You usually eat baked beans but often have some leftovers, or you have a delicious can of baked beans you don’t plan to eat right away but worry about spoiling at room temperature. You do not know what to do next. Is the situation familiar? If you are wondering about freezing baked beans and how long do they last in fridge, you are at the right place.
The following information will help you gain more experience in kitchen life and help you protect the health of your family. We will discuss the storage, shelf life, and spoilage of baked beans in the refrigerator.
Do baked beans in the fridge spoil?
Baked beans in the refrigerator for a certain time will still retain their flavor without spoiling, but you still need to pay attention to the time and way of storage.
If you are in the hypothetical situation above, canned baked beans and baked beans kept in the fridge continuously will remain delicious for about 3 to 4 days.
In case you’ve opened the can but don’t eat it all or want to save it for later, freeze them by placing them in an airtight container with a lid, or specialized freezer bags.
However, after that time, your baked beans are very easily damaged, don’t be too subjective.
How long can baked beans be kept in the fridge?
For opened canned baked beans, storing them properly in the refrigerator can keep them from spoiling for 3-4 days. The shelf life of beans in cans will be lower than in sealed glass or plastic containers.
For beans that you bake and store in the refrigerator, they can be eaten within 3-5 days. If you don’t eat all of it or want to save the delicious beans you’ve made for a later meal, store them quickly to prevent spoilage.
Signs to identify spoiled baked beans
There will be no consistent formula to tell if your baked beans are spoiled or not, let your sense answer it as they are the most effective, reliable tools. Don’t forget to pay special attention if the beans have the following signs:
- Sour smell and a thick white liquid all around the beans.
- Any type of organic growth on the surface of beans or around the can tops.
- Beans have been keeping in the storage for too long, bout one week or more.
- The can is bulging or swelling. This happens because the gas produced by bacteria inside the can.
- The can is dented, rusty or has leaks.
If you eat spoiled baked beans then you may experience mild symptoms of poisoning such as diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain. In that case, stop eating immediately and throw the beans away.
Can you get poisoned from baked beans?
Any type of food can cause you to be poisoned if it is improperly prepared, past its expiry date, and improperly stored.
According to studies, bacteria will grow at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit and can reach dangerous levels after two hours. When bacteria grow too much, it will cause food to spoil and harm the health of people who eat it.
So if the room temperature is 90 F or higher, freeze baked beans within an hour. In case your pot of baked beans has been left outside for more than 2 hours, throw it away immediately for your health.
Symptoms of bad baked beans
Eating spoiled baked beans will cause health problems, if more serious you will need to be hospitalized.
Symptoms of bean poisoning will begin to appear within about one to three hours of eating. You may experience nausea, followed by vomiting, then diarrhea, and some other pain such as abdominal pain and cramping.
Usually these pains will go away on their own within a few hours, but in some cases, people will need to be hospitalized for timely follow-up by a doctor.
You may also like: How Long is Mac and Cheese Good for in the Fridge?
How to keep baked beans from spoiling for the longest time in the fridge?
The big mistake that many people make when storing baked beans after eating is to keep the baked beans in a can, or half-eaten bowl, and then put them in the refrigerator.
Taking it a step further, half-eaten baked beans should be scooped into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. Storing baked beans properly at about 40 degrees F or below will keep for up to five days. After that time, you can freeze the baked beans for longer use.
Keeping baked beans in the refrigerator still helps beans retain their delicious taste and not spoil for a long time, helping to enrich your meal and good for your health.
Further reading: Best Mini Fridge Under $200
Related questions
1. Are baked beans healthy?
Baked beans are rich in protein, fiber, other nutrients, and beneficial plant compounds. They can be for improving the gut health and controlling cholesterol levels.
Canned baked beans are convenient, but they often contain lots of sugar, salt, additives, and BPA contaminants.
Therefore, to be healthy, you should eat baked beans made with minimal or moderate sugar and salt. In this way, baked beans can be a nutritious addition to your balanced diet.
Watch “How to flavor your Baked beans”
2. Can you freeze baked beans?
Yes, if you want to save baked beans for later use, you can put them in freezer. Freezing will make the shelf life of baked beans for months or even for years.
3. Can the canned beans be frozen?
Yes, but you must pour the baked beans out of the can. Do not freeze the entire can. In general, canned food are not only likely to crack and explode, but you also have difficulty removing the beans, opening the lid, as well as reheating the inside.
You also shouldn’t put a can of frozen baked beans in the microwave. It would be a safety hazard.
Canned beans can only be frozen when placed in a freezer-safe bag or box.
4. How long do the canned baked beans last in the freezer?
If stored properly, they will maintain their best quality for about 2 months but will remain safe beyond that time.
Baked beans that are kept frozen continuously at 0°F will stay safe for years. However, it’s better not to forget it the freezer, you should use it within 3-6 months.
5. How to freeze baked beans properly
For homemade or canned baked beans, freezing is very helpful way to keep them safe longer. The following steps are effectively in freezing the baked beans.
Let the beans cool down: Wait until the beans come to room temperature. This process will take about one hour, you should do this for food safety. To make it cool faster, you can spread the beans in a single layer on a plate.
Divide the beans into portions: This will help you defrost as much baked beans as you want. This is especially useful if you have a load of beans to stock up on. When freezing, the food will expend, so don’t forget to leave some space on top.
Seal the box or bag: Expel air from the bag by pressing on it or using a straw. Label the bag to help you know when to use it in case you store it for a long time.
Freeze: Place the bag or container in the freezer.
Further reading: Can You Put Food Straight into a New Freezer?
6. How to store baked beans
With canned baked beans
If the can of baked beans is unopened, you should store it in a cool and dark place, away from the stovetop, direct sunlight, or other heat sources. The pantry or a kitchen cabinet which often have a consistent temperature, can be a suitable place for unopened cans of baked beans.
If the temperature fluctuates, your beans will be spoiled quickly, and the food will not be safe.
With homemade baked beans
When storing the homemade baked beans or baked beans leftovers, the first thing you must do is to cool them down, normally at room temperature. You should store the beans within 2 hours of cooking. It’s not good to place food in the temperature from 4 to 60 degree C for too long. This is to avoid the bacteria growth and spread.
After the beans cool down, transfer them to an air-tight container or a resealable bag. You need to use a clean spoon for doing this. The dirty spoon can make beans spoil faster.
You should note that storing hot baked beans will produce steam that will harbor spoilage microbes. So, always remove as much air as possible out of the storage bag before freezing.
7. How long do canned baked beans last after freezing and defrosting?
Baked beans that have been thawed in the refrigerator can be left for an additional 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Meanwhile, baked beans thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be used right away.
8. How can you tell if an opened canned baked bean is bad or spoiled?
The simplest way is to smell and look at baked beans. If you find baked beans have a different smell, taste or appearance, it spoiled. Besides, when you see the presence if mold, you should discard the baked beans.
If the can is unopened, but it is leaky, rusty, swollen, or severely dented, you should also throw the baked beans away.
9. Are canned baked beans safe to use after the “expiry” date on the package?
Yes, as long as they have been stored properly, the box or package is undamaged and shows no signs of damage, the baked beans are safe to eat.
You can see the store-bought baked beans with “Best by”, “Best if Used By,” “Best Before”, or “Best When Used By” date, but it is not a safe date. This is the estimate from the manufacturer of how long the baked beans will last at the highest quality.
10. Which are the tastiest canned baked beans?
Bush’s Best Baked Beans
It’s high in fiber, 98% fat free and a secret family recipe. Bush’s Best has the perfect recipe to please just about any kind of taster.
This is one of the best classic baked beans that you should try. You will love the pork bits and the sweet sauce.
Bush’s Best Vegetarian Baked Beans
It offers the perfect balance between sweet and savory with a thick sauce.
Bush’s Original Baked Beans and the vegetarian one taste just as good; sweeter than others; You can really taste the brown sugar.
This Vegetarian Baked Beans recipe uses tender navy beans, slow cooked in a sweet, meat-free tomato sauce, seasoned with brown sugar and a special spice blend. So whether you’re gearing up for a summer meal, a weeknight dinner or anything in between, you can be sure you’ve got the perfect delicious beans to go with.
For those following a vegetarian diet, this is a great alternative to Bush’s Original baked beans.
Amy’s Organic Beans, Baked Beans in a Hearty Tomato Sauce
Amy’s Vegetarian Beans gets its rich flavor from organic white beans simmered with tomato puree, mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar, and a dash of traditional and delicious maple syrup. They are made with natural and healthy ingredients, provide good source of protein and fiber. With USDA certified organic, they are free from gluten, dairy, soy, lactose, tree nut and trans-fat,…
This can of beans has a strong tomato flavor, but not as unpleasant as the Heinz baked beans. Many people prefer this bean over others because of taste and it wasn’t nearly as saucy.
Campbell’s Canned Beans, Pork and Beans
You will love the sweet and salty beans with pork. It is available in package includes 12, 19.75 oz. cans. Each can contain about 4.5 servings.
There are no synthetic colors, artificial flavors or preservatives added, so your healthy will be safe in the long term. You can eat the beans immediately – hot, chilled or at room temperature. These baked beans are perfect to serve as a delicious BBQ side dish.
B&M Baked Beans, Original Flavor
This is a great source of fiber and protein and 99% fat free. You will enjoy the favorite baked beans with the best, traditional flavor.
With the purpose to bring great homemade taste, each pot is stirred in thick, rich sauce. The beans were baked slowly in old fashioned brick ovens, the traditional method of New England.
Conclusion
Nowadays, food safety is becoming a top concern. Every family pays attention to the quality of their family meals. In addition, the number of cases of food poisoning is increasing, many of which occur with improperly stored food, such as baked beans when kept in fridge.
Some people think baked bean poisoning is just a trivial matter. However, if this happens regularly, it will have a very bad effect on the health of you and your family. The botulinum toxin found in spoiled baked beans can build up and cause serious illness, or paralysis, requiring long-term treatment.
Reference:
1. How long do baked beans last, thewholeportion.com, Retrieved on Jun 7, 2022.
2. How long cooked beans last, frugalinsa.com, Retrieved on Jun 8, 2022.
