Fruits and Vegetables

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.

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.

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.

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

• [ETS] Eat The Seasons: Asparagus
• [KT] Kitchn: The Best Way to Store Asparagus

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

• [UN] University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension: Lemon

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.

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.

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.

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

• [SOF] Sweetwater Organic Farm: Carrots
• [CM] Carrot Museum: How To Store Carrots

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.

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.

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.

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

• [AN] – Anarchy in a Jar: FAQ
• [LG] – LunaGrown Jam: Frequently Asked Questions
• [NCHFP] – National Center for Home Food Preservation: How Do I? Jam and Jelly

There’s a lone open bottle of olives in your fridge. You’ve used a third of it in a pizza, a small bunch in a salad, and you’re wondering for how long you can refrigerate the rest. It’s not like you use olives every day, so knowing precisely for how long you can keep them before they go bad is essential.

The good news is, no matter if we’re talking about green or black olives, stuffed, pitted, or whole, the storage guidelines, and spoilage indication are pretty much the same. The bad news is, it’s difficult to say what’s the shelf life of an open bottle of olives. But first things first.

Can Olives Go Bad? How To Tell They Are Bad?

I’m pretty sure you know that olives can go off, and there are a couple of ways that can happen.

When it comes to an unopened bottle or jar, if the lid is popped instead of flat, that’s a sure sign something went wrong. Examine the olives carefully before eating, or discard them for safety reasons. Both choices are fine.

Once you open up the container, examine its contents as you do with all food. That means checking how it looks, smells, and tastes.

For starters, look for visual indication of spoilage, like mold. If there are some while floaties on the surface of the brine, you can remove them and eat the olives just fine ([MZ]). I won’t blame you if you throw out the olives when you see mold, though. If it’s a brine-free package, mold means the olives are done for.

Second, give it a good whiff to check if the brine smells fresh or not. I once had a jar of olives that (for some reason) went off after a couple of days in the fridge, and the smell was disgusting. Even if those olives were still edible, all I wanted to do was to get rid of it. In short, if it smells bad, discard it.

Last but not least, the texture and taste. If both smell and visuals are okay, time to give those little guys a taste. In case there’s something off with the flavor, throw them out. If the taste is okay, they are most likely perfectly safe to eat. Please note that olives over time can lose some of their texture, and if that happens, they work better in cooked dishes than in salads.

Pay special attention to all the described factors if it’s a liquid-free package, as those don’t last as long and quickly go bad if the packaging has a tiny hole.

Generally, checking whether olives are spoiled or not is rather intuitive. Let’s talk about shelf life, which definitely isn’t as straightforward.

How Long Do Olives Last?

When it comes to shelf life, there’s not much difference between different cultivars (like Kalamata or Manzanilla) and varieties of olives. For an unopened package, go with the best-by date on the label. For most types of olives, their shelf life is between a year or two. That’s already included in that date. Of course, chances are the olive’s fruit will stay just fine for a couple of weeks or even months past that date.

Once you open the package, abide by the storage time indicated on the label. The label of olives I usually buy says I should finish the jar within a week. Other brands typically ask you to use the fruits within a week to maybe ten days ([CA]). If it’s a liquid-free package (that is, the olives aren’t submerged in brine, vinegar, or oil), they usually keep quality between 3 and 5 days of opening.

That’s it for the straightforward part. I’m sure you’ve heard of people who store open jars of olives for months on end, and the olives stay perfectly fine. Some brands, like Mezzetta, say that their olives should last a year after opening ([MZ]). How does that work?

I don’t have all the answers, but I can make an educated guess. First off, some brines are saltier than others, and stronger brines are less likely to spoil. Second is food hygiene. If you always use clean utensils to grab olives, chances are you won’t introduce any harmful bacteria to the brine.

All in all, read the label and take good care of the fruits. If you do that, you should be able to get at least an additional week or two of storage for liquid-packed olives.

How To Store Olives?

This one is pretty straightforward. An unopened package should sit at room temperature or slightly below, away from heat sources and in a closed cabinet. Storing the olives in darkness is especially important for bottles and jars because they let the light in, and prolonged exposure might result in an altered taste.

An open package of olives belongs in the fridge, tightly sealed unless the label says otherwise. If the olives are liquid-packed, leave the liquid as is; it helps keeps the fruit fresh. In case you already discarded the brine, you can easily make your own with just salt and water ([CA]). And make sure the liquid always covers the olives. Otherwise, the fruits that are above the surface level might spoil.

For liquid-free packages, seal the olives tight after opening. If the pouch isn’t resealable, use a small airtight container or a freezer bag.

In a Nutshell

• To check for spoilage, look for visual cues like mold, off odor, or changes in flavor; especially if it’s a liquid-free package.
• Opened liquid-free olives usually last up to 3 days. Liquid packed ones typically keep for at least a week or two, but often much longer if you take good care of them.
• Refrigerate the olives after opening. Make sure they are submerged in brine or any other liquid they came in. If the package was liquid-free, make sure you seal the leftovers tightly.

References

• [CA] Califormia Ripe Olives: FAQ
• [MZ] Mezzetta: FAQs

Who doesn’t enjoy a warming squash soup in the winter? But even if that soup is a regular guest on your menu in the cold months, it doesn’t mean the butternuts won’t spoil if you buy too many or keep them for too long. Especially if it’s late February already and you still have a couple on hand you purchased on a sale a week or so before.

Butternut squash is a winter squash, and as the name implies, it’s a seasonal product, at least if you buy it locally. In the US, it’s in season between October and February ([ETS]). So if you’re buying butternuts in the April or May, these are most likely imports that can taste a bit different, and you probably won’t be able to store them for as long as you would the local stuff. In that case, it might make more sense to buy local butternuts frozen.

In this article, we will go through ways to spot spoiled or old butternut squash, its shelf life, and the best way to store it long term. If that sort of info you’re looking for, continue reading.

Can Butternut Squash Go Bad? Hot To Tell If Butternut Squash Is Bad?

Butternut squash, obviously, can go bad. But at the same time, like onions and garlic, it lasts quite some time if bought fresh and stored well. Let’s talk about the signs of spoilage.

When it comes to butternut squash, you don’t really know if it’s spoiled or not until you open it up. But there are a few things that might hint that you won’t like what’s inside. First off, it’s mushy and bruised spots on the rind. And I’m talking here about large areas, not some minor cuts. Fortunately, you can cut these out during preparation. The second thing is the weight of the whole thing. If it’s heavy, the moisture content is high, which is good ([ETS]). If it doesn’t feel heavy at all, or even feels empty inside, most of the moisture is probably gone, and it won’t be any good. If it’s leaking or the whole thing is mushy, just throw it out. Now it’s time to cut it up and see what’s inside.

When it comes to the butternut’s flesh, it easy to tell if it’s okay or not. It all comes down to color and firmness. You can cut out any mushy spots, but if the whole flesh is super soft, discard it. Also, over time the seeds’ section might turn stringy and look kind of disgusting. That’s the butternut starting to dehydrate. Just throw it out like you usually would and eat the rest.

For cooked or cut butternuts, look for mold, “funny” smell, and changes in texture. If there are any white specks on the surface, or the quality isn’t good enough anymore, get rid of it.

Of course, the longer you store the butternuts, the higher the chance they will go off. That brings up to the next topic, that is the shelf life of this winter squash.

How Long Does Butternut Squash Last?

Whole butternut squash lasts about 2 to 3 months in ideal conditions ([OSU][ISU]). Unfortunately, the perfect storage temperature for this particular veggie is 50°F to 55°F (or 10°C to 13°C), and most of us don’t have access to a place that maintains such temperature.

The second best option is storing it in the pantry, possibly slightly below room temperature. In such conditions, butternuts can last a month or two. Of course, the time the squash will stay alright depends on when it was harvested and how long it sat on the shelf, too. And if you’re buying veggies in the supermarket, you never know for sure about these. In other words, you probably should subscribe to the strategy of hoping for the best and planning for the worst. That means don’t try to get the longest possible shelf life but plan on eating the butternuts within a few weeks of buying.

If you want to get the squash ready for cooking ahead of time, cut or chopped butternut squash can last for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Once you cooked or baked it, it should retain quality for about 4 to 5 days. So if you’re meal-prepping for the whole week ahead, keep 4 days worth of portions in the fridge and freeze the rest to be sure nothing goes off.

Speaking of shelf life, it also depends on how exactly you store the veggies, so let’s cover that.

How To Store Butternut Squash?

You already know what’s the perfect temperature for butternut squash, and that a cold pantry is the second best choice here. Besides the temperature, it’s important to keep the squash dry and well ventilated (which also helps with getting rid of moisture) ([OSU][ISU]). So if you’ve brought the squash home from the market in a plastic bag, take it out of it as these tend to trap moisture. And don’t let the squash sit next to apples, or any other ripening fruit. These produce ethylene gas that speeds up the ripening process.

Cut, chopped, or cooked butternut should sit refrigerated, and sealed tightly. An airtight container is probably your best option here, as it will keep any moisture and smells at bay.

Last but not least, if you’re afraid that your squash will go bad, freezing is the solution to this problem.

Can You Freeze Butternut Squash?

Not all veggies freeze super well, and butternut squash isn’t a superstar in this department. But you should be able to get away with freezing cooked butternuts.

The best way to go about this, at least in my opinion, is to test out freezing your favorite dishes that include this winter squash. Soups should freeze very well, just make sure you add any fresh herbs when reheating, not before freezing. For casseroles and stews, how well they freeze depends on other ingredients. So if you’re willing to make this work, try freezing a small portion and see how it goes. You might need to tinker with the recipe a bit, or find another one if your favorite clearly isn’t working.

Or you can just cook or bake the squash, divide into a few portions and pack each one in a freezer bag or an airtight container, and put in the freezer. This way you can easily thaw the butternuts overnight in the fridge and do whatever you want with them next. Defrosted squash should work well in soups and stews, and maybe even stir-fries. When it comes to casseroles, it depends on the recipe, so you have to find that out for yourself.

In a Nutshell

• Buy butternut squash when in season if possible. Make sure the rind is firm, and the veggie feels heavy.
• Cut out any mushy and discolored parts. If it’s still whole and feels super light or is leaking, throw it away.
• Store butternuts at room temperature for 4 to 8 weeks, or freeze cooked.

References

• [ETS] Eat the Seasons: Butternut squash
• [OSU] Oregon State University: Storing Pumpkin and Winter Squash at Home
• [ISU] Iowa State University: What is the proper way to harvest and store butternut squash?

If this is your first time around buying dates, you surely have a bunch of questions. You’ve probably noticed that it’s never just “dates,” but there’s always the type that’s mentioned on the label, too. Maybe it’s Medjool, Deglet Noor, or any other one. And it makes sense to wonder if that type makes that big of a deal.

And then there are terms like “khalal” or “tamar” sprinkled here and there, that you’re probably not familiar with. All of this might seem to be a bit overwhelming for a newcomer. I mean, you just want to eat a few dates or add something new to your desserts. That shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

In this article, I’m going to try to make sense of all of that for you, and simplify it as much as I can. It’s not as difficult as it may seem, and I promise you won’t need to carry a references guide to dates to store them in the right place and make sure you eat them before they spoil or deteriorate. If that sort of information you’re looking for, continue reading.

Can Dates Go Bad? How To Tell If Dates Are Bad?

Like all fruit, dates go bad. But unlike many popular fruits, like oranges or watermelons, the most common types of dates can last a really long time. So if you store them in the fridge, it’s perfectly normal for them to be still okay a couple of months after you’ve bought them. This doesn’t mean they last forever, though. At a certain point, they will either spoil, or their quality will degrade to a point where you’d rather throw them out than use them. So let’s talk about signs of spoilage, shall we?

You’ve undoubtedly seen rotten or spoiled fruits in your life. Dates aren’t that different. If there’s mold or the color turns noticeably darker, it’s time for them to go. Same thing when the smell changes from somewhat sweet to strong and off-putting. If the fruits look and smell alright, they’re most likely safe to consume, too. But the taste of dates also changes gradually, so if you no longer find it acceptable, throw out the leftovers. Or use in baking, or in a fruit salad, where the lack of flavor won’t be as apparent.

One thing to remember about dates is that they’re high in sugar and that sugar sometimes gets to the outside and shows up as white specs ([OD]). Be careful not to mistake those specs with mold, and throw out perfectly good fruit. You can fix that issue by leaving the dates in the sun for an hour or two, or microwaving in a sealed bag with a few drops of water for a short period.

Knowing how to tell good dates from spoiled ones, it’s time to talk about how long do these fruits last.

How Long Do Dates Last?

Dates come in different varieties and stages of ripeness. While the former is more about the shape and flavor of the fruit, the shelf life is (mostly) about the latter.

If you’ve ever heard the terms khalal, rutab, or tamar, these are the stages of ripeness. Khalal is the earliest of them, when the fruits are still yellow and crunchy ([DFC]). And some varieties of dates are already edible in that stage. These dates keep quality for only about a week ([DFC]), and aren’t that popular and widely available. There’s a decent chance you’ve never seen those.

Later in the ripening process, the fruits proceed to rutab and tamar stages, where they soften and turn brown and translucent. Those more mature dates last much longer, between 6 to 12 months ([OD]) if properly stored. And are much more widely available. Chances are your dates are in one of those stages, and they’ll last months. As usual, it’s impossible to say how long will your dates last exactly, but the info on the label (if it’s there) is a good starting point. Of course, if everything goes well, dates, like raisins, can easily outlast the best-by date, even by a few months.

Of course, dates degrade in quality over time so fresh ones will taste slightly better than ones from the previous season. In other words, eat them while they’re at their best, and don’t wait until they start deteriorating.

Speaking of gradual quality changes, let’s talk about storage, which is also an important factor in this process.

How To Store Dates? Do You Have To Refrigerate Dates?

When it comes to storing dates, there are three options. The first one is to store them at room temperature, in the pantry or a kitchen cabinet, away from heat sources. It works well only for ripe (rutab or tamar) dates, and allows you to keep the dates in alright quality for up to 3 months ([OD]).

The fridge is the standard for storing khalal dates and long-term storage of ripe dates. Once you’ve opened the package, consider transferring the fruit in a resealable freezer bag. This way they won’t pick up any smells and won’t dry out in the storage. You can usually keep ripe dates for up to 12 months in the fridge.

If you want to store these for a prolonged period, freezing is an option ([OD][DFC]). As usual, when it comes to freezing, proper wrapping is essential. If you’re freezing the fruit for short term (up to a few months), a freezer bag should be good enough to avoid freezer burn. If you’re thinking about long term storage (like more than half a year), consider double wrapping by wrapping in aluminum foil before transferring to the bag. If you expect to need only a few dates at a time, consider dividing them into a few portions, so you don’t have to thaw all of them to grab just a handful. When it comes to thawing, doing it overnight in the fridge is the safest option.

In a Nutshell

• there are 3 stages of ripeness for dates: khalal (the earliest), rutab, and tamar
• khalal dates last only about a week and need to be refrigerated
• rutab and tamar dates last up to 3 months at ambient temperature, and up to a year in the fridge
• you can freeze dates with great results, just wrap them well, and you’re good to go

References

• [OD] Oasis Date Garden: FAQ
• [DFC] The Desert Fruit Company: FAQ

If you’re just starting out your journey with kimchi, you surely have a lot of questions. When you search for information on shelf life, the answers are all over the place, ranging between 6 months to virtually indefinite. The best way to store it isn’t clear either, as some recommend keeping it in the fridge, while others say you can leave it in the pantry. What is going on here?

Well, when it comes to how long you can keep kimchi around, and how you should store it, it all depends on how you like it, and when you’re going to consume it. So it’s pretty much impossible to give a short answer without providing more context. And in this article, we’re going to talk exactly about that: shelf life, storage, and spoilage of kimchi, in detail. If that’s what you’re interested in learning more about, keep reading.

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

Of course, kimchi can go bad, but if you take good care of it, it can last months past the date on the label, or even years. But before we talk about possible signs of spoilage, let’s first cover some situations when some people think kimchi has gone off, but it hasn’t:

• Bubbly kimchi after opening is perfectly normal. It’s a living thing that’s sometimes more active, hence more fizziness ([SG]).
• Kimchi that explodes upon opening is nothing unusual too. The gas buildup by the fermentation might cause the jar to overflow, just like champagne does ([MIL]).
• A bulging cap can happen every now and then, for precisely the same reasons as above. If it does, make sure you take extra care when opening the jar ([KK]).
• Kimchi turns very sour if you keep it for an extended period at room temperature. It’s safe to eat, but you might prefer to add it to a soup, a stew, or add other veggies instead of eating it raw.
• If you keep the kimchi stored for a long time, you might find that the cabbage has turned soft. It’s perfectly okay to consume, but if you don’t like your kimchi with wilted cabbage, try using it in a recipe.

When it comes to how to tell if your kimchi is spoiled, let’s talk about visual signs. If there’s mold or white film on top, there are two way to go about it. First, you might scoop out the bad part (and then some) from the top, and eat the rest that was covered in liquid/sauce. Or you can err on the side of caution, and discard it whatsoever. It’s up to you, really, but when in doubt, go with the safer solution.

When it comes to other changes, that is altered flavor or smell, if it’s more sour than usual, that’s alright. It’s the result of ongoing fermentation. But if either of these has turned “funny,” or “off,” or there’s something wrong about the kimchi, discard the product. Long story short, humans are pretty good at noticing that food isn’t safe for consumption, so if you spider senses are tingling, listen to them.

How Long Does Kimchi Last?

As I mentioned in the intro, there isn’t one straightforward answer. If you asked a Korean kimchi veteran (kimchi has originated in Korea and is a staple there ([WIKI])) about the shelf life of the product, he or she would probably say that it doesn’t go bad, just gets old ([SG]). That means you can keep it for years if you take good care of it. But just like with unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi won’t taste exactly the same forever, quite on the contrary.

Kimchi is basically seasoned and fermented veggies. It’s (typically) not pasteurized, so all of the bacteria in there are alive. And that means the product ferments all the time ([SG]). Ongoing fermentation causes the kimchi to turn sourer over time.

That’s where the date on the label comes into play. In most cases, it’s there to indicate for how long the kimchi should taste great, and not turn overly sour. So if you don’t like it that acidic, make sure you eat it fairly fresh. But if super sour kimchi is your thing, feel free to keep it for an extended period.

Time isn’t the only variable in the equation, though. Temperature affects how sour kimchi becomes, too. In short, the warmer the temperature, the faster the fermentation. So if you buy a fresh jar of kimchi, and put it in your fridge right away, it will be less sour that if you would’ve kept it at room temperature until opening.

As you can see, this topic is a bit tricky, and it’s impossible to give a brief answer to a question like “how long does kimchi last in the fridge after opening?”. It depends on too many factors, like how long did you store it before opening, at what temperature, and how sour kimchi is acceptable to you. In other words, you need to figure this out for yourself, based on your preferences and the kimchi you buy or make. If you’re looking for some rough estimates, the kimchi should taste okay for between 6 and 12 months after opening, provided it’s refrigerated and weren’t very sour once opened.

Last but not least, let’s talk storage.

How To Store Kimchi?

Okay, you already know how storage temperature affects this Korean staple. So when it comes to unopened kimchi, the pantry and the fridge are both solid options, depending on your preferences and how long will the jar stay unopened. When in doubt, refrigerate it. If you open it up and it’s not sour enough, leave it at room temperature for a day or even two, until it reaches your desired taste ([KK]). Once you open the jar, it’s usually best to store it in the fridge to keep the fermentation in check ([MIL]).

As usual, keep the jar closed when not in use, and make sure to use clean utensils when scooping the veggies. Even though the acidic environment makes it difficult for any bacteria (other than those that are already there) to grow in there, it’s best not to take any chances. And just like with sauerkraut and pickles, make sure to keep everything below the level of the sauce/liquid. This way the top portion won’t dry out and possibly start to spoil.

In a Nutshell

• Kimchi is a living food where fermentation that turns the product sourer is ongoing. The warmer the storage temperature, the faster the fermentation.
• You can store unopened kimchi at room temperature or in the fridge, depending on whether you like it more or less acidic.
• Once you open the container, it’s generally best to refrigerate it, to keep the fermentation in check.
• If kimchi is not sour enough for your taste upon opening, leave it (sealed) for a day or two at room temperature

References

• [SG] Sinto Gourmet: Kimchi FAQ
• [MIL] Mother in Law’s: Kimchi 101
• [KK] King’s Kimchi: Frequently Asked Questions
• [WIKI] Wikipedia: Kimchi