Creamy Salad Dressings (Ranch, Blue Cheese, Thousand Island)

iVillage: Food Expiration Dates 101: How Long to Keep Condiments

Unopened: 12 to 18 months in the pantry.

Opened: 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator.

Creamy dressings must be refrigerated after opening. If mold appears, discard the entire product.

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Ketchup

Unopened: 12 months in the pantry.

Opened: 6 months in the refrigerator, 1 month in the pantry.

While you see opened bottles of ketchup sitting out on restaurant tables, it’s best to store your own ketchup (which probably gets used less often) in your refrigerator.

(CREDIT: Andrew Olney/Digital Vision/Getty Images)

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Mayonnaise

Unopened: 3 to 4 months after the sell-by date on the package.

Opened: 2 to 3 months after the sell-by date on the package.

Sell-by dates represent the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the product will be at peak quality. In most cases, opened food is safe to consume after a sell-by date if it has been stored properly and continuously refrigerated.

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Barbecue Sauce

Unopened: 12 months in the pantry.

Opened: 4 months in the refrigerator, 1 month in the pantry.

Store opened barbecue sauce in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life. Toss any sauce that develops an off color or scent.

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Mustard, All Typ...

Unopened: 2 years in the pantry.

Opened: 1 year in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 months in the pantry.

Opened mustard has a very long shelf life (one year!) when stored in the refrigerator. Toss any mustard that develops an off color or scent.

(CREDIT: SMNEEDHAM/Food Pix/Getty Images)

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Relish

Unopened: 2 years in the pantry.

Opened: 1 year in the refrigerator.

Like mustard, opened relish has a long shelf life when refrigerated. If relish develops an off color, odor or appearance, discard it.

(CREDIT: Kevin Flood/Food Pix/Getty Images)

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Creamy Salad Dre...

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Vinaigrette-base...

Unopened: 12 to 18 months in the pantry.

Opened: 6 to 9 months in the refrigerator.

If your salad dressing develops an off color, odor or appearance, discard it.

(CREDIT: Tom Kelley Archive/Retrofile RF/Getty Images)

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Pickles, All Typ...

Unopened: 2 years in the pantry.

Opened: 1 year in the refrigerator.

If your pickles develop an off color, odor or appearance, discard them.

(CREDIT: Nick M. Do/Photodisc/Getty Images)

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Salsa (Fresh, St...

Unopened: 10 to 14 days (or date on package) in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

Opened: 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator or 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

Fresh store-bought salsa should ideally be eaten when you open it. If you do have leftover salsa, freeze it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag.

(CREDIT: Lisa Fain/Foodpix/Getty Images)

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Salsa or Picante...

Unopened: 12 to 18 months in the pantry.

Opened: 1 month in the refrigerator, 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

Jarred salsa is cooked, so it has a longer shelf life than the fresh kind. Discard salsa or picante sauce with an off color, odor or appearance.

(CREDIT: Bill Boch/Foodpix/Getty Images)

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