Full of fiber, large amounts of potassium, magnesium, and high levels of folate, guacamole makes for a healthy dip.
But you’ve fished out a jar of guacamole from the back of your fridge, and you’re here wondering:
Is my guacamole bad? How long does it last?
Here’s the bad news: guacamole does go bad.
Fresh, commercial, unopened guacamole has a life of about two weeks in the refrigerator, which is its ideal storage location.
If you find your guacamole looking brown or gray, it’s probably ready to go.
The good news?
There are many ways to preserve your guacamole as long as possible; see below.
How To Tell If Your Guacamole Is Off
Guacamole exhibits some key indications that it’s started to go bad.
- Color: If your guacamole has turned brown or gray, you know it’s time to chuck it.
- Mold: This could look like liquid on the top of the guacamole.
- Smell: Is your guacamole smelling putrid? Any weird smells and your guacamole should be thrown out.
Whilst some people may tell you to simply scoop out the browning guacamole and eat the rest, we certainly wouldn’t recommend it. Bad guacamole can be a cause of food poisoning.
Food poisoning is an illness caused by eating contaminated food. The main sources that cause guacamole food poisoning are norovirus and salmonella. Therefore, if in doubt, chuck it out.
If you have eaten some guacamole and have symptoms of food poisoning, then you should consult a medical professional immediately.
How To Store Guacamole
For any guacamole, you want to have cool temperatures and somewhere dark.
Therefore, the refrigerator is a good option for storing your unopened tub of guacamole.
However, if your guacamole has already been opened, we recommend moving it into an airtight container before placing it in the fridge.
Often the browning of the guacamole is a result of air exposure. You might be wondering: how do I slow the browning process of the guacamole?
There’s actually a very easy solution: simply brush the surface of your guacamole with an acidic liquid, such as lemon or lime.
This acts as a barrier for the guacamole and slows the browning.
For those of you who want the guacamole to last for a long time, just popping the guacamole into an airtight container in the freezer will do the trick.
How Long Guacamole Lasts
Unopened guacamole in the refrigerator can last up to 2 weeks and up to 1-3 months in the freezer.
But here’s the deal: if your guacamole is homemade or has already been opened, you must consume it in 3-4 days. This is where freezing the guacamole may be a good option.
Remember: whatever the guacamole, always check the expiration or best-before date. It’s likely that your tub of guacamole has been sitting on the shelf for days prior to your buying it.
So, Does Guacamole Go Bad?
Yes, guacamole certainly does go bad.
The good news is that it’s pretty easy to check whether it’s gone bad – through appearance, smell, and taste – and unopened guacamole can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and three months in the freezer!
