# Spaghetti Sauce with Meat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870 "2011-01-08T13:12:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/1 "2011-01-08T13:12:48Z")
Once opened, for how long will spaghetti sauce with meat, kept in the fridge, be safe to eat? ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/2 "2011-01-08T13:31:39Z")
Common sense: If it looks Ok, smells Ok and hasn’t been in there “too long,” heat and simmer “a while,” then if it tastes Ok, eat it and and you’ll probably be fine. There are no hard and fast rules about these things. Food service mantra: When in doubt, throw it out. Made up on the spot totally arbitrary dictum: 5 days. Take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/3 "2011-01-08T18:02:29Z")
When I make spaghetti sauce with meat I usually try to eat or freeze it before a week is up, and I think I’ve been ok. YMMV with the premade stuff. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/4 "2011-01-08T20:26:48Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > When I make spaghetti sauce with meat I usually try to eat or freeze it before a week is up, and I think I’ve been ok. YMMV with the premade stuff. I buy the stuff. Too lazy to make my own. Since meat must be eaten within a day or two after being refrigerated, I try to use the sauce within two days; however, the sauce probably gives an extra time as it contains some vinegar and other acidic foods. ---
**Author:** ![lisalan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/0ea827/32.png) [@lisalan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisalan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/5 "2011-01-08T20:29:32Z")
3-4 days maximum. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/6 "2011-01-09T20:51:06Z")
[five days](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/06/earlyshow/health/main3136152.shtml) No mention if meat would shorten that time. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/7 "2011-01-09T20:53:10Z")
Until it gets fuzzy (well, that’s more-or-less the rule in my house). I put unused sauce in the freezer right away, too, though - it freezes beautifully. ---
**Author:** ![ClevelandProud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@ClevelandProud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClevelandProud)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/8 "2011-01-09T21:30:16Z")
Man, if you have to ask, toss it out. Nothing like a visit to the Emergency Room, having to explain why you are there and if that does not convince you, the bill will. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/9 "2011-01-09T21:37:00Z")
My question was proactive, not reactive. Half a jar of spaghetti sauce is good for one spaghetti meal for me. Now, I’m left with half a jar. I wanted to know how long I have before I have to either use it or discard it. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/10 "2011-01-09T22:54:06Z")
Is this like Ragu? “With Meat” means there’s probably a tablespoon of hamburger mixed in there. Not that a small amount can’t go bad as does a large amount. I digress. My rule has always been, use by the the fourth day. Spaghetti sauce, I wouldn’t be afraid to keep it for a week, it’s acidic and can last a good week. Why don’t you freeze the leftover sauce? Pour it in a ziplock bag or two, seal, freeze flat. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/11 "2011-01-10T01:43:25Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > My question was proactive, not reactive. Half a jar of spaghetti sauce is good for one spaghetti meal for me. Now, I’m left with half a jar. I wanted to know how long I have before I have to either use it or discard it. It depends on a lot of variables. There is no way to know for sure. If your refrigerator sits at a balmy 53˚, you probably have one day. If it runs at a chilly 33˚, at least a week. Honestly, I would freeze it, and not worry about he problem. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/12 "2011-01-10T02:30:48Z")
These people saying a week or less are being super conservative IMHO. I’ve kept spaghetti sauce in the fridge for weeks and used it with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/13 "2011-01-10T02:39:11Z")
Years ago roommates and I had a regular Friday night spaghetti dinner for all of our friends, never knew who would show up. We cooked a big pot of sauce, served dinner, put the pot in the fridge and used as a ‘starter batch’ for the next week. At some point, we must have been serving at least _some_ sauce that had been in the fridge for weeks if not months. No one got sick. I was working as a microbiologist at the time - IIRC, nothing really nasty (just ugly fuzzies) will grow at fridge temps. The key is to not let things sit out too long or keep it on a warmer for hours - that makes a nice incubator for the nasty stuff. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/14 "2011-01-10T11:03:13Z")
I didn’t know you could freeze it - or just never thought of that. That’s what I’ll do. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/15 "2011-01-10T13:11:47Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Since meat must be eaten within a day or two after being refrigerated. That’s only for ground meat and poultry. Other meats are typically 3 - 5 days. [Here’s](http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/storagetimes.html) a handy chart (it doesn’t include spaghetti sauce, though). I personally keep spaghettis sauce until we eat it, which means up to 2 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/16 "2011-01-10T14:46:26Z")
I am so not the person to ask about this, since I’ll leave a half-jar of sauce in the fridge for weeks, but I also eat a lot of dumpstered food that’s already expired when I get it. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/17 "2011-01-10T16:40:15Z")
Just last night I used half a jar of ‘Ragu with Meat’, that was at least a month old, maybe more. It looked and smelled perfectly fine and it had spent no time at room temp since it was opened. I simmered it with frozen meatballs for 30 mins or so and have noticed no ill effects. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/18 "2011-01-10T21:01:17Z")
I asked the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education since I had a link saved to it. I have taken the liberty to quote their reply in full: > [@](#): > > Hello – I have referred your question to the US Partnership for Food Safety Education. > > In Canada, the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education recommends that leftovers such as the spaghetti sauce mentioned below [as I described] be used up within 3-4 days and during that time that it is refrigerated at 4 degrees Celsius [that’s about 40° F] or lower (in shallow, covered containers). > > Hope these suggestions are helpful, > > Brenda Watson > > CPCFSE ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/19 "2011-01-10T21:13:59Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > These people saying a week or less are being super conservative IMHO. I’ve kept spaghetti sauce in the fridge for weeks and used it with no problems. Gotta agree with that. The question should be, “After how many months should I toss my sauce?” ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870/20 "2011-01-11T03:48:58Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > Gotta agree with that. The question should be, “After how many months should I toss my sauce?” I Disagree. [So does the FDA](http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/RetailFoodProtection/FoodCode/FoodCode2009/ucm186451.htm#part3-5). In addition to “How old is it?” you should ask yourself the following questions: At what temperature is it stored at? How many trips has it taken through the temperature danger zone? Has it been properly heated and/or cooled during those trips? Has it been properly stored in a non-reactive, covered container? Is it a _potentially hazardous food_? And in the case of store bought products: Are there preservatives in it? > [@jasg](#): > > We cooked a big pot of sauce, served dinner, put the pot in the fridge and used as a ‘starter batch’ for the next week. Remind me to NEVER eat anything cooked by jasg. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spaghetti-sauce-with-meat/566870.md?page=2)