Energy Drink
Do Energy Drinks Expire? Best Before Dates, Storage and the Hot Ute
Found a slab at the back of the shed? Check the bottom of the can before you crack one.
Energy drinks do have a shelf life. Most cans carry a best-before date, and in Australia that date is about quality, not safety. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) says food past its best-before might not be at its best, but it's still safe to eat. The date that's about safety is a use-by date.
Best before vs use by on a can
Australian food labels use two kinds of date.
- Use by is about safety. FSANZ says food shouldn't be eaten or sold after it.
- Best before is about quality. Past it, the food might not be at its best.
The brand decides which date goes on its product, and how long the shelf life is. FSANZ also says products with a shelf life of two years or more don't need a best-before date at all. So the only number you can rely on is the one printed on the can you're holding.
How long do energy drinks last?
There's no single answer, because every brand sets its own date. Look on the base of the can or the side of the slab.
We also looked for good published data on what happens to an energy drink's taste or caffeine after its best-before. We didn't find any worth citing, so we won't guess. Drink it before the date and you don't have to wonder.
Can you drink an expired energy drink?
If it's past a best-before date, FSANZ's guidance says it should still be safe. It might taste flat or a bit off. If anything about it smells or tastes wrong, tip it out.
The can matters more than the date. NSW Health's food safety advice is not to buy dented, swollen or leaking cans. If a can is bulging or leaking, bin it.
Where to keep energy drinks
Somewhere cool and out of the sun. A cupboard or the crib room fridge is perfect.
Not the ute. A parked car in summer gets far hotter than the shed, and heat isn't kind to anything in a can. Don't store a slab in the cab or the tray. Take what you need for the day and leave the rest at home.
Don't put cans in the freezer to chill them fast either. Liquid expands as it freezes, and a sealed can has nowhere for it to go. An esky with plenty of ice does the job without the mess.
Once a can's open, finish it that shift. It'll go flat, and an open can left on a bench all afternoon isn't something you want to come back to.
Stocking up without stockpiling
Buying in bulk makes sense if you drink the same thing most shifts. The catch is the old cans that end up at the back. Two habits fix it.
- First in, first out. New cans go behind the old ones, in the fridge and in the cupboard.
- Buy what you'll drink in a few weeks. Not a few months.
One a day on shift days is about 20 cans every 4 weeks on a five-day roster. That's close to a slab, which is why a subscription works well here. Much more than that sitting around only gets older.
Stocking a fridge for a whole crew? Our crib room fridge checklist includes a Friday clear-out that catches anything past its date. And while you've got the can upside down, check the sugar line too. Our guide to low sugar energy drinks in Australia shows how to read it.
Where TILT fits
TILT is built for the back half of the shift. You stay locked in to the end of it, with no sugar crash at knock-off.
A slab subscription turns up every 4 weeks. You're buying a few weeks at a time instead of a shed full, and the old cans never get the chance to pile up.
- $81.99 every 4 weeks, delivered. Free shipping, Australia wide.
- Your first slab comes with a Bonus Mixed 8 Pack. One per customer, while this batch lasts.
- Pause, skip or cancel online, anytime. Skip one when cans start piling up.
- Dispatched within 24 hours, Mon to Fri.
- 100-Day Money-Back Guarantee.
FAQ
Do energy drinks expire?
Most energy drinks carry a best-before date. Food Standards Australia New Zealand says food past its best-before might not be at its best, but it's still safe to eat. A use-by date is the one that's about safety.
How long do energy drinks last unopened?
Every brand sets its own shelf life, so there's no single answer. Check the date printed on the base of the can or the side of the slab.
Can you drink an energy drink after the best before date?
FSANZ says food past its best-before should still be safe, though the quality may have dropped. Don't drink from a can that's dented, swollen or leaking.
Can you leave energy drinks in a hot car?
It's better not to. A parked car gets far hotter than a cupboard. Keep cans somewhere cool and out of the sun, and only take what you need for the day.
Can you freeze energy drinks?
Not in the can. Liquid expands as it freezes, and a sealed can has nowhere for it to go. Chill cans in the fridge or an esky full of ice instead.
This article is general information. Always read the label on the product you buy.
Built for the shift. See TILT.
For the label readers: 105.6mg of natural caffeine and 198mg of L-theanine in a 330ml can, 3.7g of sugar and 18 calories. No artificial colours or preservatives. Every ingredient and milligram is printed on the can. Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women, or individuals sensitive to caffeine. Consume no more than 1 can per day.