Can You Eat Hot Pockets Raw / Cold / Uncooked?


*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Hot Pockets make an easy grab-n-go lunch, or great midday snack.They come in a variety of options from pepperoni pizza to ham and cheese filled. Hot Pockets are frozen sandwiches/turnovers that are heated up in the microwave for a hot meal. 

But, what if you don’t have a microwave or any way to heat it up? Can you just eat Hot Pockets raw, cold, and uncooked?

Hot Pockets are designed to be heated up and should not be eaten raw or uncooked. If you like the taste of cold Hot Pockets then you should follow the cooking directions and then put it into the fridge to make it cold so you can safely eat it. 

Hot Pockets should not be eaten without heating them up and cooking them properly. 

Hot Pockets are a yummy lunchtime favorite for school kids and adults, too. They can be easily pulled out of their lunchbox and heated up in a microwave. In a few minutes they will have a piping hot meat and cheese filled meal covered in a crispy crust. 

Hot Pockets are even a great go-to snack for adults since they are so quick and easy to heat up. 

These frozen sandwiches come in a variety of filling choices. You can choose from pepperoni pizza with a crispy crust to bacon cheddar cheese meat with pretzel bread. Hot Pockets are a great go-to for a fast meal. 

But what happens if you don’t have a microwave and want to eat a Hot Pocket? Can you just eat one raw, cold, and uncooked? 

According to Goodnes.com (the makers of Hot Pockets) you should not eat Hot Pockets without first cooking them by following the directions. So if you like the texture of a cold Hot Pocket (you’re not weird at all I promise) you will want to fully cook it first and then put it in the fridge to cool down to eat later. 

Do You Have To Cook A Hot Pocket?

Hot Pockets are easy to throw into a lunchbox or for a quick meal throughout the day. Since they come in a variety of options you can choose which sounds the best and enjoy one of the meat and cheese filled sandwiches. 

But, do you have to cook Hot Pocket before you eat it?

Hot Pockets should ALWAYS be cooked before you eat them. Raw Hot Pockets should not be consumed. If left at room temperature for more than a couple of hours Hot Pockets could grow bacteria which can make you sick if you eat it.

Its name tells you how Hot Pockets should be eaten – hot! It is never a good idea to eat a Hot Pocket cold and uncooked. 

First of all, there are food safety concerns and it could be dangerous for your health. You should always prepare Hot Pockets according to their cooking recommendations on the packaging. 

If you leave one of the frozen snacks at room temperature, this creates a breeding ground for bacteria and could cause you to get sick if you eat it. Plus, it will just taste awful. Especially if it is cold. 

It’s confusing why you want to eat hot Pockets cold, but if you were considering it, the only way to do it is to cook it completely and then put it in the refrigerator to cool down. Always cook a Hot Pocket thoroughly before eating it. So, yes, you have to cook Hot Pockets and cannot eat them uncooked.

How Do You Know If A Hot Pocket Is Bad?

Legally, Hot Pockets come with expiration dates meaning that these frozen sandwiches do expire. But, after some research, it seems that Hot Pockets last far past this printed best by date if they are stored properly. 

So, how do you know if a Hot Pocket is bad?

Hot Pockets that have gone bad will have a bad smell, taste, or texture, as well as changes in the way it looks. Mold growth is a sure sign that a Hot Pocket is bad. If you aren’t sure if it’s bad or not, throw it away because it is better to be safe than sorry.

Hot Pockets should always be kept in the freezer and always eaten after they are cooked in a microwave, oven, or toaster oven. If you wanted to thaw them before eating them, you could put them in the fridge for a couple days before eating them but you can’t leave them there too long. 

Hot Pockets can spoil if they aren’t stored in the freezer. Hot Pockets don’t usually go bad in the freezer but they will lose some of their quality if not eaten for a long time.

If by some chance a Hot Pocket has gone bad, it will show some specific signs that it is old. Some of these signs are a bad smell or taste as well as a change in the way it looks. A change in texture like it being slimy or sticky means that the product has gone bad as well. 

Mold growth is definitely cause for concern and it is not safe to eat bad Hot Pockets because you can get sick from them.

As you can see, you will know when a Hot Pocket has gone bad by any unusual changes.

Final Thoughts

Hot Pockets should be eaten raw or uncooked. Cold Hot Pockets can be eaten but only if you cook them first and then cool them in the fridge. Hot Pockets left at room temperature can grow bacteria so you should not leave your Hot Pockets out for a long time to cool down. 

You should cook one of these frozen meals thoroughly before eating it. 

Although Hot Pockets last for a while since they are frozen, they could still go bad. You will notice certain signs of spoilage if the Hot Pocket has gone bad. 

So, you can’t eat uncooked Hot Pockets because eating Hot Pockets without cooking them first can be harmful to your health as well as taste horrible.

Hannah R.

Hey, I'm Hannah and I'm the founder of Get Eatin'.

Recent Posts