What happens if you drink expired Powdered Creamer? (Coffee Mate)

Powdered creamer is super popular in medical offices, workplace breakrooms, and even when going camping. One of the reasons it is so widely used is because it doesn’t require a refrigerator and has a very long shelf life.

Although it may not be the best tasting coffee creamer, it is far better than drinking black coffee. My husband drinks his coffee black, and I will never understand it. Let’s deep dive into this pantry staple and find out everything we can about Powdered Creamer and if it’s safe to drink expired coffee creamer.

Can you use out of date Coffee Mate?

To truly understand if using out of date Coffee Mate Creamer is ok, we need to first understand what exactly is in Coffee Mate. When powdered creamer was first introduced in the 1950’s it was made from powdered milk, but it did not dissolve easily in hot liquids.

This was a way to make milk products have a longer shelf life and made them easier to travel long distances. In the late 50’s, the Carnation company figured out how to make a powdered creamer that melted when it was added to hot liquids like coffee.

Carnation replaced the powdered milk products with vegetable oil and reduced the milk protein in the powdered creamer. The vegetable oil made the creamer melt in holt liquid and it also mimicked the feeling that you get when you drink cream.

Other coffee creamers similar to Coffee Mate would be International Delight Creamer, CoffeeRich, Cremora, and now there are many generic store versions as well.

Most powdered creamers today are still based off this vegetable oil method, and it is why most creamers are labeled as non-dairy. Since most powdered creamers don’t have dairy products in them, they don’t spoil like milk.

Instead, non-dairy powdered creamers are more likely to go rancid. Most powdered creamer comes in a container that has a flap that closes on itself.

If powdered creamer is past the expiration date and not yet opened, it will still be safe to use. The issue of safety comes more into play if the container has been previously opened and how it is stored.

Coffee mate liquid creamer is slightly different than the powdered kind, and the liquid coffee creamer will not last as long as powdered.

Does Coffee Mate powder expire?

Coffee mate does have an expiration date listed on the container, but powdered creamer is listed as shelf stable. This means that it can be stored at room temperature and does not require it to be refrigerated.

If powdered creamer like Coffee Mate is stored in a cool dark place that is away from direct sunlight, it will last longer. Ideally you will want to use Coffee Mate within 1-2 years of it being opened.

Unopened creamers last even longer if they are stored correctly. If you are drinking expired coffee creamer, it isn’t as big a deal if the container has the seals still intact when you open it.

Where is the expiration date on Nestle Coffee Mate?

The expiration date on Nestle Coffee Mate powdered creamer is typically located on the bottom of the bottle or container. In some instances, the date is printed on the top as well.

The expiration date of Coffee Mate is generally about 2 years after it is made in a factory. This would give the average American more than enough time to consume the product.

If you only drink coffee creamer occasionally and are probably not going to consume much in a year, you may want to go with a smaller container size.

I only buy powdered creamer for when my parents come to visit. They only use the original flavor of powdered creamer for their coffee. Since they only visit a few times a year, it is better for me to buy a small container.

If I was to switch up my liquid creamer for powdered, I would purchase a larger container for daily use. To make coffee creamer last longer, you can always move it to another container that can be airtight.

Sometimes, I have seen containers where the little lid won’t stay closed and that will make the creamer last a shorter amount of time.

How to tell if Coffee Mate is bad?

Since we typically only use powdered creamer for guests and the occasional time that I run out of liquid creamer, we do sometimes have a container that nears the expiration date.

If you also drink liquid creamer, you may want to check out “What happens if you drink expired Liquid Coffee Creamer?“

It is important to note that most expiration dates on powdered creamer are listed as a “Best Buy date” and not a “Use by date”. This distinction means that the creamer is still good past the expiration date but may not be of the same quality and taste as before the date.

When powdered creamer is at its best quality the texture is grainy similar to sugar and has a slight sweet smell. If powdered creamer is old or has gone bad, the texture and smell will change.

Powdered creamer that has gone bad will be clumped and may clog the hole in the container. This is also a sign that the creamer was not stored properly.

Powdered creamer can act as an odor absorber, so if the container is left open it can suck up smells like fried fish. Always make sure that you close the flap and keep the lid on tight of the bottle.

Coffee Mate can also absorb moisture in the air so if you live in a high humidity area like Florida or Mississippi, you will want to make sure your creamer is in an airtight container.

Once creamer absorbs odors and moisture, it will start to degrade. Not only will it be clumpy, but it will also start to not want to dissolve in coffee. You will end up with chunks of creamer that don’t mix well with hot liquids.

The powdered creamer will also taste off, it may taste stale or depending on the odors it has absorbed it may have a weird aftertaste. Some people have said it almost tasted metallic.

If your expired creamer has a bad taste or smell, then definitely throw it away.

What happens if you drink expired Coffee Mate?

If the powdered creamer is stored away from odors and moisture, then the creamer is still good to use past the expiration date.

Worst case scenario the creamer will taste a little stale or won’t have as much flavor as before. If you used a flavored coffee creamer like French vanilla or hazelnut, you would notice the flavor just isn’t as strong as it usually tastes.

The odds of getting food poisoning from expired powdered creamer is extremely low. Food poisoning would only occur if the creamer was not stored properly. (Like if it was left open on a window ledge in direct sunlight and you frequently have strong odors in that room)

Unlike dairy creamers or powdered milk, powdered creamer is oil based and is not likely to grow mold. If a foreign object was introduced to the creamer, like a piece of fruit then it can grow mold. It is highly unlikely to grow mold if it is stored by itself.

Powdered creamers don’t grow mold, because they are a dry powder. Mold typically likes wet and warm places to grow, so as long as your creamer doesn’t get wet or absorb moisture it won’t mold.

If you are unsure how the powdered creamer was stored, or if you notice that the lid is not securing shut you will want to go ahead and toss it. (because of the fat & oil content, you may not want to add it to your compost pile)

Overall powdered creamers like Coffee Mate are great to travel with and have on hand. They have a very long shelf life and as long as they are stored correctly, they can be used for much longer than the expiration date.

In case you’re now wondering about if your coffee itself is expired, check out “What happens if you drink expired coffee? to learn more!