If you love Baskin Robbins ice cream as much as me and my kids do, there's probably going to be a time when you have more ice cream than you can eat in one sitting.
I hate spending $8 on fresh ice cream for it to go to waste, or worse buying an ice cream cake and only eating half of it. But how long does Baskin Robbins ice cream last in the freezer before you have to throw it away?
Unopened packaged containers of Baskin Robbin's ice cream last for 2-3 months when unopened and 6 weeks once opened. Baskin Robbins ice cream cakes last 1-2 weeks after purchase date and fresh ice cream scoops just a few days.
Ice cream, like milk, has a tendency to go bad when not stored properly. Even when frozen ice cream can still eventually go bad – making it taste terrible or even worse it could potentially make you sick.
There are a variety of different Baskin Robbins ice cream options out there. From fresh ice cream served in a cone or cup, to ice cream cakes and also to store bought tubs of ice cream. Each lasts a different length of time in your freezer.
Consuming Spoiled Ice Cream Can Be Dangerous
Bacteria multiply rapidly in warm ice cream.
After just a few hours, ice cream is full of bacteria and can be potentially dangerous to consume and needs to be thrown away.
But even ice cream stored in the freezer can grow bacteria – at a slower rate.
Fresh ice cream contains less preservatives and so needs to be eaten sooner as bacteria can more easily grow in it. Ice cream with preservatives will last longer.
How Long Does Unopened Tubs of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Last?
When you purchase tubs of Baskin Robbins ice cream, it can usually last for between two and three months if left unopened and stored in your freezer.
As long as the freezer's temperature remains cold enough, the ice cream will remain very close to its original condition for months. The longer the ice cream stays in the freezer though the harder it tends to become and it will also collect ice on its surface.
After many months the ice cream should still be safe to consume. It just won't have the original flavor or consistency it once did.
Most tubs of Baskin Robbins ice cream come with a “best before” or “used by” date on them. This refers to when the tub is unopened.
Once the tub is opened it begins to go bad much faster.
Boxed Ice Cream Opened and in Freezer
Once your packaged Baskin Robbin's ice cream is opened (and you've likely had some), it should last approximately 6 weeks if stored properly.
Ideally you should put plastic wrap over the top of the ice cream before closing the tub and putting it away. This stops the ice cream from being exposed to the air in the freezer and will help it keep longer.
But let's be honest, very few people are going to do this. Most of use just close the lid and throw the tub back in the freezer.
If it's going to be a while before you can get to a freezer, use ice in a cooler, or consider packing it in dry ice for effective storage.
If you ice cream reaches melting temperature then when you re-freeze the ice cream it will set a lot harder than regular ice cream and likely won't taste as good. As long as it doesn't go above 40ºF (4ºC) it should be fine to re-freeze and keep for a few weeks but if it goes over 40ºF (4ºC) the ice cream should be consumed quickly or thrown away.
Only keep the ice cream out long enough to scoop it before placing it back away.
Fresh Leftover Ice Cream Placed In The Freezer
I love taking my kids for ice cream during the summer. We often do it on Friday's after school as a special treat.
But sometimes we order more than we want to eat and instead of throwing it away my kids want to save their ice cream to eat later. But how long will this ice cream last?
If you want to store a few scoops of ice cream from Baskin Robbins, careful measures should be taken to avoid any sort of contamination.
The ice cream should be placed in a freezer-safe container that seals fully and then placed in a freezer as soon as possible after getting the ice cream.
Often my kids will just throw their cup in the freezer completely open. If you're going to do this you should at least put some cling wrap on the top of the little ice cream tub.
Fresh scoops of Baskin Robbins ice cream should be consumed within a week of purchase – but ideally just a few days.
If the ice cream is allowed to melt, it shouldn't be frozen again and should instead be discarded. Think of it like milk – once milk has been warmed up you can't just throw it back in the fridge and expect it to still be good. It's too late and the milk needs to be throw away.
The same is true for ice cream.
If you have more than a short drive home, you should bring a reliable soft cooler with ice so you can stop the ice cream from warming up too much before you get home. We live near the ice cream store so we don't need to do this (plus I don't have that much forethought).
You can use these tips to help you preserve ice cream for several days in a cooler if you need to. You can place the ice cream inside immediately and keep it cool until you make it home.
Storing Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cakes from Baskin Robbins is carefully stored to stay cold for about one hour after you leave the store. But even still an hour is a long time to leave an ice cream cake out of the freezer and I wouldn't advise it.
If you plan to have it later than that, it should be placed in the freezer.
If you've had a party and have leftover Baskin Robbins ice cream cake you might be wondering how long you can store it for after the party.
If you store your ice cream cake in an airtight container (or wrapped in cling wrap), it will remain fresh for about one week after the purchase date. It can usually still be consumed safely for 2 weeks after purchase, but the texture will become less creamy over time.
This is also assuming the ice cream cake wasn't left out of the freezer for very long.
Signs Ice Cream has Gone Bad
As ice cream goes bad, the first thing to change is its texture. The ice cream will become icy and have frost or ice shards on top.
It's also common for ice cream to start to have a chewy or crumbly texture.
If you notice any of these issues or your ice cream is left out and melts, it's time to replace it.
