Oat milk is my go-to choice every morning, and I know that many of your favorite options are oat milk. Since I don’t like to have cow milk in the morning, I always prefer to have a cup of oat milk before I start work. As for me, I believe all of you want to know whether the oat milk goes bad, how long oat milk lasts, how long does oat milk last once opened, oat milk shelf life, and especially how long oat milk lasts after opening.
Key Facts
| Pantry | Fridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Oat Milk (Shelf-Stable) | 3 – 6 Months | |
| Oat Milk (Opened) | 2 Hours (USDA Recommendation) | 4 – 10 Days |
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What Is Oat Milk?
Simply oat milk is a dairy-free option that’s packed with fiber and vitamin B. Oat milk is plant milk made by extracting the plant material from entire oat grains with water. It comes in a variety of tastes, including sweetened, unsweetened, vanilla, and chocolate, and has a creamy texture and oatmeal-like flavor.
Oat milk can be used to replace dairy milk in vegan diets or in circumstances where dairy is incompatible with medical issues like lactose intolerance or a cow milk allergy. And also, if you dislike drinking cow milk or packet milk, you can go for a glass of oat milk like me which is full of nutrition.
Does Oat Milk Expire?
The answer is Yes. Oat milk is getting expired. The expiration period depends on the type of oat milk that you buy. So when you’re buying oat milk, you’ve to decide the type based on your requirement. If you’re drinking it more often, you have to go for a type that is not gonna expire for a particular period of time.
Based on my observations, the shelf life of oat milk varies depending on whether it’s from the dairy area or a regular shelf and whether the container has been opened. The shelf-stable version, which can last one to three months after the manufacture date, can be found on the shelf.
If left unopened, cold oat milk lasts five to seven days after its manufacture date and four to seven days if opened.
If you do not use oat milk often, whether you drink it every day or buy it in bulk, you must store unopened containers in a cool, dry, and dark place. Unopened oat milk has a shelf life of six to nine months if stored correctly.
How Long Does Oat Milk Last After Opening?
This is a frequently asked question among those who love to drink oat milk.
It’s recommended to consume oat milk within 4 to 7 days of opening it, but it can last up to 10 days. It’s critical to keep oat milk and oat creamer refrigerated as soon as possible after opening them and make sure the container is airtight. 4- 7 days is a rule of thumb.
However, it’s always a good idea to check the label like me.
Even while oat milk is essentially strained blended oats with purified water, different firms add different additives. It might be a dash of oil to smooth out the liquid or a sprinkling of sweetener to improve the flavor.
The shelf life of oat milk that has previously been opened may be affected by minor variations in ingredients and processing. As a result, some brands advise you to complete your product within four days, while others give you more leeway and say it’s good for up to ten days after opening.
How Long Does Oat Milk Last Out Of The Fridge?
It’s critical to keep oat milk and oat creamer refrigerated as soon as possible after opening them and make sure the container is airtight.
How Long Does Oat Milk Last In The Fridge?
Once the milk has been opened, you can store it in the refrigerator and consume it within seven to ten days. But as I mentioned earlier, for different brands, different ingredients are used. So the days can be shorter or longer. Always better to check the label.
How Do You Know If Oat Milk Has Expired?
Look, smell, and then taste the oat milk to see if it’s still safe to drink. Oat milk should have a sweet, nutty aroma, a beige hue, a smooth consistency free of lumps, and a neutral flavor free of off-putting, bitter, or harsh bad flavors.
The hue of fresh oat milk is creamy, light brown, or cream-like. Any color difference could be due to mold growth inside the storage container. No more action is required, and the milk should be flushed.
When oat milk is improperly stored or maintained past its expiration date, it might develop an unpleasant odor that is no longer sweet and nutty but rather harsh, acidic, or bitter.
In summary, from the following characteristics, I’m figuring out whether the oat milk is expired..
● The texture isn’t even close to being smooth. Throw aside any oat milk that is lumpy, thick (difficult to pour), or slimy.
● The color scheme has shifted. Oat milk is creamy white milk made from oats (see my photos). If yours isn’t, something horrible has most likely happened. Unless it’s a flavored one, in which case the hue is regular.
● It has a strange odor about it. It’s unusual for non-dairy milk alternatives to smell sour or rancid, but it’s a symptom of deterioration if they do.
● It’s been open for more than 5 days longer than the label suggests. If the label states to finish the carton within four days after opening, but yours has been open for ten days, it’s time to throw it out.
● In the carton, there is mold. While it’s extremely unusual, I recommend cutting open any old box to check for mold. Leftovers can always be transferred to an airtight container.
What Can You Do With Expired Oat Milk?
I’ve drunk a shelf-stable variety once it’s expired. If it’s the shelf-stable variety and you just opened it, it’s probably fine. Unless, of course, it had already “expired” a few years before. If this is the case, the quality may be lacking.
However, if it’s the chilled variety and the expiration date is more than two weeks ago, it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw it.
How to Store Homemade Oat Milk?
Sometimes I prepare oat milk by myself. For storing, I pour the oat milk into an airtight jar, such as these juice jars or mason jars, after it has been blended and filtered. Then keep it refrigerated for up to a week. The milk will separate in the fridge if no stabilizers or emulsifiers are used. This is very normal. Before drinking, give it a good swirl.
Can You Drink Expired Oat Milk?
Yes, you can drink if it expires recently and is stored under acceptable conditions. You might feel the taste difference due to the bacteria reaction, and sometimes the mouth automatically rejects this type of taste. But we are not recommending drinking expired oat milk and don’t give it to the kids.
What Happens If You Drink Expired Oat Milk?
Can spoiled oat milk make you sick? Yes, it has the possibility to make you sick due to the pathogenic bacteria that develop within the spoiled food. But according to the USDA guidelines, spoilage bacteria makes oat milk taste unpleasant, and this will not necessarily make you sick. Consider thinking twice if you are going to use expired oat milk, especially if you are planning to give it to the children. However, drinking expired milk courses digestive issues such as Nausea, Diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting.
Wrapping
Many people enjoy oat milk as a healthful beverage option. However, there are some worries about oat milk spoiling and whether you can drink outdated oat milk. Follow the recommended storage instructions to easily increase the shelf life of unopened oat milk.
To keep unopened oat milk fresh for as long as possible, keep it in a cold, dry, and dark place. Make Sure to finish oat milk leftovers within 4 to 7 days and throw out oat milk that’s lumpy or slimy, discolored, smells bad, or sits for too long in storage.
I Hope that reading the article and my personal experience will help you decide how long does oat milk last after opening it. Not only that, I’ve explained to you how to identify when oat milk expires and how to store oat milk.
