Does Coffee Mate Need to be Refrigerated?

There is nothing better than a splash of coffee creamer in your morning coffee. Liquid creamers and powdered coffee creamers have made it possible to have delicious, coffee-shop style drinks in the morning from the comfort of your own home. One of the best coffee creamers is Coffee Mate. You might be wondering, “Does Coffee Mate need to be refrigerated?”

A good rule of thumb is to remember where you bought the Coffee Mate creamer. If you got it from a refrigerated section in the grocery store, you will need to refrigerate it at home.

If you picked up your creamer from the shelf of a grocery store, make sure you read the label to see if it needs to be refrigerated after you have opened the bottle. Most of these Coffee Mate powdered creamers and non-dairy options will not need refrigeration.

Ultimately, the type of Coffee Mate creamer you bought will determine if it needs to be refrigerated or not. There are many factors to think about when you are looking at the expiration and refrigeration of Coffee Mate creamers.

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Coffee Mate Creamer

Coffee Mate creamer comes in many different flavors. They come in liquid form and powder form, as well as dairy and non-dairy creamers.

The most popular flavors of Coffee Mate creamer are French vanilla and hazelnut. However, many flavors are available in the refrigerated creamers. Flavors can even be seasonal, with options like peppermint mocha and pumpkin pie.

You can choose salted caramel and make a caramel latte, choose chocolate crème, or you can even get limited time flavors that taste like candy bars, such as Snickers and Reese’s.

With so many flavors to choose from, Coffee Mate liquid coffee creamer is one of the best coffee creamers on the market.

Dairy Creamers

There are many differences between the options of Coffee Mate coffee creamers. Dairy, non-dairy creamers, and powdered coffee creamers are all available. Most coffee mate creamers are liquid creamers.

Dairy coffee creamers are the most popular option, because they taste the best. The most popular flavor is French vanilla.

However, there are a few drawbacks to dairy products for some consumers. Dairy creamer does contain allergic ingredients, such as dairy and sometimes nuts, depending on the flavor of liquid creamer you choose.

Should I Refrigerate It?

Dairy coffee creamer is offered in liquid form and is not shelf stable. The bottle can sit out for about two hours before more bacteria starts to grow and affect the taste of your coffee.

Coffee mate liquid creamer is no exception to this rule. Just like other dairy, liquid coffee mate creamers need to be refrigerated.

Try to keep the liquid Coffee Mate creamer close to the back of your refrigerator. The liquid creamer will remain fresh outside of the fridge longer if it is very cold. Creamers that are stored in the fridge door are not kept as cold, and will expire more quickly.

Non-Dairy Creamer

Non-dairy creamer can last much longer than the dairy varieties. The shelf life can be up to a month-long, as long as the creamers are stored properly.

An unopened bottle can stay in a dry and cool place up until its expiration date. Make sure you check the instructions to see if an opened bottle needs to be refrigerated.

Should I Refrigerate It?

Non-dairy options also come in powdered form. Powder Coffee Mate also needs to be stored in a cool and dry place, and it does not need to be refrigerated. It needs to be kept in an airtight container or mini sealed cup.

Non-dairy Coffee Mate creamers do not taste as good as Coffee Mate liquid creamers, but they can be a better option for people who have dairy allergies or other common allergies.

Powdered creamers can also travel better than Coffee Mate liquid creamer, and they can be helpful to use when you are not near a refrigerator.

Concentrated Coffee Mate Liquid Creamer

Coffee Mate liquid creamers can also be offered in a shelf stable concentrated form.

This kind of coffee creamer remains fresh in a cool and dry place and still tastes good. It is specifically formulated to be able to stay fresh as long as it is not past its expiration date.

Should I Refrigerate It?

When you are offering coffee to a large group of people, many places use a concentrated form of liquid coffee Creamer.

Coffee Mate offers this creamer in a large bottle, so that it can sit out on a coffee station for a while without expiring. It does not need refrigeration.

Concentrated Creamer – How Long Can Coffee Creamer Sit Out?

This concentrated Coffee Mate creamer contains vegetable oil and corn syrup, so it will not expire quickly. As long as it is not past the expiration date, Coffee Mate concentrated creamer can be out almost as long as powdered creamers.

How Do I Know if my Coffee Mate Creamer has Gone Bad?

Now that you know what kind of Coffee Mate creamer you have, you can properly store it. As a rule of thumb, creamers with dairy will need refrigeration, whereas varieties without will not. Creamers in powdered form will not pass the expiration date as quickly.

Expired Coffee Mate creamer is a disgusting thing to behold. You can check the status of your Coffee Mate creamer using three simple methods.

Expiration Date

First and foremost, check the expiration date on your Coffee Mate creamer. Your creamer should be completely used up before the date that is printed on the bottle.

If it is past that date, it is unsafe to consume and should be discarded.

Smell

As with any dairy product, you can check the quality and status of your Coffee Mate creamer by smelling it.

If it has a sour smell, it is not safe to consume. Expired Coffee Mate creamer will have an unpleasant odor, which means the milk proteins are breaking down.

Texture

The next step to checking if your Coffee Mate creamer is expired is by observing the overall look and texture of the creamer. This is mostly applicable to creamers in liquid form.

If you open the bottle and notice any mold, discard the creamer immediately.

You may not notice any mold, but when you pour the creamer out, it looks different. If there is any clumping or powdered look to a creamer that is liquid, it has gone bad.

If you pour it into your coffee and notice chunks or clumps, discard the coffee and the Coffee Mate immediately. Most commonly, expired Coffee Mate is clumpy and smelly.

Taste

The last option for checking the Coffee Mate to see if it is expired is tasting it. This should be the last course of action you take after smelling it and checking the texture.

If it looks smooth and not clumpy, with no mold or powdered substance visible, and if it smells normal, you can try tasting it.

If the Coffee Mate is expired, it will have a sour taste, like any other dairy product. The sourness of the Coffee Mate means that bacteria has started to get into it and break down the milk proteins.

What Happens to Expired Coffee Mate Creamer?

If you are sharing a bottle of Coffee Mate with coworkers or family members, it may get left out in the morning when everyone is making their coffee.

For dairy-containing Coffee Mate, try to make sure you put it back in the refrigerator as soon as you are finished with it.

If it stays out too long, you could get food poisoning from the bacteria that grows.

Expired coffee creamer can be clumpy and smell bad, with a sour taste, just like any other dairy product.

This is unsafe to consume, and could get you and your family or coworkers sick.

Coffee Mate creamers without dairy will last longer and may be a better option if you are sharing a coffee station with coworkers. These creamers do still expire, although they expire at a slower rate.

For these powdered and concentrated versions of Coffee Mate, pay close attention to how your coffee smells and tastes. If these things are off, discard it to be safe, and always pay attention to the expiration date.