Do you stow unused condiment packets from fast-food restaurants? These packets come in handy when traveling and when you run out of something at home. The most common single-serve packets include ketchup, mustard, mayo, soy sauce, hot sauce, parmesan cheese, salad dressing, sugar, salt/pepper, and plastic jelly cups.
How long can you keep single-serve packets? If you examine the condiment, most do not have an expiration date. Packets are shipped by the thousand in bulk, and the recommended “Expiration Date” or “Best By” date (established by the manufacturer) is often only displayed on the bulk container rather than stamped on the individual packets. These dates are not official expiration dates but quality indicators to guarantee peak flavor and product quality. You can safely consume products after these dates if appropriately stored in a cool and dry area.
There is no official guideline from the USDA or FDA for condiments – or any other food. Except for infant formula and some baby foods, Federal regulations do not require product dates (source: fsis.usda.gov). Sealed foil packaged condiments provide an impermeable barrier from light, air, and moisture. This allows the product to last for years – if not decades.
Guidelines:
We referenced a handful of resources – including the manufacturer’s recommended “Best By” dates and compiled this data for some of the most common condiments.
Condiment | For Optimal Flavor |
Mayonnaise | 1 year |
Relish | 1 year |
BBQ Sauce | 1 year |
Tartar Sauce | 1 year |
Horseradish Sauce | 1 year |
Maple Syrup | 1 year |
Nut Butters – Almond, Peanut, Cashew | 1 year |
Salad Dressing | 1 year |
Ketchup | 1 year |
Olive Oil | 1 – 2 years |
Parmesan Cheese | 1 – 2 years |
Taco sauce | 1 – 2 years |
Mustard | 1 – 2 years |
Soy Sauce | 1 – 2 years |
Tabasco sauce | 3 – 4 years |
Pepper | 3 – 4 years |
Vinegar | 3 – 4 years |
Honey | Indefinite |
Salt | Indefinite |
Sugar | Indefinite |
Artificial Sweeteners | Eat at your own risk! |
Find something missing? The website StillTasty offers an accurate look-up tool for bottled condiments.
Finally, don’t forget to enjoy some real food packed with substance and plant-based spices. You may find you don’t want (or need) all those condiment packets covering up the taste!
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I would like to see more detailed information on other products and I also noticed that the picture that you have posted on this website or blog (packets of hot fire sauce from Taco Bell) is not on the chart or table you've provided. Aside from this, I do appreciate the effort that has been made in providing more facts for the general public. Thank you.
The hot sauce is on the chart as 'taco sauce' & lasts 1-2 years.
Thank you so much for posting the information!!
I like cheese.
Is there any benefit to freezing these packets? My plan has been to freeze any extra packets we got,
I don't recommend freezing the packets. Some of the condiments will separate and turn watery or grainy when frozen. It is best to leave them at room temperature or a cool location.
What do you suppose the "best before" life of sweet and sour sauce in clear plastic packets is?
2 years
Thank you for this informative post but I hope you could list more products :) anyway, thank you again, your blog is very helpful!
Thanks for posting this information. I typically snack on packets of mayo and such and appreciate the guidelines you've posted in such a clear and easy to understand format.
This is good info. I guess I need to mark the year on mayo and other packets before I put them in storage.
I often wondered about how long to keep all the unused condiment packets my family accumulates. This information was very helpful. Thank you for your research.