If you put any kind of coffee creamer in your drink you probably ran into a situation at some point where you had to question if the creamer was still good. Maybe you use milk or liquid creamer and you had to reach for the powder that seems like it’s been around forever. Or maybe there’s the powder creamer at the office that just sits out on the counter all the time. Well, is it all still good? Does coffee creamer go bad?
So if black coffee just isn’t for you and you have to have the creamer we’re going to dive in and answer these questions. Some of the answers might seem a little obvious. There’s other facts about coffee creamer that you might not have thought of. But whether it’s a liquid creamer, powder creamer, or dairy creamer you’ll know whether it’s OK to drink or if you should just stay away.
Coffee Creamer Chart: How Long Do Coffee Creamers Last?
| Creamer Type | How Long Creamer Lasts in the Pantry | How Long Creamer Lasts in the Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Creamer | Not to be stored in pantry | No loner then 2 weeks and follow expiration date. |
| Non-Dairy Creamers And Whiteners | Around 30 days (One month) unopened | 1-2 Weeks after opening |
| Liquid Creamer Singles | 6 to 9 Months | N/A |
| Powdered Creamer | 3 to 6 Months | N/A |
How To Tell if Coffee Creamer Has Gone Bad
You should know how to tell if your coffee creamer is bad. Although the creamer many not be bad the day after expiration you do start running into the possibility that an expired coffee creamer will make you sick. It depends on the environment the creamer was left in and if mold and yeasts were able to grow.
Liquid Dairy Creamer
You can treat your liquid dairy creamer a lot like milk when trying to tell if it’s gone bad or not. The most telling sign that the creamer is bad is by a foul smell. But because there’s more then just dairy in the creamer you might not notice the smell unless you give it the good “sniff” test.
If you miss the bad smell you may also notice a difference in texture. In some cases this may be the easier way to tell. You’ll notice that the creamer has some clumps or just seems a little thicker than it should. When it comes to smell I ask my wife sometimes if it’s bad or not because I think it’s borderline. But the change in texture is a telltale sign that you should just move on from the creamer.
If you do manage to miss a bad smell or texture you’d probably realize the taste is off. If you get to this point just stop drinking the coffee and just throw it away. It’s a point to start over and don’t risk getting sick.
Liquid Creamer Singles
These little dairy cups you see have a 6 to 9 month shelf life. The long shelf life is because of the Ultra High Temperature Processing in which the creamers are made. Some creamers are also non-dairy and made with Sodium Caseinate which is a milk derivative which also helps to improve the shelf life.
Non-Dairy Creamers and Whiteners
Non-dairy creamers and whiteners are the same thing, and the idea is to replicate the feel of milk fats in your mouth. To replicate this non-dairy creamers contain ingredients like hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, sodium, and corn syrup. Basically, when you lose the dairy (milk or cream) ingredient you need to have some other flavor substitute. Food coloring may also be added to make it look more like a dairy product.
So now that we know dairy has been taken out of the equation we can look at the shelf-life a little differently. They’re usually good for about a month unopened. Once they’re opened they’ll usually last another one to two week.
Powdered Creamers
Powdered creamers are a little trickier than other creamers we’re discussing. If you take a dairy creamer out of the fridge you can smell it’s bad or notice a change in texture. It’s kind of easy to remember that non-dairy creamer you opened two weeks ago probably isn’t good anymore. And that’s if you weren’t able to notice any changes in the creamer itself. So how can you tell if powdered creamer has gone bad?
Although it’s more difficult to tell if powdered creamer is bad there are ways to tell if it’s not good anymore. Once the creamer is opened and exposed to air you’ll see powder starting to clump together as it goes bad. Also, if moisture is a factor in the deterioration of the creamer you may also notice a change in look or smell as bacteria growth starts to occur. Lastly, if you don’t notice any of these signs (and many people don’t) you’d be able to tell that the coffee with powdered creamer just doesn’t taste quite right.
How To Store Coffee Creamer
Dairy Creamer
Again, treating dairy creamer is a lot like milk and the creamer should be stored in the refrigerator. A good rule of thumb here is that if you bought it from a refrigerator it should stay in your refrigerator. These creamers usually come in Tetra Pak packaging or plastic containers and both will have a good cap or cover that snaps shut to fully close the bottle. Make sure to securely close the creamer and store it in the fridge.
Liquid Creamer Singles
Believe it or not, liquid singles coffee creamer doesn’t go bad very quickly. Because of the Ultra High Temperature Processing to manufacture creamer singles they don’t need to be stored in the fridge. However, that doesn’t mean you can just leave them out anywhere. They should still be kept in a cool and dry place for storage. So don’t leave them out in the sun or anywhere that might get above room temperature.
Non-Dairy Creamers and Whiteners
You likely picked up the non-dairy creamer off of a shelf and not from the refrigerated section. After you get the creamer home you can store these almost anywhere in your home. Keeping them at room temperature in your pantry or on the counter is fine. Although, you shouldn’t keep the creamer near any heat source in order to prolong the shelf-life of the creamer.
However, once you open the creamer it should be refrigerated from that point on. You’ll see the common “Refrigerate after opening” phrase on the packaging. Also remember to close the lid tightly to keep the creamer fresher longer.
Powder Creamers
Powdered creamers are very easy to store. They can go into the pantry or even stay out on the counter. But does a powder coffee creamer go bad? Yes, it can. The main thing is that you don’t want to keep an opened container anywhere around moisture. This could cause the powder to clump up and allow the opportunity for bacteria to grow. It’s best to keep the powder at room temperature to maximize the shelf-life of powdered creamer.
Can You Freeze Coffee Creamer to Preserve it?
It is not recommended to freeze dairy creamer, but you can freeze non-dairy coffee creamer. If you freeze non-dairy liquid creamer it will last up to 6 months in the freezer. Refrigerate it for a day to thaw it out and shake it well before use.
I said in another post that you can freeze brewed coffee, but it wasn’t a good idea to freeze coffee with a creamer in it because of how the two liquids mix together. But you can freeze non-dairy liquid creamer by itself.
It’s OK if the coffee creamer is in it’s original unopened bottle since the liquid will not expand. You’d don’t need to remove and waste any of the creamer before freezing. It would also be a good practice to label the bottle with the date you put it in the freezer so you can keep track of when it went in the freezer.
Does Coffee Creamer Go Bad? Final Thoughts
If you add any kind of creamer to your coffee you’ve probably had to question whether it’s still good or not. A good cup of coffee is how a large number of people start their day. And we want to keep it that way with creamers that are still good.
Does coffee creamer go bad? Yes. Are there ways to tell if they’ve gone bad? Yes. Hopefully, you know now how to tell they’ve gone bad and how long coffee creamer should last for. Enjoy your coffee!