How long does Cheese Sauce last in the Fridge?

The cheese sauce is one of the most basic, famous, and easy-to-make sauce ever. We all love it with our mac and cheese, dips, nachos or tortillas, and so many other dishes. 

It’s the cheesy heaven we all crave for. You are making some for dinner and trying out a recipe for Cheese sauce. But you are not particularly sure of how long does cheese sauce last? 

It’s completely fine if you are not aware of it beforehand because you can learn more about how long your cheese sauce will last and how effectively you can store the sauce in our article.

Quick Answer 

	Pantry	Fridge
Store Bought, Unopened	2 years
Store Bought, Opened	2 weeks	2 months
Homemade	2 to 4 hours	1 week

How long does Cheese Sauce last in the fridge?

As with any dairy product, it’s better to place cheese sauce in the fridge as it can prolong the shelf-life of the sauce. 

Storing cheese sauce in the refrigerator keeps the sauce fresh and suitable for longer. How long will the cheese sauce last depends on whether it is homemade or store-bought? 

It also depends on what kind of cheese sauce it is and what ingredients are used in making the cheese sauce. 

Let’s know the shelf-life of store-bought cheese sauce and homemade cheese sauce.

Store-Bought Cheese Sauce

It’s a fact that store-bought cheese sauce lasts longer than the sauce made at home. This is because there are added preservatives in the store-bought cheese sauce, making them stay fresh and suitable for extended periods. 

An unopened package of cheese sauce will remain intact for around 2 years. But, you can store it in the fridge if you want to be on the safer side. It also depends on what kind of cheese sauce it is. 

For eg, Velveeta cheese sauce or cheddar will last relatively longer than blue cheese sauce. It also may slightly differ from brand to brand. 

For more information, make sure that you check the “Best By” date at the back of the sauce package. Remember that the “Best By” date determines the quality of cheese sauce, not its safety.

Homemade Cheese Sauce

Homemade sauce may sometimes taste better than store-bought ones. It’s fresher and really quick to make at home. 

Cheese sauce goes perfectly for smothering vegetables like broccoli, peppers, etc. Due to the absence of added preservatives, Homemade cheese sauce will not last as long as the store-bought Cheese sauce. 

You should keep the homemade sauce in the fridge, where it will last for about a week. Make sure that you have stored cheese sauce in an air-tight container if you want to preserve the sauce better. 

Different types of cheese sauce will have a different shelf life. Sometimes, it may also vary from recipe to recipe. Cheese sauce with whole milk will stay longer than the vegan cheese sauce.

How long can Cheese Sauce last at room temperature?

Food items with dairy products as ingredients do not last long at room temperature. The ingredients in cheese sauce are mostly dairy products such as butter, milk, and cheese. 

If the temperature rises above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, there is a high risk of microbial contamination. Cheese sauce, especially homemade, will last good and fresh for 2 hours and a maximum of 4 hours. 

But, it’s better to store cheese sauce in the fridge before the 2-hour mark. Store-bought cheese sauce which is opened can be kept out for a few days in cool and dark conditions but it’s advisable to store opened package of cheese sauce in the fridge.

How long can Cheese Sauce last after opening?

As said earlier, opened containers or packages of Cheese sauce will last longer than homemade ones. 

The cheese sauce package will stay good for 10-12 days if kept outside. But it’s best if you store opened cheese sauce in the fridge, wherein the sauce can stay fresh and tasty for almost 2 months if it is correctly stored. 

But, as said earlier, it may differ from brand to brand. 

How to store Cheese Sauce

It’s simple and easy to store cheese sauce. The tricks of storing homemade cheese sauce and store-bought sauce are quite similar; the shelf-life and containers vary. Let’s see how to store cheese sauce properly:

Refrigerating Cheese Sauce 

You must have realized by now if you have read the entire article that keeping cheese sauce in the fridge is one of the best ways to preserve the freshness, texture, and taste of the sauce. 

The store-bought cheese sauce packages are easy to store as they are commercially packaged. Once opened, they can be resealed back. 

To store homemade sauce, you need to keep specific points in mind. Firstly, let the sauce cool down once prepared, but not for more than 2 hours. Then put cheese sauce in an air-tight container. 

Just check the ingredients used in making the sauce. If cheese sauce is made from blue cheese, it may curd up in the Fridge. 

Freezing Cheese Sauce

You can store cheese sauce in the freezer. Homemade cheese sauce may last for 3 months if stored in the freezer. 

Homemade cheese sauce should be stored in an air-tight container like Tupperware if stored in large quantities. 

And if you want to store small amounts of cheese sauce in a freezer, simply store the cheese in an ice tray. The store-bought cheese sauce will last for about 6 months in the freezer. However, refreezing cheese sauce is not the best idea. 

Cheese sauce stored in the freezer can change its texture and taste, which is okay, but slowly, its quality will decline if you refreeze it. 

Can you Reheat Cheese Sauce after refrigeration?

There are 2 important key points you have to remember while reheating cheese sauce after taking it out of the fridge. 

Firstly you need to ensure that when you are reheating cheese sauce, you are reheating it on a stove.

Do not heat cheese sauce in the microwave. Secondly, you need to ensure that cheese sauce is not forming any lumps or getting clumpy. 

You can add some cheese and milk for consistency and texture.

How to know if Cheese Sauce has gone bad?

The cheese sauce is a dairy product. Hence there is a high chance of bacterial growth. If you see mold, fungi, or black spots on the sauce, you should not use that cheese sauce. 

If your cheese sauce smells pungent or weird, do a taste check. If it doesn’t taste the same, it’s better to discard the sauce.

Sometimes, after some while, cheese sauce may turn to a grey color. This happens if you use an aluminum pan to make the sauce. This affects the quality of the sauce. If you don’t feel good about using it, it’s best if you throw it away. 

Cheese sauce may become clumpy and may not stay melted and smooth all time. Try to add some lemon juice while preparing cheese sauce. This will keep the sauce melted.

Conclusion

We hope that we have answered all your queries regarding how long cheese sauce will last and that you can store them. Remember the “2-hour” rule for dairy products like cheese sauce. It’s simple to keep cheese sauce as it to make.

 I prefer to store cheese sauce in the fridge. Now enjoy all your favorite pasta, macs, nachos, and so many other dishes with this cheesy heaven.