How Long Does Eggnog Last in the Refrigerator?

Do you have eggnog in your fridge? If this is the case, you may be wondering how long it will survive and when you should discard it.

How long does eggnog keep in the refrigerator? Eggnog typically lasts around 7 days in the fridge, although many factors, including storage technique and ingredients, might impact the shelf-life. If you make your own eggnog, it may not keep as long as store-bought eggnog.

How Long Does Eggnog Last?

Eggnog may be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Since some eggnog includes raw eggs, it is essential to keep it properly at temperatures below 40 degrees F, otherwise there is a considerable danger of salmonella illness. Several eggnog recipes use cream and milk. Don’t leave any form of eggnog out on the counter or in the fridge.

There are many types of eggnog, and canned eggnog keeps far longer than fresh eggnog. Most eggnog, however, will spoil if left out of the fridge for more than two hours, or one hour if the weather is warm.

No matter what brand of commercial eggnog you buy, it should have an expiration date marked on the container. Verify this and use it instead of the estimations provided here, since eggnog may vary greatly depending on the components.

Preservative-containing eggnog will keep much longer, and unopened eggnog will keep much longer. As a result, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions on when to use the eggnog.

You can extend the life of eggnog by storing it at the rear of the fridge rather than the front. The temperature of your refrigerator door swings significantly when you open and shut it, and things placed within may not remain exceptionally cold. You won’t be able to ensure that your eggnog will stay fresh if you leave it in the entryway.

How Long Does Homemade Eggnog Last?

If you make your own eggnog, it will need to be consumed more quickly since it will not have the same preservatives as commercial eggnog. Nonetheless, the alcohol has an effect on its lifespan. The longer it lasts, the more alcohol you put in. Choose three days as your deadline for eating low-alcohol eggnog.

When making eggnog at home, perishable components like dairy and eggs may rapidly turn into a breeding ground for germs. This is especially problematic if you put raw eggs in the drink, since there is a significant danger of salmonella germs contaminating it.

Nevertheless, salmonella cannot thrive in alcohol, so if you use a reasonable amount of alcohol in your eggnog, you should be able to overcome this risk and significantly enhance the period of time that you can preserve the eggnog for.

As an example, an eggnog recipe containing a cup of rum should keep in the fridge for around 3 days in a sealed container. By using a full cup of rum, the same mixture may be kept for a week or even longer.

Some eggnog beverages are created as early as November for Christmas, but if you do this, make sure you get your recipe from a trustworthy source and follow their storage instructions. Keep eggnog no longer than the recipe calls for, particularly if you want to serve it to visitors.

How Do You Tell If Eggnog Has Gone Bad?

If you suspect that any of your eggnog has gone bad, examine the smell, consistency, color, and flavor. All of these factors will help you assess if it is safe to consume.

You may be able to determine whether eggnog has gone bad just by looking at it. Remove the eggnog from the refrigerator and check it. Tilt the container to examine both the uniformity and the hue.

It is not safe to ingest eggnog that has become gray or deeper yellow. The hue of eggnog should be thick and creamy, midway between white and beige. Any additional hues or obvious color changes indicate that the eggnog has gone bad.

If the eggnog has become lumpy or divided in any way, it is a sure indicator that it has gone bad. The liquid should be smooth and silky, just as it was when it was initially created.

If you’re still not convinced about a batch of eggnog, smell it and try a tiny quantity. A foul odor or an unpleasant taste indicate that the eggnog has gone bad and should be thrown. Instead of swallowing the liquid you tasted, spit it out and get rid of the eggnog.

Can You Freeze Eggnog?

Surprisingly, you can freeze eggnog. Many people do this, and it may increase the shelf-life to around 6 months. But, you must store the eggnog in a well sealed container.

Provide approximately a half-inch to an inch of space at the top of the container to enable the eggnog to expand and prevent it from breaking the container as it freezes. Seal it tightly to prevent the chance of freezer burn harming the drink.

It is best to consume eggnog within 6 months after freezing; otherwise, the texture of the drink may be destroyed. It may get lumpy in the freezer, so test your recipe with a small amount before freezing a whole batch of eggnog.

Final Thoughts

The lifetime of eggnog varies greatly depending on the alcohol level, however most types of eggnog should not be kept in the fridge for longer than 7 days. Homemade eggnog with a low alcohol concentration should be consumed within a few days or it may become a breeding ground for undesirable microorganisms.