Coffee is one of the most popular drinks throughout the world, and although many coffee enthusiasts consider it a crime, it is most often served with some milk or cream. Lately, it’s been more and more popular with replacing these with coffee creamer, though.
Coffee creamer is not only lactose-free but also pretty cheap, exceptionally considering the big bags it usually comes in. Thanks to them, you also don’t have to buy coffee creamer very often, since a pack of it is enough for a long time. But precisely because of that, many may wonder:
How long can coffee creamer sit out? According to the USDA, liquid coffee creamer can sit out for no longer than two hours. After that, harmful bacteria start to grow in it, and you, therefore, shouldn’t be touching it. However, powdered coffee creamer can sit out for even as long as two years because there’s no moisture in it.
But what would happen if you left out for too long? And more preeminently, how should you store it so that it doesn’t turn bad? That’s exactly what we’re going to be talking about in this article.
Without any further delay, let’s just get started then!
Table of Contents
- Does coffee creamer need to be refrigerated?
- How long can coffee creamer sit out of the fridge?
- Can coffee creamer be left out overnight?
- How can you tell if coffee creamer is bad?
- How do you keep coffee creamer fresh?
- What happens when you eat a bad coffee creamer?
- How long can coffee mate creamer sit out?
- How long can Starbucks creamer sit out?
- How long can International Delight creamer sit out?
- How long can almond milk coffee creamer sit out?
- How long can iced coffee with creamer sit out?
- Summary
- Resources
Does coffee creamer need to be refrigerated?
Whether coffee creamer does need to be refrigerated or not depends on its type. Believe it or not, when they’re liquid, even non-dairy coffee creamers need to be refrigerated. Otherwise, they could turn bad even in a few hours, especially if they were opened.
But on the other hand, powdered coffee cream doesn’t have to be in the fridge. That’s because it doesn’t contain any moisture required for bacteria to spread quickly. Hence, you can leave it out for even as long as two years in some cases!
How long can coffee creamer sit out of the fridge?
There are two main categories of coffee creamers, and they differ a lot regarding their ability not to turn bad without refrigeration. First, you have liquid coffee creamers, which, unfortunately, cannot sit out of the fridge for more than a few hours cause it starts to spoil quickly at room temperature.
Quite the contrary, though, powdered coffee creamers can sit out of the fridge for even as long as 24 months! That’s due to the fact powdered coffee creamers don’t contain any moisture, which is crucial for bacteria to grow.
Can coffee creamer be left out overnight?
Yes, coffee creamer can be left out overnight, provided the powdered type. That’s because powdered coffee creamers don’t need to be refrigerated at all, thanks to their lack of moisture.
On the other hand, Liquid coffee creamers should always be refrigerated if possible because it isn’t safe for them to sit out for more than two hours, at least in the opinion of the USDA.
With that being said, though, an unopened pack of liquid coffee creamer should be able to last for a good while, even on its own. Therefore, you can leave an unopened pack of liquid coffee creamer out of the fridge overnight.
How can you tell if coffee creamer is bad?
Telling if your coffee creamer is bad is a pretty easy task – firstly, you should look out for any changes in texture and smell. If the creamer doesn’t smell nor look weird, it should be good to go.
But if you’re indeed worried about the coffee creamer being spoiled, you can also taste it to be entirely sure. If you notice anything weird in the taste, it’s time to throw the coffee creamer out.
How do you keep coffee creamer fresh?
If you want to keep your coffee creamer as fresh as possible, it is crucial to seal it every time you use it tightly. And if you’re using the powdered type of coffee creamers, that’s all you have to do because that type doesn’t have to be in the fridge.
But with liquid coffee creamers, refrigeration is a necessity. Hence, to keep your liquid coffee creamer fresh, you should always put it into the fridge after making sure the package is tightly sealed.
What happens when you eat a bad coffee creamer?
When you eat a bad coffee creamer, you may experience a stomach ache or bloating. Because of that, you should never touch spoiled coffee creamer, although you don’t have to stress out if you’ve had some unintentionally.
Since just a little coffee creamer is usually used while making a coffee, it isn’t that likely that it will actually do any harm to you. Additionally, you should also be able to taste the bad coffee creamer immediately, meaning you most likely won’t even drink the whole cup.
However, you should still throw out any spoiled coffee creamer without a doubt; this just means that it isn’t a tragedy if you’ve had some by accident.
How long can coffee mate creamer sit out?
Coffee mate creamer is one of the most popular coffee creamers out there that comes both in the liquid and powdered variation. And that plays a crucial role regarding how long can coffee mate creamer sit out – while the liquid variation shouldn’t be left out of the fridge for more than a few hours, the powdered one can sit out for even as long as two years.
How long can Starbucks creamer sit out?
Starbucks creamer is a liquid type of coffee creamer, and that, unfortunately, means it can’t sit out for too long – actually, according to the USDA, it is not safe to leave it out of the fridge for more than two hours.
With that being said, though, an unopened package of Starbucks creamer should stay good for a bit longer. Nonetheless, you should always still store it in the refrigerator to be entirely sure it’s safe to consume.
How long can International Delight creamer sit out?
International Delight creamer is one of the most popular liquid, non-dairy coffee creamer. But even though it’s a non-dairy product, just like any other liquid coffee creamer, it still can’t sit out for much longer. In the opinion of the USDA, it’s dangerous to leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours.
How long can almond milk coffee creamer sit out?
Almond milk coffee creamer is a very trendy choice nowadays. It is a liquid, non-dairy coffee creamer, which means it can’t stay good for very long on its own. According to the USDA, almond milk coffee creamer cannot sit out for two hours.
But with that in mind, it’s fair to mention that it probably will stay good for a bit longer, maybe even a day or two, especially if it hasn’t been yet opened.
How long can iced coffee with creamer sit out?
Although plain iced coffee can sit out for maybe even a day, everything changes when adding some creamer. Iced coffee with creamer should never sit out for more than two hours. That’s because, after this time at room temperature, bacteria start to grow rapidly, which would quickly make the coffee turn bad.
Summary
Although coffee creamers are non-dairy products, they can still turn bad reasonably quickly when left out. Well, at least if we’re talking about the liquid coffee creamers, because they shouldn’t be left out for any more than a few hours, especially when already opened.
Instead, you should always put your liquid coffee creamers into the fridge, and it’s also highly recommended to seal them into some air-tight containers. This isn’t the case with powdered coffee creamers, though.
Even though sealing it after opening it is still wise, storing them in the refrigerator is far from necessary. That’s thanks to the fact there’s no moisture in powdered coffee creamers, and that makes it hard for bacteria to grow.
Related:
- How Long Can Heavy Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Whipped Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out?
- How Long Can Ice Cream Sit Out?
- How Long Can Hummus Sit Out?
Resources
Image credits – Canva
