How Long Does Bacon Last After Opening The Package?

We are all guilty of the cycle that comes with buying groceries, the one where you buy a single perishable item for one craving's meal and then forget about it. Bacon is one of those items if you're not eating it every day. While the National Library of Medicine doesn't suggest daily ingestion of this fabulous meat, we won't tell anyone if you're the kind of person who can't help but add a little bit to every meal; especially as part of a classic American breakfast. 

Some stores will argue that people aren't eating enough bacon these days. Just make sure you're properly storing the bacon once the meal is finished being prepared. Whether you're cooking bacon in the microwave, stovetop, or in the oven, the important part of the process comes after meal preparation.

According to the USDA, there is a week-long grace period of use for bacon stored in the refrigerator after being opened. As long as the bacon is being stored at under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you've got that full seven days to enjoy adding it to your favorite meals. To get more time out of an opened package of bacon, you're able to reseal and freeze the meat. Stored inside of the freezer, bacon can last for up to four months before going bad.

After some time, there are signs that an item is no longer safe to cook with, but bacon in particular can be tricky to determine. What you're going to look for is a change in color, smell, or texture. If the bacon smells sour or starts to appear green, you'll want to avoid at all costs. Bacon specifically emits a rancid odor when it starts to go bad that you won't be able to ignore upon opening. As for texture: If your bacon feels slimy at all, it isn't worth the risk because that is not water, but bacteria forming on the outside. 

All we know is that getting sick from some bad bacon isn't worth all the trouble, especially when you can take simple steps to prevent it from happening to begin with. Don't leave it up to chance and keep these tips in mind when you're getting ready to use the bacon that's been in the fridge longer than you can mentally track.