How Long Does Yogurt Last?

Yogurt’s shelf life in the refrigerator may be something you’re curious about. Generally speaking, if you haven’t opened the yogurt, it will keep in the fridge for a week. You should throw away your yogurt if it starts curling or smells bad. Also, remember that mold can develop when living bacterial cultures die off and become unsafe for consumption. Therefore, if yogurt has a sell-by date, do not immediately discard it because it is still perfectly good.

yogurt

How Long does Yogurt Last?

The normal shelf life of yogurt is 3 to 5 days, perhaps longer. The dairy product can be consumed after opening the container for up to a week if it is fresh or one to two days if it is close to or past its expiration date. As you can see, those times are just approximations. And as a result, other producers may have suggestions that differ slightly from mine.

For this reason, you should always read the label and treat it skeptically. Please do the same for every piece of information you uncover in this article while we’re at it.

Remember that yogurt’s shelf life varies based on the variety. Yogurt has the same shelf life whether you choose plain or low-fat varieties. Yogurt with flavors and Greek yogurt will expire more quickly. Whether yogurt contains preservatives will determine how long you can store it. Without preservatives, people run the danger of acquiring hazardous microorganisms. Therefore, it is imperative to refrain from drinking any yogurt with mold.

Storage Time After Opening

  • If it is tightly wrapped, open yogurt often lasts up to a week.
  • Some producers even state that their products can be kept for up to 10 days after opening, depending on when the date on the label occurs. I would not, however, put that claim to the test.
  • I try to drink the entire opened cup as quickly as possible, usually no more than three to five days. I know I’m being cautious, but as a result, I hardly ever have to throw away a yogurt that has gone bad.

Another Factor is the Date on the Label

Yogurt should remain deliciously fresh throughout the entire week if it’s still a few weeks away. But if it’s already past the “expiration” date, don’t anticipate receiving it for longer than 2 to 3 days.

How Long can Yogurt be Out of the Fridge?

Milk and other dairy products should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours or if the temperature is 90°F or higher. That is the endorsed position.

It would probably be OK to consume if you unintentionally left your unopened yogurt on the counter for something like 3 hours. It’s time to let it go if you leave it outside overnight.

I’m attempting to convey that you should be aware of the laws and be able to discern when to break (or bend) them.

Can You Freeze Yogurt?

Yogurt can be frozen without issue; however, the texture isn’t quite the same once it has defrosted.

  • The liquid that separates at the top will first appear; you can stir it or discard it.
  • Second, the yogurt won’t be as thick as it was before freezing and will probably be gritty rather than smooth.
  • In other words, its quality drastically varies; for most individuals, frozen and thawed yogurt isn’t suitable for raw consumption (e.g., with fresh fruit). You can certainly eat it this way but detest every bite.
  • The good news is that cooked meals taste great with thawed yogurt (think soups, pies, or pancakes).
  • The texture shift doesn’t matter much in those meals because yogurt is combined with other ingredients before being cooked. Therefore, whether the yogurt was smooth or grainy has little bearing on the texture of the finished product.

How to Store Yogurt?

Yogurt should be kept in the refrigerator. And when you go back from the grocery store, the sooner you put it in there, the better.

When you initially open the yogurt, keep the leftovers well wrapped, ideally in a container with a lid.

Technically, your yogurt should be placed in the refrigerator’s rear rather than on the door. This is because temperature fluctuations occur more frequently at the door.

However, leaving yogurts on the refrigerator door shouldn’t be a problem until you open it every 20 minutes or so. And putting yours in the far corner won’t make them suddenly survive three days longer.

Sealed Container

The best way to store yogurt is to place it into an airtight container if you have any leftovers.

Yes, you may cover the entire container with the top before storing it in the refrigerator; this is preferable to leaving the container partially open. But that is by no means ideal.

Yogurt that is not well packed is more likely to dry up, acquire odors, and perish rapidly since any mold spores in your refrigerator have an easy entry point.

In other words, it is more crucial to tightly seal the opened yogurt the longer you anticipate storing it in the refrigerator.

Clean Spoons

Always use clean utensils when handling yogurt, even if you’re not planning to consume the entire container at once.

Consider the case where you require a few tablespoons of yogurt for a salad dressing. Although it can be tempting, it is not a good idea to use the same spoon you used for the mayo.

To be safe, get a clean one. Yogurt is not mustard, which frequently remains edible even when double-dipping frequently.

How to Tell if Yogurt is Bad, Rotten, Or Spoiled?

Avoiding foodborne illness using good cleanliness and food safety practices will be possible. Your senses are typically the most accurate tools to determine if your yogurt has gone sour, albeit they are not a perfect test.

Most yogurt can tolerate a tiny amount of liquid; this liquid, known as whey, provides various nutrients and should be incorporated into the yogurt before consumption. However, the first indicators of yogurt going bad are an increase in surface liquid (or, in the case of Yoplait yogurt and a few others that do not have any surplus liquid, to begin with, it’s when a puddle begins to form) and a curdling texture close to the bottom of the container.

Mold growth is the last indication that your yogurt has gone bad, and at that time, you must discard the entire container. Live bacterial cultures preserve yogurt, but mold can develop if those cultures start to disappear. Never, under any circumstances, consume mold!

Do Yogurt Expire?

Yogurt can be used after its “expiration date,” or at the very least, after the sell-by date printed on the container. The normal shelf life of yogurt is 3 to 5 days, perhaps longer. The dairy product lasts for one to two days if it is past its expiration date or up to a week if it is fresh after being opened. Can you still eat yogurt that has beyond its stated expiration date, if not the yogurt itself? In essence, the answer is yes.

Can I Eat Yogurt that has Been Expired for Two Months?

However, just because your yogurt has reached the end of its shelf life doesn’t mean it has to go in the garbage. Yogurt is still safe to eat as long as it is one to two weeks from the expiration date, according to Eat By Date, a website that details the true shelf life of our favorite foods.

Can Sour Yogurt Make You Sick?

Yogurt that has gone bad might make you sick or give you food poisoning. According to the Mayo Clinic, bacteria that might develop due to sloppy food handling cause food-borne diseases. Foods like yogurt that have been badly stored or that are old can support the growth of bacteria.

Does Yogurt Benefit Plants?

Streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus, two probiotic bacterial strains found in yogurt, aid in transforming macromolecules like sugars and other carbs into plant nutrients. Yogurt is a natural organic fertilizer that you may use to improve soil quality and fertilizer plants.

Can I Water Plant with Yogurt?

Yogurt’s ability to serve as an organic fertilizer is one of its key advantages in the garden. You may use yogurt to naturally fertilize your plants by combining it with water in a ratio of around one tablespoon of yogurt to one cup.

Can Yogurt Whiten Skin?

Lactic acid, which is present in yogurt, has bleaching characteristics. One spoonful of plain yogurt and one-half tablespoon of honey should be combined. On your face and neck, apply the mixture. After applying it for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse it off with water.

Is Yogurt Anti-Aging?

Both Greek and regular yogurt include lactic acid, an organic substance that helps to reduce the visibility of wrinkles and fine lines by constricting and constricting pores. Additionally, it exfoliates your skin, making it appear lighter and softer instead of dry and lifeless.

Conclusion

Keeping note of the date on the yogurt container is a useful technique to determine how long yogurt will last in the fridge. Although a single yogurt container can last for about a week, it is still best to pay attention to the expiration date on the container.

How long yogurt keeps fresh is one of the most frequent queries from customers. This isn’t easy to answer because yogurt’s shelf life varies depending on whether you’re eating plain or flavored yogurt. Use the Fresh Keeper app from the USDA to track yogurt’s shelf life after its sell-by date to get a more accurate response. Yogurt keeps for around ten days in the refrigerator, depending on how securely it is covered. It can keep for up to two months in the freezer. Your yogurt will remain as fresh as possible if you use the right storage techniques.