Can It Go Bad?

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How To Store Dry Goods?

Let’s talk about storing dry goods. I know it’s not exciting, and there’s no rocket science in the topic, but I want to cover that briefly nonetheless.

Whenever you get home with a package (or a 10-pack) of flour, sugar, pasta, rice, or even chia seeds, it’s great to know exactly where you should keep those. And how to find that package a couple of months later when you run out of sugar and desperately need the last half a cup of it for your cheesecake. Having a simple system in place takes care of that.

Dry goods in storage

How To Store Unopened Dry Goods?

When it comes to unopened packages of dry goods, you have two options:

  • leave the package as is
  • open it up and transfer the food to a different container

Nine out of ten times, the former is the way to go. Foods such as flour, sugar, or rice often come in geometric-shaped packages that are stackable and take only as much space as they need to. And having the original label makes identifying the product dead simple.

In some cases, though, you might want to repackage the dry good right away. That’s usually when the package or container:

  • is odd-shaped, so it’s difficult to organize other foods around it
  • takes much more space than the product itself does (I’m looking at you, corn flakes)
  • doesn’t stack easily because the product is prone to being damaged in the process (like fancy-shaped pasta, such as jumbo shells)

If either of these is the case, opening the package and transferring the goods right away makes perfect sense.

In the next section, you can find a couple of ideas of where to put certain goods to make your pantry well-organized and never worry about running out of storage space. Unless, of course, your pantry or cabinet in which you store those goods is quite small, or you buy years-worth of foods. If that’s the case, only a bigger storage space can help you.

Prepping dry goods to store them

How To Store Opened Packages of Dry Goods?

If you have more than enough space, leaving the open package as-is is usually alright. I’ve had sugar and flour stored in the original packaging in a kitchen cupboard for months at a time without any issues. The only downside is that they take quite some storage space.

Of course, keeping the dry products in their original packages isn’t ideal. They might pick up some strong odors or moisture from the environment, so you need to always keep in mind what sits nearby.

As an alternative that many people go for, you can repackage such goods into dedicated containers. They will help you organize all the food products and allow you to stack them so you can take advantage of the full height of the shelves or drawers. Also, you no longer have to worry about any odors or pantry-bugs getting into the foods.

Here are the most popular options:

  • Storage containers. If you’re looking to repack powdery foods such as flours or sugar, look no further. These work best if you buy a couple of containers of the same size, so you can stack them. Besides having a bunch of larger ones, a couple of smaller ones also helps, as they allow you to store leftovers without taking all that space a large container does.
    Flour in a storage container
  • Mason jars. If you’d like to show off your foods on display, either in the pantry or in the kitchen, mason jars are the way to go. They might not make the most out of the space they’re given, but they sure as hell look great on their own. Add in colorful pasta, corn flakes, oats, or coffee beans, and you’ve got yourself a beautiful display. And that’s only one of the uses of mason jars.
    Rice in a mason jar
  • Resealable bags. While ziplock bags and resealable pouches aren’t that easy to organize, and definitely don’t protect the food inside from being crushed by other products, they have one undeniable advantage. They can fit almost anywhere. That makes them a perfect option to store small amounts of food (e.g., chia seeds) wherever there’s some space left. That upper left corner of the shelf, on top of all other containers? Now you can keep there some leftover brown sugar or pasta.
    Chia seeds in a freezer bag

Tips On Organizing Your Dry Goods

Organizing all the products isn’t as simple as using a bunch of containers and cramming everything into a cupboard or two in the pantry. Not if you want the system to be a pleasure to use and maintain. For that, there are a couple more things to keep in mind:

Brown and white rice in mason jars
  • Add labels when necessary. Many dry goods look alike. That powder in the container might be your whey protein, powdered sugar, or flour, and it’s difficult to tell without opening the container. Enter labels. Labels are a great way to indicate what’s inside the container, especially when it’s not apparent because it is opaque, or you have a couple of products that look similar. You can use sticky labels, buy containers with food names on them, or write the name directly on the container using a marker, whatever works for you.
  • Prioritize foods you use often. The more often you use a product, the easier it should be to fetch it from the cupboard. If you use a certain kind of pasta only once every quarter or so, keep it in the back, and bring in those chia seeds you add to smoothies every week closer. This can also help you with eating a bit healthier – put the “good” foods in front, and hide the “bad” ones in the back.

Can Asparagus Go Bad?

Asparagus is one of the more expensive veggies and is in season for only a couple of months every year. So it’s no wonder that you want to make the most out of it every time you buy it. But it’s easy for asparagus to get lost in the crisper drawer the day you’ve bought it only to find it a couple of days later. Can asparagus go bad?

Or maybe asparagus is on sale, and you always try to take advantage of a good deal. The spears are still green and firm, so you’re thinking about buying a few bunches. But before you stock up on the veggie, you want to know how long you can keep it in storage before it spoils. Or what’s the best way to store it, so that it lasts the longest.

If any of those questions sound familiar, you’re in the right place. Below we go through signs of spoilage, storage practices, and how long asparagus stays fresh. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

Asparagus on a cutting board
(credit: Christine Siracusa)

Can Asparagus Go Bad? How To Tell If Asparagus Went Bad?

Like all veggies, asparagus goes bad; there’s no doubt about it. When it comes to signs of spoiled asparagus, look for the usual suspects:

  • mold (white fuzzy layer, most often on the buds)
  • rot (spears or buds turned black)
  • unpleasant odor
  • slimy or super limp spears

If either one is present, it’s time for the veggie to go.

Besides those, some symptoms inform that the veggie is not that fresh anymore:

  • spears and buds lightening in color, going from vibrant green to pale green
  • the bottom of the spear losing firmness (a fresh spear has an almost wood-like base)
  • spears becoming somewhat limp and mushy

While those don’t mean the veggie is unsafe to eat, they tell you clearly that its time is running out. And if you still want to eat it, it’s now or never. Such asparagus isn’t at the peak of its quality, but at least in my opinion, it’s still good enough for eating. Especially if you’re going to cook or steam it, which is most likely the case. Cooked asparagus is quite soft either way, so there won’t be that much of a difference if you start with somewhat limp stalks. In short, it’s up to you if you use it or discard it.

Bowl of green asparagus
(credit: Stephanie Studer)

How Long Does Asparagus Last?

Coked asparagus lasts about five days in the fridge in an airtight container.

When it comes to fresh asparagus, its shelf life depends entirely on how you store it.

If you leave it on the counter or in the pantry, it starts deteriorating in quality within two days and becomes useless after about five days.

When it comes to storing it in the fridge, it can retain freshness there for between 5 and 14 days. Once again, it all depends on the way you store it, and if you can be bothered with extra steps to make it last as long as possible. Let’s talk about those storage practices, then.

How To Store Fresh Asparagus?

You already know that the optimal place for storing asparagus is the fridge. You should leave the bunch wrapped with rubber bands it came with. The bands keep the bunch together and make it easy to move the veggies around.

When it comes to ways in which you can refrigerate asparagus, there are at least three of them:

  • The usual way. Just throw it in the vegetable drawer and call it a day. Good enough for the veggie to last about five days in good quality.
  • Wrapped in wet paper towels ([ETS]). Wrap the bottom of the stalks in wet paper towels so that they will stay fresh for a few days longer. This way the asparagus should be good for 5 to 7 days, sometimes even longer.
  • Stalks in water ([KT]). Paper towels eventually dry out, and this method avoids this issue altogether. Instead, you submerge the bottom of the stalks in cold water and cover the top with a freezer bag. This method allows you to store the asparagus for 10 to even 14 days without much change in quality. It’s a bit time consuming, though, because besides the initial prep, you need to change the water every couple of days or when it gets cloudy.

As you can see, the more work you’re willing to do, the longer you can store the asparagus. If you plan on finishing the whole bunch in a couple of days, I don’t think it makes sense to bother with submerging in water or using paper towels, though. But if even the longest mentioned storage period is too short for your needs, it’s time to think about freezing.

Green asparagus on pink background
(credit: joah brown)

Can You Freeze Asparagus?

Asparagus freezes quite well. Of course, it sure won’t stay firm after freezing and thawing, but neither it does after cooking, so that’s not that big a deal. The whole freezing process involves blanching and is super similar to freezing broccoli. Here’s how to go about it:

  1. Prep the asparagus. Wash the stalks and cut them up so that you will easily use them for cooking when the time comes. If you do that now, you won’t need to take care of that later.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
  3. Prepare a cold bath for the veggie. A bowl or sink with cold water should do the job. Add ice cubes for bonus points.
  4. Drop the cut asparagus into boiling water and let it cook for between 90 seconds (for thin pieces) and 3 minutes (for very thick ones).
  5. Transfer the spears into the cold bath, and leave them there for a few minutes, so the cooking process stops.
  6. Drain the veggies thoroughly. I usually lay them on a kitchen towel for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining water drops with a towel.
  7. Portion the pieces into freezer bags. Each bag should have as much as you need for a single dish, to ensure easy freezing. Label the bags if you want to.
  8. Freeze the prepared bags.

If you freeze a couple of bunches of asparagus, you can do it in batches. Just make sure the water is boiling before you drop in another batch, and that you keep the cold bath cold.

When it comes to defrosting, you can do it overnight in the fridge, or add the veggies frozen if it works for the dish you’re prepping.

In a Nutshell

  • Mold, rot, slimy spears, or an off smell are sure signs the asparagus is bad. If the spears are bland in color, or not as rigid as they used to, it’s up to you if you use the veggie or discard it.
  • Cooked asparagus lasts about five days in the fridge closed tightly.
  • Store fresh asparagus in the crisper drawer for about five days. Wrap the bottom of the stalks in wet paper towels to get a few more days of good quality, or submerge the bottoms in water to get up to 14 days of storage.
  • If you need to store asparagus for the long term, freeze it.

References

Can Coconut Water Go Bad?

Found a rogue bottle of coconut water sitting in the cabinet for who knows how long? It’s likely nearing its best-by date, or maybe it’s passed it already. And you’re wondering: can coconut water go bad?

If it were soda, you’d probably drink it without giving it a second thought. But for coconut water, you’re not quite sure if that’s a good idea. Plus you don’t know how to tell if that drink is spoiled or not. And you definitely don’t want to quench your thirst by chugging a bottle of spoiled coconut water.

All of that means it’s time to take a couple of minutes to learn about storage, shelf life, and signs of spoilage of coconut water. Let’s get going.

Drinking coconut water
(credit: Joey Nicotra)

Can Coconut Water Go Bad? How To Tell If Coconut Water Went Bad?

I’m sure saying coconut water can go off doesn’t come as a surprise. Like almost all food out there, sooner or later it will spoil.

There are a couple of signs that your coconut water is spoiled ([HH]):

  • carbonation (coconut water is not soda, it shouldn’t bubble)
  • strong smell (its aroma should be subtle)
  • sour taste, instead of coconut-y and sweet
  • thickened consistency

If either one is present, discard the coconut drink.

An important thing to note here is that coconut water sometimes turns pink. That happens when antioxidants in the water interact with light, and such pink liquid is perfectly safe to drink ([HH]).

Coconut water with a straw
(credit: Derek Story)

How Long Does Coconut Water Last?

When it comes to the shelf life of coconut water, observe the best-by date on the label. There are many brands out there, with various packaging methods (bottles, tetra packs, in a coconut), and each one comes with their own shelf life.

The date on the label is a best-by date, so the drink should be okay for some time past that date. How long exactly? That depends on how long is its shelf life. One that’s supposed to last 12 months should retain quality for an extra month or so. If, on the other hand, its supposed life span was only a month, I’d give it no more than an extra week. And if the coconut drink is nearing or past its date, always check for signs of spoilage before drinking.

When it comes to open coconut water, it keeps quality for between 48 hours ([VC]) and five days ([HH]) of opening, depending on what the producer says. Like with soda or Gatorade, coconut water is best fresh. If you notice that it doesn’t quite taste as good as it used to, throw it out.

Coconut ready to drink
(credit: Ethan Hoover)

How To Store Coconut Water?

Long story short, you should store coconut water the same way it was kept in the supermarket where you bought it.

If it was on a shelf, the pantry or a kitchen cabinet is perfect for storing it. Make sure the place is dark and away from sources of heat, just like you do with soda or beer.

If, on the other hand, the coconut water was in the refrigerated section, you should keep it in the fridge at all times.

There’s no standard way of storing coconut water because the production process varies among manufacturers. Some brands add preservatives to the water to make it shelf-stable, while others go additive-free and often require storing the product in the fridge.

Once you open the bottle or package, always keep the leftovers in the fridge.

In a Nutshell

  • Carbonation, strong smell, and sour taste are sure signs that coconut water has gone bad.
  • For unopened coconut water, observe the date on the label. The liquid should stay at peak quality for some time past that date.
  • Finish open coconut water within 2 to 5 days. The quicker you go through it, the better the taste.
  • Store coconut water the way it was stored when you have bought it. If it was refrigerated, it goes to the fridge. If not, a cabinet in the pantry is okay.
  • Leftover coconut water goes into the refrigerator.

References

Can Cheesecake Go Bad?

Let’s pretend for a moment that you’ve bought or made too much cheesecake. I know it’s almost impossible (at least for me), but let’s say that actually happened. Now you’re wondering how long does it last, and how to store this deliciousness so that it lasts the longest. Can cheesecake go bad?

Cheesecake is one of the most popular sweet desserts out there. But even though there are thousands of recipes available, storage, shelf life, and the process of deterioration and going bad are pretty much the same for all of them. Or most, at the very least. If you’re following a recipe you found online that doesn’t resemble your typical cheesecake, make sure to check how long it lasts and what’s the best way to store it.

Without further ado, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of cheesecakes.

Slice of cheesecake on a black plate
(credit: Tina Guina)

Can Cheesecake Go Bad? How To Tell That Cheesecake Went Bad?

The filling of this dessert is a mixture of cheese (cream or ricotta), eggs, and sugar ([WIKI]). And as we all know, neither eggs nor cream cheese lasts forever. Thus, of course, cheesecake goes bad.

Saying if this creamy dessert is bad already is often quite tricky. Signs of mold, altered smell, or discolored filling are sure signs the cheesecake is no good anymore. But those often show up quite late, especially when it comes to cheesecakes that you order online, which often have a bunch of preservatives added.

What I’d suggest you do instead is to stick with the storage periods I outline below. That is, of course, if the dessert looks perfectly okay. And if you store the cheesecake for longer than 3 or 4 days already, always sample a small piece to check its taste. If the creamy and sweet main layer starts to taste sour, it’s time for it to go.

Blueberry cheesecake
(credit: Mink Mingle)

How Long Does Cheesecake Last?

The periods I outline here work great for almost all of cheesecakes out there. But as I already mentioned, consult the recipe to make sure it doesn’t come with a different set of guidelines.

Store-bought cheesecake, generally speaking, lasts between 5 ([EC]) and 7 ([JC]) days in the fridge, while homemade one is good for about 5 days ([CAC]). That’s how long the mixture of cream cheese, eggs, and sugar should be at peak quality.

Of course, many cheesecakes come with some topping. And sometimes that topping is more volatile than the filling. If that’s the case, the creamy dessert will be okay as long as the topping is. If that’s a homemade cheesecake, consider adding the topping right before serving if that’s possible.

Whole cheesecake
(credit: Chinh Le Duc)

How To Store Cheesecake?

Storing cheesecake is no rocket science. It should sit in the fridge, sealed tightly.

Store-bought ones often come in plastic containers, and those are good enough for storage purposes. If that container is not resealable, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container.

If yours comes only wrapped in paper and put inside a plastic bag, what you do with it depends on when you plan on consuming it. If you’re going to eat it right away or within like 2 to 3 hours, leave the cake as is on the kitchen counter. Otherwise, discard the plastic bag, transfer the dessert to an airtight container and refrigerate.

When it comes to homemade cheesecake, you can cut it into pieces and transfer to airtight containers. Or use a large cake container if you happen to have one, provided that it fits into your fridge, of course.

If the given storage period isn’t long enough for your needs, consider freezing the cheesecake.

Cheesecake on a plate with a fork
(credit: Alisa Anton)

Can You Freeze Cheesecake?

You’ve probably seen frozen cheesecake in a supermarket. Or if you’ve ordered cheesecake online, it arrived frozen or half-defrosted with dry ice packs all over the package. That’s a pretty sure sign you can freeze this dessert if I’ve ever seen one.

Doing it is super easy, too. All you need is some plastic wrap and freezer bags or containers. First, tightly wrap the cake with plastic wrap ([EC]). Then, for some added protection against cold air, put the wrapped cheesecake in a freezer bag or container. Bags take less freezer space, but if you’re worried that the dessert will get squished, a container is the way to go.

When it comes to defrosting, there are two options ([JC]), both quite time-consuming. First is to leave the cake overnight in the fridge, and then bring it to room temperature on the counter for about 2 to 3 hours before you serve it. The other is to defrost it on the counter for about 4 to 5 hours. As you can see, both require some planning-ahead to have it ready when guests arrive.

If you won’t use the whole thing in one sitting, it’s best to defrost it in the fridge, then cut as much as you need and bring to room temperature. You can refreeze the rest ([JC]), or leave in the fridge if you plan on eating it within a couple of days.

In a Nutshell

  • Mold, off smell, and filling discoloration are sure signs the cheesecake is done for. Also, check if the filling didn’t start to turn sour.
  • Commercially-bought cheesecake lasts 5 to 7 days, homemade up to 5 days.
  • Store cheesecake in the fridge, tightly sealed. If there are only a couple of hours between when it’s baked and when you plan on eating it, keeping it on the kitchen counter is okay.
  • If you need more than the mentioned 5 to 7 days, freeze the cheesecake.

References

Can Broccoli Go Bad?

Including veggies in your diet is important, and broccoli is one of the better options out there. But let’s face it, a typical broccoli head is quite bulky, so unless you cook for a family of 4, you probably will use only a half of it at a time. How long will the leftover broccoli last?

Or there was this great sale on the farmer’s market, and you wanted to get as much value as you could. It was an impulse buy, and you didn’t think this through. You usually eat a single broccoli per week, and now somehow you have four broccoli heads in storage. Can broccoli go bad? How to store it, so it keeps fresh for the longest?

If you have these, or any other questions about storage, shelf life, and going bad of broccoli, you’re in the right place. This short article covers that and more.

(credit: Mae Mu)

Can Broccoli Go Bad? How To Tell If Broccoli Went Bad?

Like all veggies, broccoli goes bad; there’s no doubt about it. Let’s talk about possible signs of bad raw broccoli.

Mold is the first thing that comes to mind. Every now and then, if I store broccoli for too long, fuzzy white spots of mold appear on the florets. If there are only a couple of these, and they are small, I tend to cut them off (with some excess) and use the rest of the head. If they are all over the place, the veggie ends up in the garbage can. Do the same with any black or brown spots.

The second thing is color change. If that fresh deep green starts to turn yellowish, you’re running out of time. Yellow broccoli florets are perfectly safe to eat, but (in my opinion) they taste bitter and overall quite bad. Again, if only some of the florets are yellow, I cut them out. If the whole head has changed its color, I discard it.

The third thing is texture. Fresh broccoli is firm, so if it turns mushy or limp, you know something is wrong with it. In my experience, broccoli becomes yellow faster than it loses its firmness, therefore in most cases, you won’t get to this point. But if your broccoli is still green but not that firm, it’s up to you to decide what to do with it. I wouldn’t add it raw to a salad because of the texture, but it should be fine when cooked or steamed as a side dish.

When it comes to cooked broccoli, look for signs of mold. Sometimes, especially if you’re a bit careless, the broccoli can get contaminated before you get it to the fridge and it turns moldy within a few days.

Broccoli florets on a cutting board
(credit: Reinaldo Kevin)

How Long Does Broccoli Last?

Raw broccoli typically lasts for a week or two in the fridge. That’s not that long, and if you’re looking for a longer-lasting alternative, go with cauliflower.

I know that the 7 to 14 days period is quite vague, but it’s also the best I can come up with. Sometimes a broccoli head starts to grow mold or turn yellowish after a week, other times it’s still green and firm after two weeks. And even though I eat broccoli quite often, I still can’t tell which head will last those two weeks, and which won’t. In other words, do your best to use the broccoli within a week, and don’t count on it lasting those full two weeks.

When it comes to raw broccoli leftovers, try to finish them within 3 to 5 days. I usually plan two meals that include the broccoli within three days, so that I use the whole thing before it goes bad.

Last but not least, cooked broccoli. You can keep it in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. If you need it to last longer, freeze it.

Broccoli and green bell pepper
(credit: Nandhini Kumar)

How To Store Broccoli?

First thing you need to know is that you shouldn’t wash the broccoli head before you put it into storage. Leave it as is.

Broccoli likes to be chilled in the fridge. If you leave it at room temperature, it will turn yellow in a matter of days (been there, done that).

When it comes to how you should refrigerate it, there are a lot of conflicting opinions. Some say a plastic bag is the way to go, while others strongly disagree. Where I buy broccoli, they usually come wrapped in plastic, and I leave them this way. It works just fine.

If yours don’t come wrapped, place them in the vegetable drawer and see how things go. If they go moldy faster than expected, try putting them in a large resealable freezer bag. Don’t seal the bag completely, to allow for some (but not that much) air circulation.

For cooked broccoli, storage is super easy. Put the veggie or the dish in an airtight container, seal it tightly, and into the fridge it goes.

If the storage periods mentioned earlier are too short for your needs, you can always freeze your broccolis.

Broccoli seasoned with lime juice
(credit: Hessam Hojati)

Can You Freeze Broccoli?

You sure do. If it’s cooked broccoli or a cooked dish that broccoli is a part of, you can toss it into the freezer, and that’s it. If, however, the broccoli is raw, the freezing process is a bit more complicated and requires some hands-on work for best effects. And by hands-on work I mean you need to blanch the broccoli before you freeze it.

I find myself too lazy to blanch veggies before freezing, so in most cases, I cook them in bulk and freeze the leftovers. This saves me time, plus I don’t have to fiddle with cooking the veggies, cooling them down and removing excess water. If you have too much broccoli on hand, and can’t be bothered with blanching, consider doing the same.

Here’s how to freeze broccoli:

  1. Wash the veggie and cut it into florets and stalks (yes, those are edible too, just get rid of the firm outer layer). Prep the same way you would do for a meal, so when it’s thawed, it’s ready to go.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and submerge the florets and stalks in it. Larger ones need about 5 minutes of boiling; smaller ones should be ready after 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Prepare a pot of cold water, possibly with some ice cubes.
  4. Once the mentioned period passes, transfer the cooked veggies into the ice bath to cool them down quickly.
  5. Cooled down vegetables are ready to be drained. Spread them on a kitchen towel and leave them to dry for like 10 to 15 minutes. Remove excess water with paper towels (you can let them dry and reuse later).
  6. Package the blanched veggies into freezer bags. Each bag should have as much broccoli as you need for a single dish. This allows for easy defrosting.
  7. Seal the bags tightly. Label the bags with name and date if you like.
  8. Put the bags in the freezer.

Thaw the broccoli in the fridge (overnight), in cold water, or throw it in frozen if it’s a soup or you’re making a stir-fry.

In a Nutshell

  • If moldy, or black spots are small, cut them off. If they are all over the broccoli head, discard it.
  • Yellow broccoli is okay to eat, but usually tastes bitter, and in most cases, you’d want to throw it out. If only some florets started to turn yellow, cut them out, and use the rest.
  • Raw broccoli lasts 7 to 14 days in the fridge. Cooked broccoli is good for about a week if you refrigerate it in an airtight container.
  • If the given storage periods are too short, you can always freeze the veggie.

Can Lemons Go Bad

Lemons are great to have around, but it’s not like when you buy a bunch of them you have a specific plan for each one. You use them as you go.

Sometimes that means going through 3 or 4 lemons in a week, other times barely using a single one. As days go by and you find yourself with a bunch of fruits still in storage, you’re wondering how long do they last and whether or not lemons go off easily. Or what’s the best way to store them, so you can use every single one before they spoil.

If that sounds like you, this article is what you’re looking for. In it, we go through signs of spoiled lemons, storage methods, and how they affect the shelf life of these citrus fruits.

A bunch of cliced and whole lemons
(credit: Lauren Mancke)

Can Lemons Go Bad? How To Tell If Lemons Went Bad?

Maybe you’ve already seen a spoiled lemon, maybe not, but I’m pretty sure you know they don’t last forever.

In most cases, you can tell if the lemon is okay or not without even cutting it through. If the rind has started to rot or develop mold (often in the form of green fuzzy coating), discard the fruit. The same applies to cut lemons. Lemon flesh consists mostly of water, and any microorganisms can move in there quite freely. In other words, even if the body isn’t discolored, it might be infected too. Thus it’s safer to get rid of such a fruit.

If there’s no rot or mold, the lemon should be safe to use. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’d want to use it. Over time lemons lose some of their water and thus lose their firmness. If your specimen yields only slightly to pressure, it’s perfectly fine. But if it’s already shriveled, the rind wrinkly, or the whole fruit squishy, it’s probably best to throw it out for quality reasons. If it’s in between those two states, it’s up to you if you use it or throw it away. When in doubt, juice it. Get whatever juice it still offers, and discard the rest.

Three lemons on a wooden table
(credit: Caroline Attwood)

How Long Do Lemons Last?

Whole lemons last between a week up to even six weeks ([UN]). It all depends on how you store them.

Many people keep them on the kitchen countertop simply because they work great as a decoration. Unfortunately, lemons at room temperature last only between a week or two, depending on the temperature. If it’s a hot summer, the citrus will start to lose some moisture only after a couple of days unless you have AC. In a fairly cool pantry, the lemons can last about two weeks, but that’s about it.

In the fridge, lemons can last between 3 to 6 weeks. Read the next section for how to get this month and a half out of them.

For cut lemons, they last only 3 to maybe 5 days in the fridge. They grow mold easily and quickly, so if you won’t use the leftovers within a couple of days, it’s probably better to make lemon juice.

Lemon water in a glass pitcher
(credit: Julia Zolotova)

How To Store Lemons?

If you’re okay with the shortened shelf life, feel free to keep lemons in a fruit basket or on the countertop. To get a couple of days more of peak quality, move them to the pantry, where it’s slightly colder.

When it comes to refrigerating lemons, there are two options. The lazy one is to place the fruits in the vegetable drawer. That’s good enough for them to last around three weeks, maybe even a month.

To get the maximum mentioned shelf life of 6 weeks, you need to perform an extra step. That step is putting the lemons in an airtight bag (like a freezer bag), squeezing the air out of it, and sealing it tightly ([UN]). This way the fruit doesn’t dehydrate that quickly and therefore retains top quality for longer. The whole thing takes an extra 30 seconds, so if you’re after the longest possible shelf life, there’s no excuse for not doing it.

For cut lemons, it’s best if you store them in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Since the latter is a pain to wash, I always opt for the former. Place the fruit in a way the exposed flesh is against the bottom or side of the container, to slow down the dehydration a bit.

In a Nutshell

  • Throw out moldy or rotten lemons. If the fruit is shriveled or squishy, it’s probably best to squeeze its juice and discard the rest.
  • Whole lemons last 1 to 2 week at room temperature, and up to 6 weeks in the fridge.
  • The best way to store them in the fridge is to put them in a resealable freezer bag, which helps the citrus fruit retain moisture for longer.
  • Store cut lemons in an airtight container in the fridge. It should maintain quality for 3 to 5 days.

References

Can Avocado Go Bad?

Avocados are one of the more expensive fruit, and finding a good deal on them isn’t that easy. But you’ve stumbled upon one on the farmer’s market or your local grocery store, and you were ready. You’ve bought a bunch of avos instead of the usual two or three, and are a bit worried that some of them won’t last enough for you to use them. Can avocados go bad?

In this article, we cover everything you need to know related to storage, shelf life, and signs of going bad of avocados. After reading it, you should be well equipped to make the most of your abundance of avocados. Sounds interesting? Read on.

Three avocados
(credit: Charles)

Can Avocado Go Bad? How To Tell If an Avocado Is Bad?

Like all fruits, avocados go bad. And they definitely don’t belong to fruit that you can store for months in proper conditions, like apples. Knowing that, how do you know if your avocado is off?

Avocados can be straight off bad, or merely overripe. If there’s white fuzzy mold on the skin or flesh, or the flesh turned almost black, the fruit is spoiled, and you should get rid of it. Same thing if it smells sour or rancid.

If neither of these signs of spoilage is present, your avocado is overripe at worst. Signs of an overripe avocado include ([LOT]):

  • mushy or soft outer skin
  • browning flesh
  • fibrous strings in the flesh (it’s not a result of overripeness, but the consequences are the same)

Such avocado is still edible, but you might decide to discard it for quality reasons. If only a few small areas are brown, you can cut them off, and enjoy the rest. If those areas are quite large, you can scoop the “good” green parts using a spoon and dump the rest. Slightly brown flesh isn’t unsafe to eat by any means, but in my experience it tastes terrible, and I always discard it.

When it comes to stringy flesh, it’s okay to eat it, but if you’re like me, you won’t find it appealing at the very least. Fortunately, fibrous strings in avocado aren’t that common ([CA]).

To take your best shot at buying fresh avocados, buy ones that are unripe and let them ripen. If you’re buying avos that are already ripe, you might end up with overripe ones that you will have to discard most of. Even if the fruit seems okay on the outside, it might’ve started browning inside.

A halved avocado
(credit: Thought Catalog)

How Long Do Avocados Last?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, the first thing you need to know is how to tell if an avocado is ripe. The way to go about that is by gently squeezing the fruit in your palm ([ILA]). If it’s quite firm but also slightly yields to pressure, it’s ripe. Many articles talk about the color of the fruit, but it isn’t a consistent sign of ripeness. Colors vary slightly from fruit to fruit, and if two specimens look the same, it doesn’t necessarily mean both are the same in terms of ripeness.

Unripe avocados need between two days to a week to ripen. Whenever you buy a firm avocado, there’s no way of telling how long it will take to ripen. You keep them at room temperature and check for ripeness each day. If you need to speed up the process, keep the fruits in a sealed brown ([ILA]), plastic or freezer bag, or store them with an apple or a banana. The ethylene that those fruits produce will speed up the process.

A ripe avocado should retain quality for 3 to 5 days in the fridge, depending on the fruit and how ripe it was when you transferred it to the refrigerator. Over time, the flesh will begin to brown, usually starting from the stem. That means a ripe avocado is best fresh, and if you keep it in storage for a couple of days, it might have some overripe parts that you’ll have to discard.

When it comes to cut avocados, they brown quite fast, and it’s best to use them within 1 to 2 days of cutting.

Halves of Hass avocados
(credit: twinsfisch)

How To Store Avocados?

Unripe avocados should sit at room temperature. It might be tempting to put them right into the fridge, but that’s a bad idea. Refrigerating an unripe avocado might result in stopping the ripening process. And if you didn’t know, a firm avocado is a pain to peel and consume. Plus you’re not getting any of that smooth texture you’re likely after. A fruit basket on the counter in the kitchen is an excellent spot for an unripe avocado.

Ripe avocados need refrigeration to retain quality. The vegetable drawer is a good place to keep them unless there already are any other ethylene-producing fruits or veggies.

For cut avocados, keep them in a sealed environment in the fridge. That means an airtight container or a freezer bag. They still start to brown quickly, but there’s a way to prevent discoloration or at least delay it. All you need to do is to sprinkle some acidic liquid on the exposed area of the fruit ([ILA][CA]). You can use lemon juice, lime juice, or even white vinegar, although the last one might not compliment that avocado’s flavor that great.

It’s likely that there still will be some brown areas after refrigerating the cut fruit. Remove those with a teaspoon and enjoy the rest.

If the given storage times are not long enough for your needs, consider freezing the avocados.

Stuffed avocados
(credit: Heather Ford)

Can You Freeze Avocados? How To Do It?

First of all, if you need the avocados to make guacamole, it’s probably better to make that guac and freeze it, instead of freezing only the avos.

Second, the best and probably easiest way to freeze avocados is to freeze them in puree form. Here’s how to go about it ([CA]):

  1. Wash the fruit, cut in half, and remove the seed. Scoop the flesh with a spoon.
  2. Add one tablespoon of lemon or lime juice per two avocados to the flesh.
  3. Puree everything. You can use a blender, a hand blender, or even run it down with a fork.
  4. Portion the puree into airtight containers. Make sure to leave some headspace in each container. If you already know how you’re going to use the frozen and thawed avocados, it’s best to portion them accordingly now for easy thawing. Feel free to sprinkle the puree with the lemon or lime juice after portioning, so the top doesn’t brown.
  5. Seal the containers. Add labels with name and date if you find it useful.
  6. Place the containers in the freezer.

Frozen and thawed avocados, unlike most fruit, work quite well in salads and dips. To thaw the puree leave the container overnight in the fridge. Or in cold water for a couple of hours if time is at a premium.

In a Nutshell

  • You should discard moldy, rotten, or off-smelling avocados. Brown flesh is safe to eat, but doesn’t taste that good; cut off browned areas or scoop healthy green ones if the meat has started browning.
  • Unripe avocados take 2 to 7 days to ripen, and you should store them at room temperature.
  • Ripe avocados stay at peak quality for 3 to maybe 5 days if you refrigerate them.
  • Cut avocados should be chilled in the fridge for a day or two. They start browning fast, but you can delay that by sprinkling it with lemon or lime juice.
  • If you have too many avocados on your hand, puree them and freeze.

References

Can Carrots Go Bad?

You went to the farmer’s market and found a great deal on carrots. You’re eating carrots regularly, so you didn’t hesitate and bought a whole bunch. Happy about saving money, you went home. When you got there, you opened the bag and realized you’ve bought way too many. Can carrots go bad?

You sure know that carrots do go bad. What you’re really asking is how to store them, so that they last as long as possible. And how long is that exactly?

This guide covers precisely that: signs of spoilage, shelf life, and ways to store carrots. In case you’re interested, we cover freezing those root veggies too. After going through this piece you will know what to do with the bunch you’ve purchased, so not a single carrot will go to waste.

For starters, let’s talk about signs of spoilage.

Bunch of fresh carrots with greens
(credit: Jonathan Pielmayer)

Can Carrots Go Bad? How To Tell If a Carrot Is Bad?

We all know carrots go bad. They can go bad in the traditional way (rot, mold), but they can also deteriorate in terms of quality to the point they’re not usable.

When it comes to the former, the sign of a spoiled carrot can be rot setting in (the skin and flesh going black) or the presence of mold (white fuzz). If only a part of a carrot is affected, you can just cut it off and use the rest, just like you do with potatoes and other veggies.

For the latter, carrots tend to dehydrate over time. They become limp, rubbery, and easy to bend. Such carrots aren’t unsafe to eat by any means, but peeling them is a huge pain, and they don’t taste that good. You can either discard them or use in a cooked dish, where the lack of firmness won’t be that noticeable. If the carrot is only slightly soft, it’s still good enough for salads and eating it raw.

Carrots and apples
(credit: Kristen Kaethler)

How Long Do Carrots Last?

When it comes to the shelf life of carrots, it all depends on where and how do you store them.

In the pantry or anywhere else that’s near room temperature or slightly below, the carrots usually last between 4 to 7 days. If they are fresh, they maybe can last up to 10 days ([CM]). Temperature affects the shelf life significantly, so if it’s the middle of a hot summer, expect that period to be shorter, like 3 to 5 days (if you don’t have air conditioning).

When it comes to the fridge, carrots last between a month ([SOF]) and 2 months ([CM]), depending on how you store them.

For cut or cooked carrots, they usually last up to a week in the fridge.

How To Store Carrots?

First, if your carrots came with the greens intact, cut them off ([SOF][CM]). The greens pull moisture from the root (the carrot), so cutting them off is a must if you don’t want the carrots to dry out quickly. If you want to use the greens, pul them in the fridge wrapped in a damp paper towel ([SOF]).

Second, no matter if the carrots end up in the pantry or the fridge, keep them away from fruits and veggies that produce ethylene, such as apples or bananas. That gas speeds up ripening, so you don’t want it anywhere near the carrots.

Third, postpone washing the veggies until you’re ready to use it.

A bunch of carrots with cut-off greens
(credit: Mink Mingle)

Now it’s time to talk about moisture. If you keep the carrots at room temp, they should be in a well-ventilated place, so the moisture doesn’t build-up, and cause the carrots to rot. A veggie basket on a shelf (not in sunlight) or in a cabinet that you open every day should work just fine.

When it comes to storing carrots in the refrigerator, there are two options. Either you make sure they stay dry or submerge them in water.

The former means you put them loose in the veggie drawer (these are shaped to draw moisture to a single place), or at the very least you make some holes in the plastic bag so that the water can get out. For bonus points, you can wrap the carrots in paper towels that will absorb the moisture ([SOF][CM]). If you go with that, check on the carrots every couple of days, and switch the paper towels if the current ones are wet. You can dry out the damp paper towels and reuse them later.

For the latter, you pick an airtight container, place all carrots in it, and add water, so that it covers the produce completely ([SOF][CM]). Seal the container and keep it in the fridge. Change water every 3 to 4 days, or whenever it gets cloudy.

Both storage methods should help you make the carrots last for between a month and two months in the fridge. If that’s too little for your needs, think about freezing the carrots.

If you have cut or cooked carrots, throw them in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. That’s all they need.

Can You Freeze Carrots?

Freezing carrots is definitely an option, although it takes some time to do it properly. That’s because they, like most veggies, need blanching before you put them in the freezer ([CM]). Blanching helps the carrots retain texture, flavor, and color. The whole process of freezing looks like this ([CM]):

  1. Peel the carrots and cut into pieces in needed. If you already know how you’re going to use the frozen carrots, you can cut them up now, so they are ready to go without any further prep.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
  3. Submerge the carrots in the water, and bring it to a boil if it stopped. Whole carrots need about 5 minutes in boiling water, cut ones or baby carrots require about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size. You can use a blanching basket if you have one on hand, a strainer, or anything else that can get the job done.
  4. Once that time passes, transfer the carrots in a pot of cold water to stop the cooking process. Use ice cubes to speed things up.
  5. Now it’s time to dry the cooled carrots. Lay them out on kitchen towel for a couple of minutes, then get rid of any remaining moisture with more towels.
  6. Portion the carrots and package in freezer bags. If you already know how much carrots you need for a dish, pack as much in a single bag. This way, thawing is as simple as taking the bag from the freezer. If you find them helpful, label the bags with name and date. Remember to remove air before you seal them tightly.
  7. Put the bags in the freezer.

Please note that there’s no need to blanch all carrots at once. You can do that in batches. Just make sure each time the water is boiling and the cooling water is actually cold.

Frozen carrots can last months in the freezer. When you decide to defrost them, do it overnight in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, you can thaw them in a bowl of cold water, too. Last but not least, in many cases, you can throw in your frozen carrots into the dish you’re cooking, the same way you do with frozen veggies you buy in the supermarket.

In a Nutshell

  • If mold or rot sets in, discard the carrot or cut off the infected part if it’s a small one.
  • Carrots dehydrate over time and become limp and rubbery. They are safe to eat but definitely won’t work in salads and raw dishes. If you don’t want to throw them out, use them in cooked dishes.
  • Carrots usually last up to a week in the pantry, and between a month and two in the fridge.
  • Cooked or cut carrots last about a week in the fridge.
  • Before you put the carrots in storage, make sure you cut off the greens (if present), and omit washing the produce. You can do that right before peeling.
  • If you keep the carrots in the pantry, make sure they’re well ventilated. If they’re in the fridge, either make sure there’s no moisture build-up or keep them submerged in water.
  • If that month (or even more) in the refrigerator is not enough, freeze the carrots.

References

Can Jam Go Bad?

Do you have an open jam sitting in the fridge for the last couple of months, and you’re not sure if it’s still safe to eat it?

Or maybe there’s a lone jar in the pantry that you “lost” a couple of years ago and you “found” it during spring cleaning?

You know that preserves like jam or jelly last quite some time, but how long is that exactly?

In this short guide, we will talk about storage, shelf life, and spoilage of jam. After reading this piece, you will know what you should do with this jar, and any other one in the future. Sounds interesting? Read on.

Blueberry jam
(credit: Micheile Henderson)

Can Jam Go Bad? How To Tell If Jam Is Bad?

Jam is fruit heated with water and sugar. As we all know, fruits don’t last forever, and neither does jam, especially after opening the jar. Let’s talk about signs of spoilage you should look for.

For an unopened container, make sure the lid isn’t popped. If it is, and you don’t know when that happened, throw it out. If you know when it (roughly) happened, and it wasn’t longer than a couple of days ago, check the jam to make sure it’s alright. Second, make sure the jar is a decent state, meaning the lid isn’t rusting or bulging. Given that everything seems to be okay, time to take a closer look at the jam.

Look for typical signs of spoilage such as mold or yeast growths, or an off smell ([LG]). If either is there, discard the jam.

When it comes to smell, it might remind you of alcohol, fermentation, or be repulsive. I once had a homemade jam that sat in the basement for several years. Once I opened it, I nearly threw up due to the smell. That’s a pretty sure sign that the jam was done for.

Strawberry jam
(credit: Monika Grabkowska)

An important thing to note here is that light-colored jams tend to darken over time, and that’s not a sign of spoilage. They stay safe, even though the color is slightly off ([LG]).

If the preserve looks okay, smells just fine, and tastes good, chances are it’s perfectly safe to eat.

Now it’s time to cover its shelf life, and how time affects jam.

How Long Does Jam Last?

Let’s start with the store-bought variety, as that’s what most of us use regularly. Jam always comes with a best-by date on the label. Its shelf life is usually between a year ([LG]) and two ([AN]), depending on the fruit used, sugar content, and the presence or lack of other preservatives. That period is included in the mentioned date.

As I already mentioned, the jam is a preserve, and a sealed jar keeps really well over time (not as well as honey, though). That means that it will most likely be safe to eat a couple of months or even years past the date on the label. That is, of course, if it stays sealed.

But being safe to eat doesn’t necessarily mean peak quality. The taste degrades gradually, and you will likely find that 5-year-old jam is lacking in flavor. In other words, even though jam lasts a long time, it’s best when fresh ([AN]).

Once you unseal the jar, deterioration speeds up. The jam will no longer last years, but closer to between 6 and 12 months. And the quality stays best for only 1 ([LG]) to 3 months, depending on the fruit and sugar content. That’s plenty of time to polish off that jar.

For homemade jams, the recommended periods are a bit shorter. An unopened jam should retain quality for at least a year, and an opened one for about a month ([NCHFP]). That is, of course, if you didn’t mess up canning the jars. Again, those periods are only estimates, and chances are your jams will stay good enough to use for longer.

If the jam has lost some of its flavor, and you don’t find it taste anymore, get rid of it.

Rhubarb raspberry jam
(credit: Keji Gao)

How To Store Jam?

Storage of jam is no rocket science. An unopened jar should sit in a cool, dry, and dark place, away from sources of heat ([LG]). It’s up to you if it’s the basement, pantry, or a kitchen cabinet. If you live in the tropics, or it’s a hot summer, and you don’t have air conditioning, it makes sense to transfer the jams to the fridge to retain quality for longer. An opened jam belongs to the fridge, sealed tightly.

Last but not least, let’s cover some good storage practices.

First, when you need some jam, take the jar out of the fridge, spoon out how much you need, and put it back in storage. Don’t keep it on the table for the entire meal. Second, always use clean spoons for scooping, so you don’t contaminate the jam with any bacteria.

In a Nutshell

  • If there’s mold, yeast growths, or the jam smells of, discard it.
  • Lighter-colored jam turning darker is perfectly normal, and it doesn’t indicate spoilage.
  • Store-bought jam keeps quality for at least a year. Once you open it, it stays best for a couple of months.
  • Homemade jam lasts about a year unopened, and for a month or two after opening.

References

Can Vanilla Extract Go Bad?

There’s a half-full bottle of vanilla extract sitting in the cabinet in the kitchen. You needed it for baking, but for some reason, that recipe didn’t turn out as good as you expected it to. So the leftover extract sits in that cabinet for quite a few months already, and you’re starting to question if it’s still good enough to use. Can vanilla extract go bad?

Or maybe you’ve bought the pure vanilla extract instead of the synthetic imitation for the first time, and you don’t want any of it to go to waste. Hence you need to know what’s its shelf life, and what are the storage guidelines.

Either way, this short guide has got you covered. In it, we cover everything you need to know about storage, shelf life, and spoilage of the vanilla beans extract.

For the sake of this guide, you need to know if you have the real vanilla extract or the imitation. Synthetic vanilla (the imitation) has only one organic compound, vanillin. Pure vanilla extract has many other compounds, richer flavor, and fragrance. Making it also takes a lot more time, which makes it quite expensive. If your vanilla extract was cheap or the label doesn’t say “pure vanilla extract,” it’s most likely the imitation ([VQ]). Both types are perfectly okay to use, but you need to know what you’re dealing with.

Cookies and vanilla beans
(credit: Cel Lisboa)

Can Vanilla Extract Go Bad? How To Tell That It Is Bad?

No matter which kind of vanilla extract we’re talking about, the answer to whether or not it can go off is: probably not. Both types don’t make a good environment for bacteria to grow. That makes it unlikely that either will spoil in a way meat or dairy goes.

Nevertheless, if you open up the bottle or vial and the smell is off, or the consistency of the liquid have changed noticeably, discard it. In other words, if your senses are telling you that something is wrong with the solution, get rid of it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the flavor and smell of the pure extract and the imitation are slightly different. So if you’ve used the cheaper one your whole life and now you switched to the more expensive option, don’t get caught off guard thinking it’s bad because the smell is stronger and the taste richer.

If the extract seems to be okay, it’s safe to use. But that doesn’t necessarily mean its flavor will be good enough. That’s where the difference between the pure extract and the synthetic ones kicks in.

Cupcakes with icing
(credit: Tim Bish)

How Long Does Vanilla Extract Last?

For vanilla extract imitation, it comes with a best-by date on the label, and its shelf life is usually between 2 to 4 years. Past that date, the solution won’t become unsafe to use, but its overall quality (taste, fragrance) will start to drop. If it drops slightly, you can probably get away with simply adding more of the extract to make up for the flavor loss. But if the extract is more than a couple of years past its date, and the vanilla taste is hardly there, it makes more sense to discard it.

When it comes to the pure vanilla extract, it fares much better over time. Thanks to its high alcohol content it easily lasts several years ([VQ]) in excellent quality, and many sources say it can pretty much last forever ([CN]). Of course, on some labels, there still will be a “best-by” date, but often that’s simply because the law requires it. So even if your extract is way past that date, it should still be quite alright, especially if you took good care of it.

Cupcakes with vanilla buttercream
(credit: Brooke Lark)

How To Store Vanilla Extract?

Proper storage of this product of the vanilla beans extract isn’t that difficult.

When it comes to temperature, room temperature or slightly below is perfect, so either the pantry or the kitchen works. Don’t refrigerate or freeze the extract, as it might mess with its taste ([VQ]). And make sure it doesn’t sit near any sources of heat.

Besides heat, the extract doesn’t particularly like light, so a dark cabinet or a spice drawer is probably the best option. Like with heat, prolonged exposure to light might cause the taste to degrade.

In a Nutshell

  • Unless you keep the bottle or vial of vanilla extract unsealed, it probably won’t go bad.
  • Vanilla extract imitation will retain quality (or most of it) for a couple of months, maybe even years past its date.
  • Pure vanilla extract lasts years, and many sources say it can pretty much last indefinitely.
  • Keep the extract in a cool and dark place.

References