{"id":18521,"date":"2022-10-06T19:56:06","date_gmt":"2022-10-06T11:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/?p=18521"},"modified":"2023-06-06T16:23:08","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T08:23:08","slug":"how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Can You Eat Spinach After The Expiration Date"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6623167eacbfd\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6623167eacbfd\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\"><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date\/#How_Long_Can_You_Eat_Spinach_After_The_Expiration_Date\" title=\"How Long Can You Eat Spinach After The Expiration Date\">How Long Can You Eat Spinach After The Expiration Date<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date\/#Is_it_OK_to_eat_wilted_spinach\" title=\"Is it OK to eat wilted spinach?\">Is it OK to eat wilted spinach?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date\/#Can_rotten_vegetables_make_you_sick\" title=\"Can rotten vegetables make you sick?\">Can rotten vegetables make you sick?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-long-can-you-eat-spinach-after-the-expiration-date\/#What_happens_if_you_eat_expired_spinach\" title=\"What happens if you eat expired spinach?\">What happens if you eat expired spinach?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Can_You_Eat_Spinach_After_The_Expiration_Date\"><\/span>How Long Can You Eat Spinach After The Expiration Date<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can safely eat <a href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/10-oz-frozen-spinach-equals-how-much-fresh\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"24208\">spinach<\/a> for a week after its best-by date if it is stored properly in a refrigerator. Spinach and other vegetables have their best-by date or simply have no date, but they do not have any expiration date. You can also freeze spinach in a freezer-safe container to store it for later use.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/foods-you-can-ignore-expiration-dates-2018-11\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.insider.com\/foods-you-can-ignore-expiration-dates-2018-11\" target=\"_blank\">spinach<\/a>, as well as many other vegetables, typically has a best-by date, or no date at all, but it does not carry an expiration date. An unopened bag of spinach may still be fine for up to one week after its best by date, and even opened spinach, when stored properly, can last well beyond this date (though only for a brief time, perhaps as little as five days). Properly stored, an unopened pre-washed bag of spinach usually keeps good for around seven to 10 days in the refrigerator (or until the package date, if before). Properly stored, frozen spinach will retain its best quality for about 12 months in the freezer, though it usually remains safe to eat thereafter, provided it is stored correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>By the way, if you&rsquo;re interested in<a href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-to-preserve-food\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2066\"> How To Preserve Food<\/a>, check out my article on that.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>It is impossible to know how long spinach will exactly last, but it will not remain fresh longer than a few days if you keep it in the refrigerator. When buying <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/foods\/spinach#:~:text=Spinach%20is%20a%20nutritious%2C%20leafy,to%20add%20to%20your%20diet.\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/foods\/spinach#:~:text=Spinach%20is%20a%20nutritious%2C%20leafy,to%20add%20to%20your%20diet.\" target=\"_blank\">spinach<\/a> in the market, keep it in the refrigerator for 1-3 days; if you store it any longer, it will lose its freshness and taste. Because spinach is a fresh vegetable, it may spoil before that date, or last longer than estimated. If you have left your spinach out too long, it will spoil like any other vegetable, but the issue at hand is how to tell if spinach has gone bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color has-background\"><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Storage<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Shelf life<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">In refrigerator<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">10 days<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">At room temperature<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">2 hours<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Storage and Shelf life of Spinach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If water is introduced into your spinach, it will spoil more quickly and get slimy, you will not want to eat it, even though you are cooking it beforehand. When buying pre-packaged spinach, be aware of these aspects and avoid bags that have lots of condensation drips because it only contributes to spoilage and makes your spinach worse sooner. Soggy, wet spinach should not be placed on paper towels; otherwise, the paper towels will get soggy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you would rather wash your spinach leaves prior to using, you can dry them in the salad spinner, then store the baggies in the refrigerator. If you plan on using the spinach overnight, you can switch out your water from overnight to fresh, clean water. If you do not want to let the spinach wilt, you can soak the stems overnight in water, provided that you do not have a refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"You've Been Eating Spinach Wrong... And This Could Harm Your Kidneys!\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SZm6y_nHMG8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Learn how spinach can affect your health<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, you should use the new spinach within one day if you have not stored it in a refrigerator. Generally, you should keep spinach in a plastic bag, not washed, in the crisper section of your refrigerator. Experts advise keeping spinach, unwashed, in a plastic bag in your fridges vegetable bin. The best method is to put the spinach leaves into a Ziploc bag or an airtight container and then put it into a freezer set to 0F (18C).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let blanched or cooked spinach cool down and then store it in a Ziploc bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for about four days. If you know that you cannot use every piece of spinach that you bought, you can blanche or cook some of it to extend the shelf life of the greens a bit. If you are looking to extend spinachs shelf life, there are some things you can do to help it last longer and to preserve what is left in best condition. As I mentioned near the top of this section, frozen spinach should last anywhere from 10-12 months, making it a good option to have on hand in your freezer, in case you cannot reach for fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is frozen quickly and stored properly, there is no reason why you cannot still be enjoying your greens in 12 months. If you are unsure about how to store spinach correctly, you are going to have greens that are bad for your body. Storing is a great way to make sure your spinach is nutritious, healthy, and stays fresh, and you will be able to avoid throwing out too much of your green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>To learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/how-to-preserve-garlic\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18344\">How To Preserve Garlic<\/a>, check out my article where I cover everything you need to know.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though you are past your spinachs expiration date, you should check that your vegetable is still in good shape, like it is not sloppy, disintegrated, or has an off-putting smell. When you store spinach longer than six months, your spinach will partially lose some vitamins and enzymes, but most nutrients will remain intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When stored in a freezer under 40 degrees F., either in a sealed container or a plastic zipper bag, spinach from an unopened package lasts about 7-10 days. Store-bought spinach has a printed date on the label that is a very close estimate to its refrigeration shelf life. The store-bought spinach has a used-by date estimated, and it typically comes with a label that indicates how long you can store it in a refrigerator (about two to five days). Store-bought spinach will have the best-by date printed on it, if packaged, but if you are buying at a farmers market or something, there is not much you can do except what you can feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the spinach you bought came in pre-packaged bags or containers at a grocery store, experts say that you are best off keeping the remaining greens in their original packaging to maximize freshness. It is not recommended that you wash fresh spinach leaves prior to storing, because doing so may cause the spinach to wrinkle, and residual water may promote deterioration, which will eventually shorten spinachs shelf life. Once you have pre-frozen the spinach in ice-cube trays, move to a quality plastic bag and press out all of the air you can. Sometimes, the process of scrubbing leaves the spinach slightly bruised, speeding its death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to get rid of that water and eat the spinach, otherwise, you spinach starts to have a foul odor. You can basically wash spinach prior to storage, but this requires a lot of drying, which may not be practical. Since you are going to cook with frozen spinach anyway, there is a neat trick that both extends the amount of time you can keep spinach in your freezer, and fixes the issue of only taking out enough for one serving, while not wasting any leftovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_OK_to_eat_wilted_spinach\"><\/span>Is it OK to eat wilted spinach?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sadly, after spinach spoils there isn&rsquo;t much you can do. Do not consume any leafy vegetables that have wilted and formed a slimy residue when you open the bag. While some foods, including bananas, avocados, and pears, can be saved after they&rsquo;ve begun to spoil, spinach cannot.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_rotten_vegetables_make_you_sick\"><\/span>Can rotten vegetables make you sick?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The majority of individuals would not want to consume <a href=\"https:\/\/ask.usda.gov\/s\/article\/Do-spoilage-bacteria-make-people-sick#:~:text=Most%20people%20would%20not%20choose,not%20generally%20make%20you%20sick.\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ask.usda.gov\/s\/article\/Do-spoilage-bacteria-make-people-sick#:~:text=Most%20people%20would%20not%20choose,not%20generally%20make%20you%20sick.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ruined<\/a> food. They probably wouldn&rsquo;t fall ill even if they did, though. Generally speaking, spoilage bacteria do not make you sick; instead, they might make fruits and vegetables mushy or slimy, or cause the meat to develop a terrible odor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happens_if_you_eat_expired_spinach\"><\/span>What happens if you eat expired spinach?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Without a doubt, spinach is one of the healthiest foods available due to its high vitamin and mineral content. However, even when maintained at moderate temperatures, eating rotten or old spinach always poses a health risk due to the rapid bacterial development. As a result, you can have food poisoning and other symptoms like fever, nausea, stomachaches, cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Long Can You Eat Spinach After The Expiration Date You can safely eat spinach for a week after its best-by date if it is &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39165,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"","disable-critical-css":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18521"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18521"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106737,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18521\/revisions\/106737"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerupcook.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}