You Should Probably Throw Out That Old Container Of Canned Whipped Cream

It's frustratingly easy for containers of sauces, dressings, and toppings to vanish into the chilly void of the refrigerator, buried on shelves and behind newer groceries. How fortunate that foods stored in the fridge have a longer life compared to those stored at room temperature, so folks have a better chance to use them up before they go bad. But refrigerated food still doesn't last forever.

Canned whipped cream (or spray whipped cream) is especially easy to forget. There's often just a little bit leftover from a special dessert or recipe, plus that solid can gives no visual clues as to how the cream inside is holding up. The truth?  It's probably time to let that whipped cream go. 

Producers like Land O'Lakes recommend using spray whipped cream by the expiration date stamped on the can. However, consumers have found that spray whipped cream can be used for up to three weeks past the expiration date. Although you should proceed with caution. However, time flies when it comes to food storage, and it's likely that your canned whipped cream has been languishing in the refrigerator for weeks or even longer.

In fairness to the companies that make the stuff, up to three weeks past the expiration date is actually a generous amount of time to use up canned whipped cream — especially when you consider that from-scratch whipped cream lasts, at best, a couple of days in the fridge. However, it's also fair to wonder why, sealed inside that can, spray whipped cream can't last for even longer. The reason is that it's made with dairy products.

Even though canned whipped cream is a processed food that contains additives and stabilizers, it also includes real dairy in the form of heavy cream and milk solids. Dairy products like these contain naturally occurring bacteria. Most are eliminated through pasteurization, but some do remain and will grow the longer dairy sits around. Some dairy products have a better shelf life, but eventually the bacteria will make them spoil, creating a sour taste and funky smell.

The quality of canned whipped cream is also a consideration: Even if not spoiled, old whipped cream will separate, becoming watery and lacking the airy volume of fresh. Spraying runny, deflated whipped cream onto your desserts is a surefire way to make a tasty dish look really sad. The next time you bring home canned whipped cream, get shaking — literally — and use it up before it's forgotten.