Expiration & Storage Tips
When does alfredo sauce expire?
When unopened, an industrial jar of alfredo sauce can be stored for 6 to 12 months past the printed date on its packaging, as long as it's kept in a cool, dry place like a pantry. However, once the jar has been opened, the sauce should be consumed within 3 to 5 days if stored in the refrigerator. If frozen, the opened sauce can extend its life up to 6 months.
How do you tell if alfredo sauce is bad?
Look, smell, and taste are the three main indicators to tell whether alfredo sauce has gone bad. The sauce may start to grow mold if it's bad, something that's easy to spot due to its unusual color and fuzzy texture. Unpleasant odors - usually a sour or rancid smell - is another clear sign that alfredo sauce has spoiled. Alfredo sauce that's no longer good tends to have an off flavor that you'll recognize immediately as being not right.
Tips for storing alfredo sauce to extend shelf life
• Immediately refrigerate leftovers after eating. Leaving the sauce out for too long can shorten its lifespan and lead to faster bacterial growth.
• When storing the sauce in the freezer, use airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags to prevent freezer burn and to preserve its flavor.
• Always use a clean utensil to scoop out sauce from the container. Repeated contacts with dirty or used spoons may contaminate the sauce and cause it to spoil sooner.
• Consider portioning your alfredo sauce into smaller containers before freezing. This way you only need to defrost what you need, preventing wastage and potential spoilage from multiple freeze and thaw cycles.