cereal, cracks & baking supplies.
- Snapware Pyrex -Pyrex glass containers with air-tight snapping lids keep food fresh longer than traditional storage containers.
Equipment
To make homemade granola you will need a large mixing bowl, a large baking sheet & parchment paper. Once you have your homemade granola made and cold to room temperature you will need food saver bags, a food saver, freezer bags, or a freezer-safe container.
How to use extra granola?
Top 11 ways to use granola
1. Serve on top of yogurt and fresh fruit
2. Add to a smoothie bowl with unsweetened coconut flakes
3. Eat it like cereal with almond milk and dried blueberries an a bit of maple syrup.
4. Add it to a trail mix with your favorite nuts and dark chocolate chunks.
5. Sprinkle on top of apple slices and almond butter.
6. Layer fresh or frozen berries, granola, and yogurt for an easy parfait.
7. Add to a fresh spinach and berry salad
8. Serve on a breakfast charcuterie board
9. Sprinkle on top of a fruit crisp.
10. Turn leftovers into homemade granola bars.
11. Ala carte as an easy snack
Can you store granola in the fridge?
Yes, you can however it won’t do much for increasing the shelf life of the granola, it may even cause it to become soggy. Granola will typically last at room temperature for 3-4 months if stored properly. To store for up to 8 months consider vacuum sealing and freezing for best quality.
How to store homemade granola?
Store homemade granola in an air-tight container in a dry place in the pantry or kitchen cupboard for up to 4 months. Mason jars with lids are a great way to keep granola fresh and crunchy as well as plastic canisters with air-tight lids.
