How Long An Opened Bottle Of Salad Dressing Really Lasts In The Fridge

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In an ideal world, the foods with a short shelf life would be things that we eat every day, while the items that we only use from time to time would be able to sit indefinitely in the fridge. Sadly, this is not the case. Regardless of the use by date, a bottle of salad dressing will last just two to three months once it has been opened. And even this depends on the type you have.

Store-bought salad dressings have a longer life span thanks to preservatives, emulsifiers, and processing methods that make them more shelf stable. Those that are higher in acidity, such as vinaigrette, will last longer, around three months. Creamy products, such as ranch dressing, are lower in acidity and need to be used within two months.

Homemade salad dressings have a considerably shorter shelf life. Some may need to be used within five days, while others might last two weeks, with the same caveat that vinegar-based versions last longer than those with dairy. The plus side is that when you're making a delicious salad dressing at home, you can usually adjust the recipe to avoid having too much left over.

An unopened bottle of salad dressing can sit happily in your pantry for up to a year, but once you pop that lid, it should be moved to the refrigerator.

Temperature is a key factor in ensuring that salad dressing is safe to eat, so check that the settings on your fridge keep it below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Placement is also important. The door of the refrigerator might seem like the most convenient spot to store the bottles, but as you open and close it, the temperature will fluctuate too much. Instead opt for the back of the appliance.

Another important part of storing salad dressing is minimizing exposure to oxygen. The lid from a store-bought bottle should have a sufficiently airtight seal. If the packaging is damaged in any way, it's better to transfer the dressing to another container. Speaking of the lid, you should be cleaning it after each use, or you run the risk of mold or bacteria forming.

The same rules apply for storing homemade salad dressing, but in this case the choice of container is even more important. As well as being airtight, the container should be made from a non-reactive material to avoid any effects on the taste. The OXO Good Grips Little Salad Dressing Shaker ticks all the boxes, and is designed for pouring straight from the container.