Grammar fix
go stale
lose freshness
To lose freshness and become unpleasantly dry, hard or soft, depending on the food.
collocation
How oftenCommon
LevelB2
Used inSpeech & writing
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
Put the lid back on so the biscuits don't go stale.
There's a bakery near my flat, so I buy a small loaf every couple of days instead of getting a big one and letting it go stale.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: These biscuits have gone old.
Say: These biscuits have gone stale.
Bread, biscuits and crisps go stale when they lose their freshness; 'old' isn't used with 'go' here.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Food is no longer good to eat
Which foodAny foodOne food
go badAny food or drink, UK and US. The safe default.be offHow British people say it at the fridge: "This milk is off."go mouldyWhen you can see mould: bread, cheese, fruit. US spelling: moldy.
go staleYou're here · Bread, cake, biscuits, crisps: dry or soft, not dangerous.
turnMilk and cream only, mostly British: 'the milk's turned'. Also 'turned sour'.