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Wondering if your condiments really expire? Use this guide on how long condiments last to decide what can stay and what needs to go—whether it’s mayo, mustard or miso.
What’s the Shelf Life of Mayonnaise?
- Unopened: 3 months at room temperature
- After opening: 2 months in the fridge
Tangy and sweet, mayo is delicious on a BLT sandwich, in your deviled eggs, and in chicken or egg salad recipes. With so many delicious uses, you’ll probably use it up long before you have to wonder: How long does mayo last for? Or, does mayo go bad?
Before it’s opened, a jar of mayo will last in the pantry for about three months. If you just opened a jar, know that it should be stored in the refrigerator and used within two months. However, if you make homemade mayonnaise, it will last only up to a week in the fridge—so make plans to use it all up before then.
If you like mayo, you should try aioli, too. It’s very similar to mayonnaise, but it always includes garlic and often another flavor, like Sriracha or roasted red pepper. Aioli typically has the same shelf life as homemade mayo.
How Long Does Barbecue Sauce Last?
- Unopened: 12 months at room temperature
- After opening: 4 months in the fridge, 1 month at room temperature
Whether it’s smoky and sweet or hot and spicy, you can store an unopened bottle of barbecue sauce in your pantry for up to a year. Once opened, it’ll keep in the pantry for another month, or in the refrigerator for four months. Go ahead and stock up on the best barbecue sauce brands, or try your hand at one of our favorite barbecue sauce recipes.
How Long Does Honey Last?
- Honey doesn’t expire!
Believe it or not, honey doesn’t expire as long as it’s stored correctly. Keep that sealed jar of honey in the pantry until you’re ready to enjoy it. Once opened, honey can stay in the pantry; just make sure to screw the lid back on tightly. If you notice your honey is forming crystals, it’s still perfectly safe to eat.
How Long Does Hot Sauce Last?
- Unopened: 3 to 4 years at room temperature
- After opening: 1 to 2 years in the fridge, 6 months in the pantry
Given its spicy ingredients, hot sauce has a super-long shelf life. Before it’s opened, hot sauce can hang out in the pantry for three to four years. An open bottle of hot sauce can be stored in the pantry for six months or in the refrigerator (where it will remain fresher) for one to two years. Check out our ultimate guide to hot sauces to figure out which sauce is best for you.
Otherwise, learn how to make homemade hot sauce if you have a bumper crop of hot peppers.
How Long Does Hummus Last?
- Unopened: Until the best-by date in the fridge
- After opening: 7 days in the fridge
Whether served with pita chips or chopped vegetables, hummus is a convenient and healthy treat. Store packaged hummus in the refrigerator, unopened, until the “best-by” date printed on the side. After opening, hummus is best used within a week.
Our Test Kitchen’s favorite homemade hummus recipe also lasts in the fridge for up to a week. We’ve also got a guide to making homemade hummus, if you prefer to follow along with directions step by step.
How Long Is Jam Good For?
- Unopened: 3 years at room temperature
- After opening: 6 to 12 months in the fridge
Jams, jellies and preserves will remain fresh for up to three years before being opened. After opening, these sweet spreads should be used 6 to 12 months when stored in the refrigerator. By the way, this is the difference between jam, jelly and other preserves when you’re sifting through our best jam and jelly recipes.
How Long Does Ketchup Last?
- Unopened: 1 year at room temperature
- After opening: 6 months in the fridge
Did you know that the average American eats 71 pounds of ketchup annually? That’s a lot of tomatoes! An open bottle of ketchup should be used within six months if stored in the refrigerator or one year if stored, unopened, in the pantry. This same timeline applies to cocktail sauce. If you make homemade ketchup, it will last in the fridge for up to one week.
You can also make banana ketchup, which is just a bit sweeter than regular ketchup, although you can still serve it with hot dogs and french fries.
How Long Does Mustard Last?
- Unopened: 2 years at room temperature
- After opening: 1 year in the fridge
Perfect as a hot dog topper or pretzel dipper, mustard has a great shelf life. Keep unopened mustard in your pantry for about two years. An open jar can be stored for one year in the refrigerator.
These are our favorite recipes to make with mustard, if you want to go the extra mile for your cookout. You can learn how to make dijon mustard from scratch, too.
How Long Does Salad Dressing Last?
- Unopened: 1 year at room temperature
- After opening: 3 months in the fridge
We can’t be the only ones with at least four different varieties of store-bought salad dressing open at the same time, right? Ranch dressing is one we have stocked no matter what. Salad dressing should be stored in the refrigerator and used within three months of opening. Before they’re opened, you can store those bottles at room temperature for a year.
These are the healthiest salad dressings you can buy. Otherwise, these homemade salad dressings are just as delicious. (They expire after two weeks in the fridge, by the way.)
