The Storing Mistake You Might Be Making With Canned Coconut Milk

Storing leftovers whether cooked or uncooked can be a tricky affair. Soggy fried foods are hard to revive after a few hours in cold temperatures, fresh greens like spinach leaves and broccoli can quickly become unappetizingly gooey, and everyone knows what happens to cooked pasta in the refrigerator. Similarly, if you've just opened a canned food item like coconut milk and are left with leftovers that couldn't be used, you're probably in need of a storage solution.

When unopened, canned coconut milk has a long shelf life but once used, its leftovers can be a tad difficult to store. While it may be tempting (and convenient) to leave leftover coconut milk in the open can itself and call it a day, Science Notes says that it may not be the best idea. It turns out that the problem isn't in the coconut milk but in the can.

According to the USDA, canned foods like tomatoes and pickles that are high in acidity can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to seven days once opened whereas canned foods like meats and soups that have low acidity will stay fresh for a maximum of four days. While there's no danger in storing open leftovers in the can itself, it's not the best storage solution if you want to preserve the food's flavor.

Science Notes says that the problem with storing canned foods comes from the fact that cans are made from metal. Once a can is open, the metal from the open lid can seep into the food inside. While storing leftovers like coconut milk in a metallic can for a few days may not cause enough corrosion for it to be harmful to your health, it may be significant enough to affect the flavor of the milk. Once opened, it can be hard to seal the can tightly enough so not only will the leftovers taste more metallic, but they may also dry out or take on the aroma and flavor of other foods sitting in the refrigerator.

Unless you want your leftover coconut milk to taste like metal or the onions sitting next to it in the refrigerator, it's best to transfer it to another airtight container first. If tightly covered, an open can of coconut milk may stay fresh for anywhere between four to six days (via Still Tasty). Alternatively, coconut milk can also be frozen to increase its storage life.

When freezing coconut milk, be aware that it expands in the freezer and will separate — it's important to blend it again using a whisk or a blender after it has thawed in the refrigerator. Once you do that, the leftover canned coconut milk will be as good as new!