If you’ve ever bought a big bag of potato chips to satisfy your snack needs for a good while, having them go stale after only a week is quite a disappointment. Luckily, there is a way to store your chips that keeps them fresh and crunchy for months: move them out of the pantry and into the freezer.

You may think that storing chips in the freezer will make them soggy, but it actually extends the snack's lifespan with no change in quality. Even if the chips freeze and you have to thaw them, potato chips contain so little water that they aren't affected by freezing and thawing in the same way as higher-moisture foods.

This tip is handy for those living in hot and humid climates, since chips go stale faster when their surroundings change in temperature and humidity. The freezer is just about the most stable, cool, and dry place in your kitchen, so store your chips in a sealed, airtight bag in the icebox to keep them crunchy for months.