Food Storage

You open the fridge and spot the sour cream container. The date looks borderline, or maybe there is a little liquid sitting on top and you are not sure if that means it has gone bad. Does sour cream go bad? The short answer is

You reach for the steak sauce and notice the bottle has been in the fridge for a while. Or maybe there is an unopened bottle sitting in the pantry and you are not sure how old it is. Does steak sauce go bad? The short answer is

Dinner is done and the steak sauce bottle is sitting on the counter. Does it go back in the fridge, or can it stay in the pantry with your other condiments? Does steak sauce need to be refrigerated? The short answer is

You find a half-used jar of cocktail sauce in the back of the fridge and wonder how long it has been sitting there. Or maybe you unearthed an unopened bottle that is past its best-by date and you are not sure whether

Dinner is over and the cocktail sauce is still sitting on the table. Does it need to go back in the fridge or can it stay out? And what about the unopened bottle in the pantry? Does that need refrigeration too? Does cocktail sauce need to be

You pull out the tartar sauce and notice the date is getting close, or maybe it has been open for a while and you cannot remember when you first cracked the jar. Does tartar sauce go bad? The short answer is

You finish dinner and the tartar sauce is still on the table. Does it go back in the fridge or can it stay out? And what about the sealed jar you bought last month that has been sitting in the pantry? The short answer is

There it is on your counter: a stick of butter left out after breakfast. Now you are wondering if it...

You find a stick of butter in the back of the fridge and wonder how long it has been there. Or maybe you left the butter dish out on the counter and now you are second-guessing it. Does butter go bad? The short answer is

You just opened a jar of salsa or made a batch at home and now you are wondering where it belongs. Counter? Pantry? Fridge? Does salsa need to be refrigerated? The short answer: It depends entirely on the

Yes, all salsa goes bad, but the timeline ranges from 4 days to over a year depending on the type. Here is the full breakdown for fresh, refrigerated, jarred, and homemade salsa.

Yes, relish goes bad, but it is one of the most stable condiments in your kitchen. Learn how long sweet and dill relish last, what the bulging lid test means, and when to toss it.