{"id":446,"date":"2016-02-10T19:21:06","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T19:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/?p=446"},"modified":"2022-08-01T15:03:25","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T15:03:25","slug":"can-guacamole-go-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/can-guacamole-go-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does Guacamole Last and How to Tell if It\u2019s Bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:74.8%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}<\/style>\n<p>Let&rsquo;s talk about the shelf life, spoilage, and storage of guacamole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Say you&rsquo;ve just opened a container of guac, and you&rsquo;re wondering: how long does guacamole last?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Or that container is still in the fridge three days after opening, and you want to know how to tell if guacamole is bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Either way, you&rsquo;re looking for a short guide that will answer your guac-related question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If that&rsquo;s the case, you found it. Let&rsquo;s jump right in.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg\" alt=\"Guacamole and Tortilla Chips\" class=\"wp-image-447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole-300x224.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"500\" height=\"374\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20500%20374'%3E%3Crect%20width='500'%20height='374'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Guacamole and Tortilla Chips\" class=\"wp-image-447 eager-load\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole-300x224.jpg.webp 300w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Image used under Creative Commons from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/anokarina\/4930785003\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">anokarina<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"simpletoc-title\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"simpletoc-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#does-guacamole-go-bad\">Does Guacamole Go Bad?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-to-tell-if-guacamole-is-bad\">How to Tell if Guacamole Is Bad?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#browning\">How to Keep Guacamole From Browning?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-long-does-guacamole-last\">How Long Does Guacamole Last?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#how-to-store-guacamole\">How to Store Guacamole<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#can-you-freeze-guacamole\">Can You Freeze Guacamole?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#guacamole-shelf-life-and-spoilage-summary\">Guacamole Shelf Life and Spoilage Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"does-guacamole-go-bad\">Does Guacamole Go Bad?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Guacamole, similar to other dips, has a very short shelf life. Even store-bought guacamole lasts only a couple of weeks tops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The dip made of fresh avocados mashed with onions, lime juice, and a bunch of spices and herbs lasts only a few days after opening. And the only way to prevent that faith is to freeze any excess you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later on, we&rsquo;ll talk about how long guacamole is good for. But for now, let&rsquo;s discuss the spoilage signs of this popular spread.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-tell-if-guacamole-is-bad\">How to Tell if Guacamole Is Bad?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Discard your guacamole if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>It&rsquo;s moldy or has any dark spots on the surface.<\/strong>&nbsp;If there&rsquo;s any fuzzy action or dark spots that aren&rsquo;t herb particles, assume the dip is no good.<\/li><li><strong>It smells off or &ldquo;funny.&rdquo;<\/strong>&nbsp;If your guac doesn&rsquo;t pass the sniff test, it&rsquo;s most likely spoiled.<\/li><li><strong>You store it for too long.<\/strong>&nbsp;If your guac is open for a week already, it has to go.<\/li><li><strong>It&rsquo;s completely browned.<\/strong>&nbsp;Some browning is okay and normal, but if the whole surface is brown and that browning goes half an inch into the dip, it&rsquo;s probably best to toss the guacamole. I&rsquo;ll tackle protecting your guac from browning in a moment.<\/li><li><strong>The taste is off.<\/strong>&nbsp;If you checked every other box and the spread seems perfectly fine, a taste test is the last step of the process. If your guac tastes bad or not the way it&rsquo;s supposed to, toss it.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, if you notice anything unusual or suspicious about your guac, err on the side of caution and toss it. Better safe than sorry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, let&rsquo;s talk about browning and how you can prevent that from happening.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"browning\">How to Keep Guacamole From Browning?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Here&rsquo;s how you can keep your guac from browning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Cover the surface with plastic wrap.<\/strong>&nbsp;Flatten the surface of the dip and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. And make sure there are no air pockets. This method isn&rsquo;t ideal because you&rsquo;ll probably end up with some browned areas, but it&rsquo;s usually good enough.<\/li><li><strong>Cover it with water.<\/strong>&nbsp;Pour a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/food.unl.edu\/how-keep-guacamole-turning-brown\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">layer of water over your guac<\/a>&nbsp;before you refrigerate it. That water won&rsquo;t be absorbed, and all you have to do is drain it and give your guacamole a stir before it&rsquo;s ready for use.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Both methods work for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/can-pesto-go-bad\/\">preventing pesto from browning<\/a>, too. Just use olive oil instead of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also other methods out there, such as adding extra lime juice (that helps a tiny bit) or placing the avocado pit in the guac, but don&rsquo;t bother with these. Someone made those up, and everyone else just copied them without testing.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-does-guacamole-turn-brown\">Why Does Guacamole Turn Brown?<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Guacamole turns brown due to oxidation that&rsquo;s caused by air contact. The process is otherwise known as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifst.org\/lovefoodlovescience\/resources\/fruit-and-vegetables-enzymic-browning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">enzymic browning<\/a>, and you might&rsquo;ve seen it happen to apples or, surprise, surprise, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/can-avocado-go-bad\/\">avocados<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since all that&rsquo;s needed is air exposure, you keep your guac from browning by creating a barrier between guacamole and air. That&rsquo;s why covering the surface with plastic wrap or water works, and adding extra lime juice or placing an avocado pit in the dip doesn&rsquo;t.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-long-does-guacamole-last\">How Long Does Guacamole Last?<\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>Fridge<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Store-bought guacamole, unopened<\/td><td>Use-by + 1 &ndash; 5 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Store-bought guacamole, opened<\/td><td>3 &ndash; 4 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Homemade guacamole<\/td><td>3 &ndash; 4 days<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Store-bought guacamole&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.megamexfoodservice.com\/products\/wholly-guacamole-classic-guacamole-minis-44452\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge<\/a>&nbsp;and possibly keeps for a few days beyond the use-by date. Once open, it typically lasts 3 to 4 days.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homemade guacamole has an even shorter lifespan &ndash; it lasts only&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cerritos.edu\/financial-aid\/_includes\/docs\/ShelfLifeGuide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">3 to 4 days sealed tight in the fridge<\/a>. And some recipes suggest an even shorter storage time of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.loveandlemons.com\/guacamole-recipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">two days<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you&rsquo;re wondering how far in advance you can make guacamole, the answer is one to two days so that you get an extra day to eat any leftovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/can-hummus-go-bad\/\">Homemade hummus lasts 3 to 4 days<\/a> as well.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to store-bought guac, you can buy anything from home-style guacamole sold by a local seller to something like Wholly Guacamole that&rsquo;s available pretty widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The former will typically come with a shelf life of only a couple of days, and I wouldn&rsquo;t store it for more than a day or so beyond the printed date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guacamole sold in the supermarket usually lasts longer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.megamexfoodservice.com\/products\/wholly-guacamole-classic-guacamole-minis-44452\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">like a few weeks<\/a>, and in that case, I&rsquo;d assume the dip should be okay for a couple of days beyond its date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual, ensure your hummus is perfectly safe before you eat it, no matter if it&rsquo;s &ldquo;expired&rdquo; for a couple of days or within the suggested storage period.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"after-opening\">After Opening<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Once you open the container or whip your own batch of guac,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/nutrition-and-healthy-eating\/expert-answers\/food-safety\/faq-20058500\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">use it or eat it within 3 to 4 days<\/a>. That&rsquo;s the agreed-upon storage time for perishable leftovers, a group guacamole belongs to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, some brands suggest you simply finish the container before the use-by date, no matter when you open it, but I wouldn&rsquo;t trust a guac that&rsquo;s been open for a week or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once again, if you know you have too much guacamole on hand, try freezing the excess instead of hoping you can finish it before it spoils.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-store-guacamole\">How to Store Guacamole<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Store your pesto sealed tightly in the fridge when not in use, and always use clean spoons for scooping. That means no double dipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need some guac to sit on the table so everyone can dip their nachos, scoop a couple of spoons into a bowl and discard the leftovers. You can always refill the bowl if need be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Do the same when serving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/can-salsa-go-bad\/\">salsa<\/a> or any other dip.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, remember to cover the surface with plastic wrap or a layer of water if you want to prevent browning. I wrote about that <a href=\"#browning\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"can-you-freeze-guacamole\">Can You Freeze Guacamole?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>You can freeze guacamole to extend its shelf life, and it&rsquo;s super useful for both homemade and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eatwholly.com\/three-easy-guacamole-lunch-hacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">store-bought guac<\/a>. All you need is a few minutes and a couple of plastic containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To freeze your guac, divide it into meal-sized portions and transfer each into a small plastic container. Seal the container, add a label if you like, and put it in the freezer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-paragraph-tip\">If you&rsquo;d like to freeze tiny portions, consider using an ice cube tray instead of containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&rsquo;s all there is to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When ready to eat the guacamole, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, so it&rsquo;s ready for eating in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"guacamole-shelf-life-and-spoilage-summary\">Guacamole Shelf Life and Spoilage Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Thanks for reading this primer on guacamole. Here are the takeaways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Discard guacamole that&rsquo;s moldy, has any dark spots that shouldn&rsquo;t be there, is completely brown, smells off, or tastes bad. Do the same if that guac sits open in storage for more than a few days.<\/li><li>Store-bought guacamole has a shelf life of a few days to a couple of weeks and lasts up to a few days beyond the printed date. Once opened, use within 3 to 4 days. Homemade guacamole keeps for 3 to 4 days at most.<\/li><li>Store guacamole sealed tightly in the fridge. If you need it to last longer than a couple of days after opening, divide it into portions and freeze it.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let&rsquo;s talk about the shelf life, spoilage, and storage of guacamole. Say you&rsquo;ve just opened a container of guac, and you&rsquo;re wondering: how long does &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":447,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"","disable-critical-css":false},"categories":[389],"tags":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole-300x224.jpg",300,224,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_1x1":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_3x4":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_3x4_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_3x4_med_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",360,269,false],"mv_trellis_3x4_low_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",240,180,false],"mv_trellis_4x3":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_16x9":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_srcset-960":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_trellis_srcset-1080":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"1200x1200":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_1x1":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",200,150,false],"mv_create_1x1_medium_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",320,239,false],"mv_create_1x1_medium_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",480,359,false],"mv_create_1x1_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_4x3":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",320,240,false],"mv_create_4x3_medium_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",480,360,false],"mv_create_4x3_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_3x4":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",240,180,false],"mv_create_3x4_medium_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",360,269,false],"mv_create_3x4_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_16x9":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",241,180,false],"mv_create_16x9_medium_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",361,270,false],"mv_create_16x9_high_res":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_no_ratio":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false],"mv_create_vert":["https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole.jpg",500,374,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Marcin Skrzypiec","author_link":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/about\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Let&rsquo;s talk about the shelf life, spoilage, and storage of guacamole. Say you&rsquo;ve just opened a container of guac, and you&rsquo;re wondering: how long does &hellip;","mv":{"thumbnail_id":447,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/guacamole-300x224.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/446\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canitgobad.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}