Who can resist a delicious, creamy pudding? There is no such thing as bad pudding, whether you use instant pudding sachets or try your hand at cooking pudding from scratch.
So exactly how long does pudding remain edible? Unopened instant pudding powder has a shelf life of up to four weeks past its best-before date with proper storage.
The pudding’s shelf life drastically diminishes after preparation; it can only keep for around 5-7 days in the fridge and one day on the counter.
Here, you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about pudding. Here, you’ll also learn all about what it is, why it goes bad, when it goes bad, what you can do to make it last longer, and much more!
How Long Does Pudding Last in the Fridge? What Factors Affect It?
You may wonder how long cooked rice pudding lasts in the fridge if you have made a large quantity. The answer is five to seven days if stored in an airtight container. Time can pass before your handmade rice pudding goes bad in the fridge.
Factor 1: Ingredients
Freshly produced or handcrafted puddings will only last for a short time as quick pudding powder. Due to the use of high-quality, fresh ingredients such as milk, cream, and eggs, homemade pudding has a distinct advantage.
The dry powder form of the ingredients used in instant pudding has a very extended shelf life. It can cause food spoilage due to its exceptionally low moisture content.
Thus, the pudding’s shelf life immediately reduces after you mix it with milk or cream (both of which are highly perishable components).
Factor 2: Preparation
Instant pudding doesn’t need heat to thicken, but traditional puddings need, as we’ve already mentioned. The pudding’s longevity is unaffected by the variations in preparation.
It’s true that the shelf life will get less by the cooked perishable ingredients, but not by much compared to the other elements.
Factor 3: Storage
Freshly cooked pudding or quick pudding, the storing method has the most impact on longevity. A food source, moisture, temperature, and oxygen are the key factors determining the shelf life (regarding storage).
Mold and bacteria can survive with just one of these. Considering that all puddings include sugar, germs will thrive in them. They can get the nutrition and energy they need from sugar.
How Long Does Pudding Last in Different Conditions?
Let’s find out how long pudding lasts after considering every variable that might have an impact and its potential impact.
Room Temperature
In most cases, a comfortable room temperature is between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the typical temperature in the room and the ideal temperature for storing food in a fridge, pantry, or kitchen counter.
You need to keep Instant pudding powder on a kitchen counter or in a cabinet at room temperature.
It is because of the high humidity levels often seen in refrigerators and freezers. Most instant puddings employ thickening agents that only need a small amount of liquid to produce a gel, drastically shortening their shelf life.
Your dry pudding can keep for an additional four weeks past the best-by date if kept in the best possible circumstances, such as on a cool, dry counter. A product’s best-before date may be anything from nine months to 18 months following its production date.
The Refrigerator
You can also keep instant dry pudding in the fridge as long as the package is unopened. As we have discussed, adding moisture to an instant pudding package will cause the powder to gel, altering the pudding’s texture.
Keep instant pudding in the fridge, but only if the package is unopened or tightly wrapped after use. A competent refrigeration system should allow them to last for three to four weeks.
Both store-bought and homemade instant puddings should be refrigerated since they include milk, cream, or eggs that go bad quickly.
The optimal temperature for a refrigerator is 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In this environment, microbial growth is either completely inhibited or significantly slowed. The likelihood is high that the chemicals will decay before any mold growth is visible. The fridge will keep instant pudding or handmade pudding for 4-7 days.
Freezer
Instant pudding powder is like canned products. Since it has a highly lengthy shelf life, to begin with, there is little point in buying it. We see no reason the powder shouldn’t be frozen, provided the packaging is left unopened.
Because there is still moisture within a freezer, the powder’s thickeners may begin to create a gel. Keep the unopened packet in an airtight container for maximum freshness and shelf life. Eating it up to four weeks after the best-before date is OK.
What is the Best Way to Store a Pudding Mix?
You need to keep the powdered pudding mix and individual pudding packets in separate sealed containers. Try combining and storing some of your favorite flavors together and some of them separately.
You can keep the dry pudding mix at room temperature or in the fridge and it will retain its freshness. Place in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
What is the Shelf Life of a Pudding Mix?
The pudding mix will keep for about a year if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you are still looking for the original packaging, date the container so you know how long you may keep the pudding mix inside.
What is the Shelf Life of a Pudding Cup?
Check for discoloration and strange odors in the pudding, even if the container doesn’t have an expiration date. Be on the lookout for any signs of mold or unusual textural changes. After leaving the supermarket shelf, pudding cups have a shelf life of roughly a year.
Conclusion
Pudding is a versatile dish that you can make with a wide variety of ingredients. It’s not surprising that one of Africa’s most beloved desserts is a unique take on the universal pudding, inspiring several regional varieties worldwide.
