Eggnog can last for months depending on how and where you’ve stored it. However, it is made with highly perishable ingredients such that even if it’s in the fridge or in the freezer you will need to place it where the temperatures remain constant throughout the storage period.
Home-made eggnog can last for 2-3 days in the fridge while store-bought can last for 4-6 days after opening. If correctly stored at the back of the freezer, eggnog can last for 4-6 months since the temperatures remain constant even when the door is opened.
Use fresh ingredients to have the quality at its best when you thaw it.
How to store eggnog for longer
Eggnog retains its quality better at low temperatures either in the fridge or in the freezer. Therefore, once you bring store-bought eggnog home from the store or make your own, freeze or refrigerate immediately depending on how long you intend to keep it.
Refrigeration
Homemade eggnog can last in the fridge for up to 2-3 days whereas store-bought will have a sell-by date to guide you. However, once opened, store-bought eggnog will retain its freshness in the fridge for 5-6 days at most since it’s pasteurized, unlike homemade eggnog.
Here’s how to refrigerate home made eggnog:
- Allow eggnog to cool completely before refrigerating
- Put in an airtight container and seal
- Put your eggnog in the fridge and use it in 2-3 days time
To refrigerate store-bought eggnog, just put it in the fridge in its packaging and use it before its expiry date. Once you open it, transfer the leftover into an airtight container, refrigerate and use it in 5-6 days.
Freezing
There’s no much preparation needed prior to freezing eggnog especially for store-bought.
Freezing store bought eggnog
Although you can safely freeze leftover store-bought eggnog, unopened one would store and retain its quality better and for longer.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Sort out. Sort the pieces you want to keep for long from those that you intend to use in the near future.
- Place them in the freezer for 2-3 hours or until fully frozen.
- Put the carton in a freezer bag once frozen to protect the content on the carton so that you are able to see the expiry date and maybe the ingredients for easy access.
- Place it at the back of the freezer where it’s coldest and the temperatures remain constant.
In case you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container, label and put them in the freezer.
Freezing homemade eggnog
To freeze home-made eggnog,
- Allow the eggnog to cool at room temperature
- Put it in an air-tight container leaving enough room (2 inches)for expansion during freezing. If you will be using your eggnog in a recipe, measure the portions before freezing so that you don’t end up thawing more than you need.
- Seal the container with its lead
- Label to avoid over freezing
- Put it in the freezer
If you intend to use eggnog as a coffee creamer in the future, freeze it in an ice cube tray then transfer them to a zip lock bag and put it in the freezer.
How use frozen eggnog
To defrost eggnog, simply put it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use it. You can have eggnog cold but if you prefer it hot, make sure to stir it well since the ingredients tend to separate while thawing, then warm it in the microwave.
Defrosting eggnog at room temperature leaves it with a lumpy consistency and encourages bacteria growth since it is made with highly perishable ingredients.
How to tell if eggnog is bad
you can easily tell when your eggnog is bad by simply using your senses to detect the color, smell, and consistency.
Here are traits of a spoiled eggnog:
- Lumpy consistency
- Sour smell
- Change in color. If the initial color of your eggnog is white, it will change to off-white or even yellow when it goes bad.
Discard eggnog with any of the above traits as it can cause food poisoning or even foodborne illnesses.