How long does spaghetti sauce in jars last?

FoodKeeper gives spaghetti sauce in jars 18 months unopened, as a guide to quality. Once opened, that's 4 days in the refrigerator.

How to store it

Keep jars out of direct heat, away from the stove and damp. Once opened, a jar goes straight in the refrigerator, and FoodKeeper gives it 4 days.

USDA says temperatures below 85°F are best, and to avoid anywhere above or beside the stove, under the sink, or in a damp garage or basement. Once it's open, follow any storage instruction on the label.

What to look for

USDA says never to use food from cracked jars, or jars with loose or bulging lids. Mold on an opened sauce means the whole jar goes.

Don't use food from a cracked jar, or a jar with a loose or bulging lid. Don't taste it to check.

Worth knowing

Opened sauce doesn't cope well with a power outage. USDA's outage chart says to throw away opened spaghetti sauce if the refrigerator has been above 40°F for over 2 hours.

Similar foods

From preppantry.app. Checked 2 November 2026. Independent tool, not official advice.

How it works

FoodKeeper is USDA's food storage database. Its figures are guides to quality for food stored at cool room temperature, not safety cut-offs, and we show them as USDA gives them. FoodKeeper counts this from the date of purchase. Opened times start when you open the pack.

Where FoodKeeper gives no figure, we say so instead of guessing. The date printed on a package is the manufacturer's, and it's about quality except on infant formula.

Common questions

How long does spaghetti sauce in jars last unopened?

18 months, according to USDA FoodKeeper, as a guide to best quality. FoodKeeper counts this from the date of purchase.

How long does spaghetti sauce in jars keep once opened?

FoodKeeper gives no figure for an opened pack in the pantry. 4 days in the refrigerator.

Does spaghetti sauce in jars go bad after the date on the package?

USDA says dates are about quality, except on infant formula. A product should still be safe if handled properly until spoilage shows, so check for an off smell, taste or texture.

What should I look for before using spaghetti sauce in jars?