A Complete Guide To The Shelf Life Of All Your Favorite Condiments
You’ve had that ketchup in the fridge since 2015. Is that still good?
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You might wonder about the forgotten fruits, veggies, sauces, and meats you have in the refrigerator right now. Did you actually throw out that wasabi? You’ve had that ketchup in the fridge since 2015. Is that still good? What about that extra BBQ sauce you stored in your pantry? Do you have to get rid of that too (again)?!
Well, since you asked, we’ve made a list of your favorite condiments and used the FoodKeeper food guide to find out exactly how long you can keep your sauces and spices around. The FoodKeeper ‘s guide was created by the Food Marketing Institute, Cornell University’s Department of Food Science and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so I’d say it’s trustworthy. And now your saucy worries will be but a memory. But, please, throw out that ketchup. That’s definitely gone bad.
Ketchup
If you’re not dousing your eggs with ketchup (IDK. I don't judge) and it’s still in the pantry, it’s good for one year from the date of purchase. If the ketchup bottle is in the fridge, depending on when you opened the bottle, it should be good for six months.
Mustard
Surprisingly, mustard goes hand in hand with ketchup, but it outlasts it in terms of shelf life. If it’s in the pantry, mustard is good to use for one to two years after it was bought. If it’s in the refrigerator, that gets cut down to one year since it’s opened.
Mayonnaise
Although mayo goes with practically everything, you’re gonna have to use it fast because it’s only good for about three to six months if it’s in the pantry. If it’s in the refrigerator? It’s only good for two months after opening. More of an excuse to use it up!
Relish
This one is actually shocking. According to the FoodKeeper app, relish should be eaten with 30 MONTHS of purchase if it’s in the pantry. If it’s opened and is being refrigerated, it should be used up within nine months. Honestly, is this the cockroach of condiments or what?
Pickles
Not quite a condiment, but if you’re a pickle-lover, you can count your lucky stars. If you’ve stored your pickle jar is in your pantry, it’ll stay fresh for one year. However, after opening it, you have one-to-three months.
Sauerkraut
High-acid canned goods like sauerkraut are good to enjoy for 12 to 18 months if unopened and stored properly. But once it’s opened and refrigerated, eat it quickly, because it’s only good for five to seven days. The FoodKeeper app says that theses kinds of canned items will be safe to eat past the “use-by” date as long as there’s no rust or swelling, so keep an eye out!
Spices
If you’re a snob when it comes to bland food, chances are you have a whole cupboard just for spices. Trust me, my family is Jamaican and Indian, so we stock up on ground spices like pepper, cardamom, garlic powder, turmeric, and nutmeg. These have a shelf life of two-to-three years. As for whole spices like cloves, seeds, and black peppercorns, those will last for three-to-four years.
Barbecue Sauce
Come on. This is the best sauce to add to ribs, chicken wings, pizza, meatballs. And now I wish we were back in summer again. Anyway. Don’t let your BBQ spoil! Finish it within one year of purchase if it’s in the pantry. If it’s opened, you have four months.
Salt
Back in the day, people used salt to keep their preserve their food and make it last longer. So what about the salt itself? Well actually, salt will last forever. No, really. According to FoodKeeper, salt is good “indefinitely.”
Chutney
Um, yum! Chutney pairs so well with so many things. This condiment is good for one year after purchase and stored, but when opened, it’s good for one-to-two months.
Honey
Honey is good for two years from when you first bought it. PS— apparently raw honey is like a superfood, so get to it!
Worcestershire
This flavorful sauce has the most mispronounced name, but is used on so many kinds of foods. Another reasons it’s great? The household staple is good for one year.
Hot Sauce
This little baby can do wonders to a dish. And no, Sriracha isn’t the only great hot sauce out there, I promise. These are generally best in the refrigerator and are best used within six months.
Jams, Jellies, and Preserves
If you thought these condiments were good forever, you’re kind of right. Kind of. If unopened, these sweet add-ons are good to eat between six-to-18 months of purchase. If you’ve already opened the jar, you can eat it between six-to-12 months.
Not a condiment, but certainly worth a try. :)
Olive And/Or Vegetable Oil
Olive and vegetable oils should be used between six-to-12 months after you bought it at the store. After opening and storing the oil in the pantry, it’s good for three to five months.
Pesto
This basil and garlicy condiment goes so well with sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, but keep in mind it needs to be eaten within three days if refrigerated after opening. If you had already put the jar in the fridge as soon as you unloaded the groceries from your supermarket trip, good on you! The pesto will be good to eat for six months from the date of purchase.
Vinegar
If stored properly, vinegar will be good to use for up to two years after your purchase.
Miso
Love me some miso soup! Refrigerate miso if you want it to last one year.
Coconut Oil
Everyone is all about that coconut oil as of late. Apparently there’s a lot of benefits of ingesting coconut oil for digestion and immune system. If (or when) you stock up on coconut oil, take note that it’ll last for around three years in the pantry. Putting it in the refrigerator might make it hard to use, so keeping it out might be best.
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