Dairy substitute shelf life once opened

[CrazyCatLady]

Ok, so we're at a great advantage when it comes to dairy alternatives and their shelf life...with many not needing to be in the fridge until they've been opened. But what I'm wanting to know is, once you have opened them...how long until they 'go off'?

I've never been one to follow what it says on the boxes...I just used to smell milk or have a look at cream etc. I think soy milk stinks anyway (lol) so I can't do that. Obviously if there are lumps then I don't use it...but should I stop using it before then? On average I'll have a cartoon of opened soy milk in the fridge for a week or so xxx

 

[hungryraccoon]

I find soy milk usually lasts a bit longer than a week. Personally I take no notice of best before or use by dates - they are just there as a guide line. If something looks, smells & tastes ok...it is ok.

Soy milk tastes funny when it's off; there's no way you would eat/drink it without realising.

Things like houmous are very obvious too. It's stinks, looks strange (lumpy?) & tastes disgusting & sour when it's off. But they always say on the package to eat it within 2 days of opening which is crap because it always lasts at least 3.

Basically what I'm saying is, trust your senses!

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Glad to hear others use soy milk for more than a week too.
Any experience with alpro soy cream? My nan kindly got me some to have with my pudding on Xmas eve and she's now asking if she should throw what's left xxx

 

[AeryFairy]

Glad to hear others use soy milk for more than a week too.
Any experience with alpro soy cream? My nan kindly got me some to have with my pudding on Xmas eve and she's now asking if she should throw what's left xxx

I usually leave dairy alternatives open in the fridge until I've finished them it can be anything up to a month for this... I wouldn't throw out the soy cream yet, I keep one of those in my fridge for the odd creamy pasta dish and it lasts for ages. As raggle said, it'll taste/look funny if it's gone off (soy milk gets lumpy, for example).

 

[PTree15]

I've gone longer than 10 days with soy milk. I, too, just go by smell and lumpiness. If it's lumpy, I dump it. Almond milk tends to last a bit longer than soy milk, in my experience. I've had some up to two+ weeks.

 

[Alice-Bee]

If you cant keep your nose to it...chuck it.

Little tip my Dad always says when I ask if he thinks something may be off.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

If you cant keep your nose to it...chuck it.

Little tip my Dad always says when I ask if he thinks something may be off.

Tbf I hate the smell of most soy products so I don't smell them even when they're in date! xxx

 

[shyvas]

Tbf I hate the smell of most soy products so I don't smell them even when they're in date! xxx

I find the Alpro products taste fabulous, especially their single fresh cream. I don't know what you'd think of
the soya products that I get overhere as they really taste inferior. I can't buy Alpro only Provamel which is the
organic brand and is so expensive so I buy supermarket brands instead.

http://corporate.alpro.com/en/provamel.html

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I find the Alpro products taste fabulous, especially their single fresh cream. I don't know what you'd think of
the soya products that I get overhere as they really taste inferior. I can't buy Alpro only Provamel which is the
organic brand and is so expensive so I buy supermarket brands instead.

http://corporate.alpro.com/en/provamel.html

I LOVE alpro single cream. That's the one that my nan was about to throw away but thanks to these posts I have stopped her xxx

 

[SummerRain]

I don't think I've ever seen a non-dairy milk noticeably "go off". I chuck them after about 10 days, which is a random cut off point, the box says 5. I've thrown them away after a couple of weeks (but I haven't drank them during that time, they've been left open because I've been away) and they weren't lumpy or smelly.

 

[Wolfie]

I know I throw away a lot of food that is probably still good. So I am not the right person to ask. Leftovers get 4 days tops. I don't drink soy milk but almond milk gets a week since the carton says 7 to 10 days. If you get food poisoning once it's not something you want to repeat. Or at least I don't.

 

[peacefulveglady]

It should say on the package how long, I usually keep it for a week , then I pitch it.

 

[Lord Snot]

I just finished my rice milk at work today, it had been in the fridge since early December. I only use a little bit daily for my breakfast cereal and occasionally a splash in milk, so I'm glad it doesn't go off after a few days or I'd waste a lot of money!