Coffee creamer goes bad just like all dairy products, and if you are like us, you find yourself regularly dumping a portion of the bottle down the drain. The expiration date is too short for us to get through a whole bottle before our creamer starts smelling funny, and it is time to get a new one. If any of this sounds familiar, you’ve probably wondered if you can freeze coffee creamer and save it for use later.
In this article, we’re going to explain the ins and outs of freezing coffee creamer. How you freeze your creamer depends on how you want to use it in the future and why you want to freeze it in the first place. Let’s get started.
Freezing Creamer: The Basics
You can freeze coffee creamer in the container it comes in, and it will stay good for 4-6 months. If you have an unopened container of coffee creamer, you don’t need to worry about expansion and removing some from the bottle. When you freeze water or liquid with a high percentage of water content like beer, you need to remove about 10% of the volume to avoid breaking the container. Coffee creamer doesn’t expand as much as water when it freezes, so freezing a full bottle is safe.
If you have an already open bottle of creamer, be aware that it will last 4-6 months from the date you freeze it, so make sure you label the bottle clearly with the freezing date. You might think you’ll remember after half a year when you froze it, but trust us, you won’t.
Once you thaw your frozen coffee creamer, use it within 5-7 days. If you freeze the creamer right before its expiration date, you might only get 1-2 days of use before it starts to turn. Make sure to smell the creamer before each use.
3 Methods of Freezing Creamer
1. Buy In Bulk
If you purchase coffee creamer in bulk, freezing a few bottles can ensure the creamer won’t go bad before you get a chance to use it. It’s possible to save money by buying through wholesale clubs, but the savings aren’t worth much if the creamer goes bad before you can use it. We recommend freezing all but one bottle and thawing a new one out a day before the bottle you’re currently using runs out.
2. Extend Expiry Date
On the other hand, if you want to freeze creamer because you don’t use enough to finish it before the expiration date, we recommend freezing half the bottle in a separate container. You can use any freezer-safe container, but we would steer clear of glass. Even though creamer doesn’t expand, we’ve had enough frozen glass mishaps to scare us off from using glass bottles for good. Make sure to choose a container with an airtight lid so that your creamer doesn’t leak as it freezes and so that it doesn’t absorb scents from your freezer.
3. Individual Portions
One idea that we are fond of is freezing individual servings of coffee creamer in an ice cube tray. We prefer to use a covered ice cube tray, but any tray will work. This method is perfect for people that only use small amounts of creamer each day since you can pop one cube out, thaw it, and have the ideal amount for your coffee without worrying about a large batch of creamer spoiling.
Freezing Dairy vs. Non-Dairy Creamers
Non-dairy creamers can be frozen and thawed without affecting the taste or texture at all. Dairy creamer is a bit trickier since the milk and water components tend to separate when they’re frozen. When you thaw dairy creamer, you can be left with a chunky mess that tastes strange and unappealing. The best tip we can give you is to follow the instructions on the bottle. Most dairy creamers don’t recommend freezing, but you might be able to get away with it. Make sure to mix dairy creamer thoroughly after it thaws for the best experience.
Conclusion
Freezing coffee creamer is a great way to keep it fresh if you only use small amounts each day. Buying creamer in bulk and freezing the extra bottles is a great way to save money, and freezing individual servings in an ice cube tray makes it fast and convenient to use while still keeping it fresh for longer. Be careful when freezing dairy creamer since the milk and water will separate, and you might not like the taste and texture after it thaws.
If you freeze any kind of coffee creamer, store it in a freezer-safe bottle or container with an airtight lid. We speak from experience when we say that cleaning frozen creamer off the rack in your freezer is not much fun.
Featured Image Credit: Michelle Lee Photography, Shutterstock
