How Long Does French Onion Dip Typically Stay Fresh?
It's almost unthinkable to serve a bag of chips without some sort of dip. And if you're going for a bag of classic potato chips, you had better have a big bowl of French onion dip. This definitive snack has been making the scene at tailgates, picnics, potlucks, and more for as long as most of us can remember. Most of the time the bowl of dip gets eaten up before the bag of chips itself, but if you have a little bit left over for some reason, keep in mind that French onion dip doesn't last forever. If you're planning a party and want to make your dip ahead of time, or if you have a little dip hanging around after a snacking session, it's safe to refrigerate it for up to three weeks. For the best onion dip flavor, however, don't store it longer than five to seven days.
Whether you're making French onion dip from scratch or simply popping the lid off of some of the store-made stuff, be sure to eat it in a timely manner. Dips that sit around in the fridge can start to taste stale and flat over time. For the best dip every time, labeling and dating it is essential.
It all depends on the ingredients
It seems like there's always been French onion dip for sale at the grocery store, but the beloved goop has actually only been around since the 1950s, which is when Lipton invented its game-changing dried onion soup mix. Not long after the soup packets came on the market, someone had the ingenious idea to mix it with sour cream, and a dip was born. You can still make your own French onion dip the old-fashioned way, with a soup packet and a container of sour cream. However, there are lots of store-bought options available these days, too. Just keep in mind that homemade dip and store-bought dip have different shelf lives.
Store-bought dip, especially the shelf-stable stuff in the chip aisle, can be good for up to 14 days after it's opened because it contains some preservatives that will keep it tasting fresh. Just be sure to refrigerate it after you open it and follow the recommended date printed on the label. Store-bought dips from the chilled section of the grocery store can also contain some preservatives, so they should be good for about a week or so before they start to taste a little stale. Homemade dip goes bad the fastest and is only good for around five to seven days. The USDA says that sour cream can be stored in the fridge for up to three weeks, but the flavor of your dip will diminish day by day.
Label and date your dip
The easiest way to make sure your French onion dip doesn't go bad is to eat it all as soon as you open it, of course. But depending on the crowd or your appetite, it's not always possible to polish off all the snacks. So, if you find yourself with some extra dip on hand, just be sure to label and date the container so you don't lose track of time.
All store-bought dips will have an expiration date printed on the label, of course, but it's a good idea to also mark the lid with the date it was opened with a marker so you know how long you have until the dip is past its best. If you make a dip from scratch, write the date it was made on a piece of masking tape and stick it to the top of the container. If you're covering the container with plastic wrap, stick your date to the side of the bowl so that it doesn't get tossed out with the plastic when you go to eat it. This way, you'll always have the freshest-tasting dip, and all you'll have to worry about is keeping your chips nice and fresh. If you aren't up for eating more chips, you can always use it as an ingredient somewhere else, like macaroni and cheese, for a rich, creamy boost of flavor.