What happens if you eat an expired Slim Jim?

Slim Jims are a handy easy to eat snack that packs in the protein and the flavor! We love to take Slim Jims on day adventures, road trips, camping trips, and for packing lunches.

Occasionally we find a great deal on a large container of Slim Jims, and we will eat a ton of them. Then we slowly get tired of them, and we forget about them in the pantry. This made we curious about the expiration dates on Slim Jims, do they go bad, and how to tell if they have gone bad.

Are Slim Jims fully cooked?

Slim Jims are made similarly to other fermented sausage products like pepperoni or salami. They go through a process where the meat mixture is placed inside a casing and then fermented with lactic acid.

Technically the Slim Jims are not cooked they are fermented for 18 hours to 3 days. The nitrites that are added to Slim Jims help prevent botulism and bacteria from forming.

The other ingredients in a Slim Jim help maintain flavor and colorings. Slim Jims are a perfect convenience food because they require no utensils, and no further cooking is needed.

Slim Jims may taste similar to beef jerky, but they are actually made using different processes. Beef Jerky is made using dehydration and not fermentation.

How long do Slim Jims last after expiration date?

The expiration dates on Slim Jims are more for inventory management and for quality of taste, and not based on when the product will go bad.

Expiration dates are not federally regulated by the US government. Most meat sticks like Slim Jims have a “best by” or “use by date” that is 1 year after the product is manufactured.

These dates are based mainly on taste quality and texture. After the expiration date on the package, Slim Jims are not considered bad they are just considered more likely to lose flavor and degraded texture.

Do Slim Jims need to be refrigerated after opening?

Slim Jims are considered shelf stable and do not require refrigerated storage. The best place to store Slim Jims is in their original packaging in a cool dark place like a pantry or cabinet.

Once a Slim Jim is opened then you can store the product in the fridge in an airtight container like a Tupperware or Ziploc style bag.

An open Slim Jim is only good for a few days due to possible bacteria growth. Typically, Slim Jims are eaten straight from the package with a person biting a piece off at a time.

By biting the Slim Jim, your mouth has now introduced bacteria to the food. Once that bacterium is introduced, it can take about 3-5 days for the Slim Jim to go rancid.

If you don’t think you will eat a whole slim Jim in one sitting, you may want to cut the stick in half with a knife instead of biting off what you plan to eat.

Do Slim Jims Go Bad?

Just like most meat products, Slim Jims can go bad over time. As long as Slim Jims are stored appropriately and the packaging is not damaged, they are still safe to eat.

As with any meat product, if the packaging is damaged or punctured it is possible for mold or bacteria to grow and make the Slim Jim unfit to eat.

How can you tell if beef sticks are bad?

If you have a beef stick that has been stored in direct sunlight or the packaging has been damaged, then the taste and the texture may have changed.

The most often reported signs of a bad beef stick are based on smell, appearance, texture, and taste.

A Slim Jim or beef stick that has gone bad will have a foul or offensive odor. It will literally smell like rotted meat.

The outside appearence of a bad beef stick may show signs of green or white mold. There may also be excessive moisture evident inside the package.

Most beef sticks have a slightly yellowish orange residue of oil. This oil residue is perfectly normal. If the residue is black, brown, or showing signs of mold then you will want to toss the Slim Jim.

The last two signs regarding taste and texture are less significant than appearance and smell. An old beef stick will taste off or have a very hard texture. These can be a sign of the beef stick being bad or just being past its best quality.

How long does it take for Slim Jims to go bad?

There is no specific time frame for a Slim Jim to go bad. It is mainly based on packaging and storage.

If the product is stored correctly and the packaging is not damaged than the product can last for years. Slim Jims can safely be eaten past their expiration date as long as they still smell and look fine.

If the Slim Jim has an off odor or outward signs of mold, then they should be thrown away immediately.

Do Slim Jims go bad in heat?

Slim Jims are considered shelf stable and actually do not go bad when exposed to heat. This is why Slim Jims are commonly packed to take hiking, camping, and other outdoor adventures.

They offer a low carb and high protein snack that can be eaten anywhere without any additional utensils.

They can be safely stored in a backpack or cooler and left outside for days. The main issue is if the Slim Jim packaging is damaged.

Once the product packaging is damaged or punctured, then the Slim Jim can start to grow bacteria or mold which can make you sick.

Exposure to high heat or direct sunlight is more than likely to cause the Slim Jim to be limp and less firm. This may affect flavor but will not cause the meat stick to go bad.

Direct sunlight can damage the plastic packaging, but it should not damage the actual meat stick inside.

What happens if you eat a bad Slim Jim?

If you find yourself taking a bite of a Slim Jim that has a horrible taste or smell, then you may be concerned about the side effects.

Thankfully if a Slim Jim tastes bad or smells horrible, it is unlikely that you will continue eating it. If by chance you do eat a large amount of Slim Jims that have gone bad the mostly likely result will be an upset stomach, nausea, and or diarrhea.

The issue will be if you eat bacteria that can cause food poisoning or if you eat mold that can cause an upset stomach.

If you are unsure if the Slim Jim has gone bad, it is best to cut the meat stick in half with a knife and inspect the stick further.

Can Slim Jims be frozen?

Places like Sam’s and Costco sell very large packages of Slim Jims and it may be hard to eat them all before they go bad.

If you find yourself with a large amount of Slim Jims that you want to extend the shelf life, try placing them in the freezer.

This can extend that storage time for months and even years. When you are ready to consume a Slim Jim, just place the product on the counter or in the fridge to defrost.

It will probably take about 30 minutes on the counter, for the Slim Jim to defrost to a soft enough texture to eat. If you place them in the fridge overnight, then they will be ready by the next day.

For more information regarding the expiration dates on common foods, check out “Can I use expired French Fried Onions?” and “Are expired Pizza Rolls ok to eat?“