How to store bean sprouts
Best place: the fridge. USDA gives bean sprouts a fridge time (5 to 10 days, from the package date) and no pantry time, so they belong in the fridge as soon as you get home.
No guideline
5 to 10 days
from the package date
No guideline
How bean sprouts compare with other produce: fresh vegetables
USDA FoodKeeper gives bean sprouts one time: 5 to 10 days in the fridge from the package date, and no figure for the other places. A blank usually means the food is not stored that way, not that the data is missing. The foods USDA lists next to bean sprouts in produce: fresh vegetables show the range for the group:
| Food | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | 5 months |
| Baby carrots | 4 days | 4 weeks | 3 months |
| Bagged greens | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | Not recommended |
| Bamboo shoots | no guideline | 2 weeks | no guideline |
| Basil(first of 2 kinds) | 12 months | no guideline | no guideline |
| Beans and peas | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | 8 months |
| Beets(first of 2 kinds) | 1 day | 1 to 2 weeks | 6 to 8 months |
| Bok choy | no guideline | 2 to 3 days | 10 to 12 months |
| Broccoli and broccoli raab (rapini) | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | 10 to 12 months |
About produce: fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables vary widely in how they keep, with leafy greens wilting within days while root vegetables like potatoes and onions last for weeks in the right conditions. Moisture is usually the enemy of storage life, whether there is too much of it or too little. All produce: fresh vegetables.
How to tell bean sprouts have gone bad
General signs for produce: fresh vegetables, the group USDA lists bean sprouts under.
- Slimy, wet leaves on greens that were crisp before
- Soft or mushy spots on vegetables that were firm
- Sprouting or wrinkled skin on potatoes and onions
- Mould, often white or fuzzy, near the stem or cut end
- Sour or off smell replacing a vegetable's usual earthy scent
More on produce: fresh vegetables. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store leafy greens loosely wrapped in the crisper drawer, ideally with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Keep potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark, dry place outside the fridge, and store potatoes away from onions since they spoil each other faster. Trim and wash vegetables just before cooking.
How to store other produce: fresh vegetables
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.