There’s no denying that coffee in itself tastes heavenly. But once you start using coffee creamer, there’s no going back!
What’s more, coffee creamers these days come in so many different flavors that it is almost impossible to decide on what you really like. So, it’d be no surprise to us if you say you buy too many coffee creamers at once, of course, with different flavors.
But doing so might raise a question or two in your head, ‘Does coffee creamer go bad?’, ‘How long does it last?’. Well, read on to find out!
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Does coffee creamer go bad?
Coffee creamers come in various forms – dairy, non-dairy, powdered, liquid, and even in mini cups. You can even find a keto version! Some might have a shelf life of a few days, while some might be edible for months. But remember that all of these creamers go bad eventually.
With all these varieties, being confused on until when the type you have will last is quite common. If you don’t know how long the coffee creamer you have will last, you’ve come to the right place!
Further in this post, we’ll discuss more on how each type of this creamer lasts and how to store them for their best longevity.
How long does coffee creamer last?
We’ve said it before; the shelf life of coffee creamers depends on their type. Let’s discuss how long you can store each type of coffee creamer, shall we?
Unopened liquid dairy creamers last for around 1-2 weeks past their use-by date whereas, they only last for a week or two once opened. Non-dairy creamer doesn’t last long either. Non-dairy creamers often come unrefrigerated. However, you must refrigerate once opened.
Powdered coffee creamer, on the other hand, lasts relatively long, i.e., in months. Likewise, individual mini coffee creamer cups also lasts for around a month once it expires.
However, you must know that all these periods are an estimation, and the shelf life of your coffee creamer might be different depending upon how to store them. Moreover, freezing your liquid and powder coffee creamer will also increase their shelf life.
|
At pantry |
In the refrigerator |
|
|
Dairy creamer (Unopened) |
Use-by + 1-2 weeks | |
| Dairy creamer (Opened) |
1-2 weeks |
|
|
Non-dairy creamer (Unopened) |
Best-by + 1 month | |
| Non-dairy creamer (Opened) |
1-2 weeks |
|
|
Powdered coffee creamer |
Best-by + 3-6 month | |
| Mini coffee creamer cups | Best-by + 1 month |
|
4 tips to tell if Coffee Creamer has gone bad
Although the coffee creamer may not go bad a day or two after the expiration date, you may still wonder that the expired creamer will make you sick.
So, you should always be able to tell whether your coffee creamer has gone bad or not. Now, here are a few tips which you can follow to tell whether or not your coffee creamer is still edible.
1. Check its smell and taste
Are you doubtful that your coffee creamer has passed its prime? If yes, you can simply take a teaspoon of creamer and give it a taste and smell it. If it doesn’t taste good, has a sour or an off odor, you can remove that container from your kitchen.
2. Check for the expiration date
When in doubt, always check for expiration dates on your coffee creamer packaging. If your liquid creamer, opened or unopened, has passed the date, it will only last for a few days, a week at maximum, in the refrigerator. So, be wary of that.
Also, you should always keep in mind that if you have stored your opened dairy coffee creamer container in the freezer for more than 2 weeks, it is better to trash it.
3. Watch out for texture change
If you have powdered creamer in your kitchen, you must watch out for the texture change as well as for the growth of molds.
If your packet of creamer is exposed to moisture, then only you might notice clumps like structure inside your packet. If you find such packets, then it is better to discard that powdered creamer.
4. Make a cup of coffee
If all of the above approaches fail to prove that your creamer has gone bad, but you still doubt it has, make a cup of coffee quickly!
The best way to determine your coffee creamer’s quality is by making a cup of coffee using that creamer and tasting it.
If everything tastes good, then it is absolutely fine to use. However, if the smell and taste of your coffee are off and not up to standard, you must discard that packet of coffee creamer.
4 Tips to store Coffee Creamer
In order to store your coffee creamer, you must understand the types of coffee creamer available in the market.
The first one is the liquid creamer, the second one is a mini version found in little sealed cups, and the last one is dry creamers. There are also non-dairy versions available! Now let’s talk about storing each variety in this section.
1. Liquid dairy creamers
If you have dairy whiteners in plastic bottles or tetra packs, remember that they must be refrigerated. They usually consist of milk, cream, sugar, and flavoring, so they are always in need of refrigeration. You must also remember to keep the container sealed once you use it.
You also need to keep the packs away from the source of heat. If you find the label of “refrigerate after opening” by the manufacturer on the packet of creamer, you must absolutely do so!
Now for mini sealed creamer cups, you can simply keep them at room temperature from the moment you buy them to the moment you use one of them.
You shouldn’t have to think much about storing it. Remember to prevent it from the direct sunlight, and that’s pretty much enough for using it safely.
2. Non-dairy creamers and whiteners
As these products are quite similar to dairy products like milk powder, you should seal the container airtight after use. You must also need to protect it from moisture as moisture entry results in clumped coffee whiteners.
You can simply store the powdered form at room temperature in your pantry or your kitchen cabinet. But when it comes to liquid non-dairy creamers, you must refrigerate them once it is opened.
3. Powder creamers
Powder creamers are relatively easy to store. You can store it in your pantry or in your kitchen cupboard.
Like non-dairy whiteners, you also need to protect powder creamers from the moisture they tend to clump, thus aiding bacterial as well as fungal growth. It is always better to store it at room temperature to maximize its shelf life.
4. Liquid creamer singles
This type of liquid creamer doesn’t go bad very quickly. As this is prepared using Ultra High-Temperature Processing, you should not be worried about storing it in the fridge.
But that doesn’t mean you can keep it anywhere you wish. You need to keep it in cool and dark places for storage. So, remember not to leave the container in sunlight or the temperature above room temperature.
Risks of consuming expired coffee creamer
Most of the food items maintain their quality well after their expiry date. Some do so for months, and some even for years! But that’s not the case in the case of coffee creamers.
Coffee creamers, especially liquid and dairy ones, are very prone to contamination and spoilage. So, if you consume liquid dairy coffee creamers way past their expiry date, you’ll likely be consuming pathogenic fungus and bacteria as well.
On the other hand, consuming expired powdered coffee creamers might not do as much harm. However, you might notice a slight degradation in the quality. But if you use your coffee creamers months after their best-by date, even powdered coffee creamers might cause you health issues.
Can you freeze coffee creamer?
If you’ve recently bought a few liquid coffee creamers, the best possible way to store them is to freeze them. But remember, once opened, they don’t last for long either, a week or two at max. However, an unopened bottle can last for a few weeks more after the expiry date.
Likewise, you can freeze dry coffee creamer as well. The only thing you must be careful at is not to keep the powder outside for long once frozen. The reason being, when powder condenses, they tend to collect moisture.
You don’t need to thaw powdered creamer. So, quickly add the powder to your coffee and pop it back to the freezer immediately.
If you wish, it’s not a must to thaw liquid creamer as well. You can simply scoop it out with a spoon. But remember that doing so will cool down your coffee significantly. And, if you wish to thaw the liquid creamer, take out the bottle and store it in the refrigerator overnight.
Summary
Now that you know when you can use your coffee creamer safely, with proper storage, you can enjoy as many coffee creamer flavors as you like.
However, make sure that you stock up on it wisely and with accurate estimation. So, how do you like your coffee? Let us know!