Fridge, table or pantry? Where to stock condiments for optimal shelf life

Spicy sauces, dips, dressings and countless flavours of mayo – grocery stores are filled with colourful condiments that promise to make your food better and punchier. If you’re a fan of buying yummy condiments, you’d know that every drop counts.

So, if you want to get the best out of every ketchup or sauce bottle, it is important to learn how to store them right. Here’s a quick guide to keep in mind.

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What to refrigerate right away: Any bottle that contains dairy like sour cream or pre-made salad dressing will go straight to the fridge. Follow the thumb rule, if it was refrigerated in the supermarket, then you must refrigerate at home. 

Refrigerate after opening: Some things can stay on the shelf as long as you don’t open them and they’re not expired. This applies to chutneys, ranch dressing, chimichurri, pesto, mayonnaise, tartar sauce, jams, jellies, relishes, and wasabi. So refrigerate these condiments soon after opening them.  

Door or indoor: Some shelf-stable condiments such as stone-ground mustard, red wine vinegar, strawberry preserves, and wing sauce don’t need to be stored in a very cold temp. So store them in your refrigerator door. 

Do NOT refrigerate: While it's safe to refrigerate most condiments, honey does not hang out well in the fridge. The cold temp can solidify or crystallize honey forcing you to heat it before use. 

What’s pantry safe: Almost everything else is processed to be shelf-stable. So items like tomato ketchup, hot sauce, barbecue and other sauces, mustards, sambal, sriracha, and all kinds of vinegar can be stored safely at room temperature.  

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