Refried beans are a versatile food. They can be used in a variety of dishes and recipes, and they’re tasty and fairly healthy.
How Long Refried Beans Last in the Fridge
Refried beans will last in your refrigerator for around three to four days. This leaves you plenty of time to use them in other ways instead of having to throw them out.
How To Refrigerate Refried Beans
The first thing you need to do before you refrigerate your refried beans is to make sure they’re kept in an airtight container. This is the same rule you should use for both canned and homemade refried beans. A tight top should be placed on them to make sure that no air gets inside. You can put a can of refried beans in the refrigerator and cover it with plastic wrap if you prefer, but removing them from the can and placing them in a container works best. When you leave refried beans in an open can, there’s a chance that the beans will make you sick later on when you eat them.
How To Tell if Refried Beans Have Gone Bad
Look at and smell the beans. If there is any type of strange odor, or if they taste funny, or if they just don’t look right, you should throw them away. This is especially true if you notice any type of mold on the beans, even if it’s just a small amount of mold.
Also, if the can or package of beans that you just took out of the refrigerator is rusty, dented, leaking, or bulging in any way, all of it needs to be discarded. Even if you stored the beans in some type of plastic container, the entire container should be thrown away just to be on the safe side.
What Happens if You Eat Refried Beans That Have Gone Bad?
When you eat refried beans that have gone bad, there is always the risk of food poisoning, which can be miserable. Some of the symptoms of food poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Stomach cramps
- Weakness
- Mild fever
Food poisoning must be taken seriously. If you have any of the above symptoms after eating refried beans, seek medical attention immediately. Food poisoning is never something to be taken lightly.
Can You Freeze Refried Beans?
You can freeze refried beans, whether they are from a can or homemade. Put the beans in a container with an airtight lid. Leave some room for expansion, and mix a tiny bit of oil or water into the beans to keep them from becoming too thick. If you store them in a deep freezer, they can last for three to five years and sometimes longer. If you store them in a regular freezer, the beans will keep for three to six months.
When you’re ready to thaw out the beans, place them in the refrigerator overnight. Before you eat them, if you notice that they look a little watery, all you have to do is add some oil to the beans and stir them well.
An unopened can of refried beans has a long shelf life and can last for six years or longer. If there’s an expiration date on the can, always go by that date so you don’t end up eating beans that have gone bad.