How Long Can You Keep Opened Condiments? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Can You Keep Opened Condiments? ›

ketchup, co*cktail or chili sauce 6 months. chutney, 1 to 2 months. horseradish, 3 to 4 months. mustard, 12 months.

Shelf-stable condiments, like stone ground mustard, red wine vinegar, strawberry preserves, and wing sauce, don't need to be as cold as other perishable foods like milk, eggs, and meat, so they can hang out on your refrigerator door.

From garlic aioli to remoulade and tartar sauces, there are all kinds of dipping sauces and spreads that contain mayo, and Berger says it's best practice to toss them when they're expired. “Another general rule of thumb is if a dip or condiment tastes different from when you first open it, throw it out,” she says.

Soy Sauce

Even after it has been opened, the salty condiment can keep for years in your refrigerator.

Unopened containers of store-bought mayo will keep in the pantry until the sell-by date, and opened mayonnaise will keep for about 2 months in the refrigerator. If mayonnaise has visible mold, an off-smell, or an unnatural hue, toss it immediately.

After opening condiments, you can refrigerate them for the following times: ketchup, co*cktail or chili sauce 6 months. chutney, 1 to 2 months. horseradish, 3 to 4 months.

Once opened, condiments like mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and salad dressings are best kept in the fridge. Like ketchup, soy sauce can begin to lose its flavor if kept at room temperature after opening. Peanut butter, olive oil, and honey are fine to store in the pantry.

Unopened, many condiments will last about one year in the pantry. 1 You can determine a more specific timeline by checking the "use by" or "best by" date on the packaging. Even then, the listed date will indicate when the quality of the item will decline, rather than its safety, says Kimberly Baker, Ph.

Sriracha is excellent mixed with butter or oil and spread on corn on the cob. If you've got a lot of leftover condiments after a barbecue, you can always combine your extra ketchup, relish, mayo, horseradish, and Worcestershire Sauce to make homemade Russian dressing to put on a sandwich!

What is the one food that never goes bad? ›

HONEY. Honey has been called the only food that truly lasts forever, thanks to its magical chemistry and the handiwork of bees. The nectar from flowers mixes with enzymes inside the bees that extract it, which changes the nectar's composition and breaks it down into simple sugars that are deposited into honeycombs.

Salt. A condiment is any spice, sauce, or other flavorant added to food to enhance its flavor. Salt has been used since time immemorial both as a preservative and a flavor enhancer.

Most hated condiments by consumers in the U.S. 2021

According to the results of a survey conducted in June 2021, the most hated condiment by consumers in the United States is hot sauce, with approximately 24 percent of respondents indicating that they hate hot sauce.

Once opened, a bottle of Worcestershire sauce should be kept refrigerated and tightly sealed. Refrigeration helps to preserve the sauce's flavors and extend its shelf life. Generally, an opened bottle can retain its quality for up to three years, provided it is stored properly in the fridge.

Like vinegar, Worcestershire sauce does not need to be refrigerated. Whether unopened or open it can be stored in the pantry for two years.

Does Ketchup Go Bad? Yes, ketchup can go bad. If unopened, commercial ketchup “can last for up to a year in your pantry,” says Okegbe, but once opened and refrigerated, it should ideally be consumed within six months. If left in the pantry once opened, use up the ketchup within a month to be safe.

Mayonnaise. You may buy mayonnaise off a non-refrigerated shelf, but the second you pop the top, you must put it in the refrigerator. In fact, the USDA recommends opened mayo be tossed in the trash if its temperature reaches 50 degrees or higher for more than eight hours.

Mustard. No matter the kind of mustard (Dijon, yellow, or whole grain), best practice is to store it in fridge. Refrigerated mustard will last up to a year after opening in the fridge, according to the USDA. Now dried mustard powder is another story—it can be stored in the pantry with all your other spices.

Optimal storage is in a dry, cool area below 85 degrees, or in the fridge (if the condiment should be refrigerated after being opened) with a temperature of 40 degrees or lower. The Food Marketing Institute recommends that you follow these storage guidelines and always read package labels before consuming the food.

If you've already opened your salsa, no—you can't just leave it out on the counter. Refrigerate it as soon as you can so your favorite salsa is fresh and ready for your next margaritas-and-nachos night. How should you store salsa? Unopened salsa should be stored however it was stored at the store.