Does Jelly Need to be Refrigerated?

If you keep a jar of jelly in the kitchen just in case someone at the breakfast table requests for some, you might want to learn more about how to properly store jelly.

So, is it really necessary to cram your jelly into that limited refrigerator space, and does jelly need to be refrigerated for better preservation, or can you just leave it out on the counter? What happens if you don’t refrigerate the jelly and leave it out overnight?  While this breakfast favorite is sometimes served at room temperature, some people just prefer to keep it chilled.

Does Jelly Need to be Refrigerated?

No, If you haven’t opened the jelly and it’s still in cubes, it can sit on the pantry for several months before you have to worry about making it. It’s not necessary to put it in the refrigerator at this point. You are free to do so, but it is not required. However, when the jelly is prepared without sugar or has very little sugar, it should be kept refrigerated. Jelly with little or no sugar will spoil rapidly since it has nothing to keep its moisture level stable.

Refrigerating something usually extends its shelf life, so this can be a motivation when deciding what the best way to store your jelly is. So, if you don’t eat jelly every other day of the week, and you feel it wouldn’t hurt to store it away in the refrigerator, then it’s better to put those jelly jars in the fridge for long-term preservation.

How Long Can You Keep Jelly Out of the Fridge?

Out of the fridge, an unopened jar of jelly can survive up to 12 months if kept cool and dry. Jelly, on the other hand, has a shelf life that varies depending on its sugar level, particularly once it has been opened. However, it is widely agreed by authorities that if handled properly, an unrefrigerated jelly should last at least 30 days after it has been opened.

Does Smucker’s Jelly Need to Be Refrigerated?

No, Smucker’s jelly doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can be stored in a shelf or cupboard as long as it’s unopened. Unopened Smucker’s jelly should be of acceptable quality until they expire under normal circumstances. However, the flavor and color of products will deteriorate over time, and for opened Smucker’s jelly, refrigeration is recommended for longer-term preservation which could be as long as 9 months.

Do You Put jelly in the Fridge or Freezer?

You can put in either depending on how soon you need to consume your jelly. If you want to eat your jelly in the space of one to three weeks, then you can refrigerate and eat it anytime you feel like. If you are planning for the long term, though, you should leave it in the freezer, as frozen jelly can last up to a year. Since it tends to lose its flavor after being frozen for up to a year, it’s better to thaw as often as possible to eat.

Read also: How Long is Cookie Dough Good for in the Fridge?

Does Peanut Butter and Jelly Need to be Refrigerated?

No, peanut butter and jelly don’t have to be refrigerated. Even if left out for several days until dried up, an unrefrigerated peanut butter and jelly sandwich is one of the least probable foods to be harmful in any way. When kept cool, though, they will last considerably longer. I’ll say when the bread becomes moldy, then they can be regarded bad. If it’s standard bread with regular preservatives, I’d wait approximately 7 to 10 days before discarding it.

Peanuts endure an absurdly long time, and peanut butter and jelly have so much sugar that germs can’t grow in them. Before worrying about anything being harmful, I’d be more concerned about the staleness of the bread.

If you prefer a cold peanut butter and jelly sandwich, then you can refrigerate it, or if you want to make sandwiches a few days ahead of time, you can also refrigerate it to help preserve it if you’re worried about spoilage. The problem is that the quality of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich degrades significantly more quickly. After a day in the refrigerator, the bread will become soggy or taste stale, and you’ll probably want to toss it out.

Read also: Does Teriyaki Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated?

Does Grape Jelly Need to be Refrigerated?

No, Grape jelly doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It can last as long as 2 years at the best quality when unopened and properly stored, but once opened, it is advisable to keep it refrigerated especially if you’re planning to eat multiple times in the future. Moreover, an opened grape jelly that has been properly refrigerated can last up to a year at the best quality.

To recap, Jelly is a delectable pleasure that many people may consume in large quantities. With that said, it’s not always possible to consume everything at once, which can pose some issues if you don’t have a lot of storage space.

So, does jelly need to be refrigerated? I’ll say yes because almost everyone has refrigerators now, so why not just use them to preserve them longer especially if you can’t consume everything at a go. If you like to eat jelly a lot, you can leave them out in the open for a few weeks if they’re well-sealed but if you won’t be able to eat it within that time range, it’s best to store it in the refrigerator.

By Luong Tan

Luong Tan, the creative and passionate founder of Bourbono, is a multi-talented individual with a deep love for the culinary arts. An accomplished food blogger, cookbook author, and former Ambassador of US cuisine in Vietnam (2015-2016), Luong has been on a mission to share his appreciation for food with the world.

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