Bagels are a popular breakfast item, especially on Sundays, due to their appealing chewy texture and savory flavor. However, if you happen to spread cream cheese on your bagel but cannot consume it immediately, is it possible to store it in the refrigerator overnight?
If you want to maintain the freshness of your cream cheese bagel, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, but make sure to keep it in an airtight container or sealed bag to avoid dryness and contamination. However, for long-term storage and maximum freshness, freezing is a better option than refrigeration.
If you want to know how to store a cream cheese bagel in the fridge without compromising its safety, as well as how long cream cheese can last and whether it’s safe to leave a cream cheese bagel on the counter, continue reading for more information.
What’s the Best Way to Keep Bagels With Toppings Fresh?
To extend the shelf life of fresh bagels with toppings, there are various efficient methods for storage. If you want to keep them in the freezer, use a container or bag that is safe for freezing and they can last for more than three months. On the other hand, if you prefer to store them on the counter, put them in an air-tight bag and make sure to consume them within 4-7 days to ensure their safety.
Most toppings won’t affect the longevity of your bagels, which should remain the same as plain bagels if you have garlic, sesame, or poppy seed varieties. Nevertheless, toppings like cream cheese, sour cream, and onion won’t last long unless kept in the refrigerator or freezer.
Bagels can be stored in the fridge, freezer, or on the counter without any safety concerns, but the storage location significantly affects their shelf life.
Although it is a secure method, refrigerating your bagels is not the primary suggestion for keeping them fresh. The refrigerator has advantages such as inhibiting mold growth, but it can also affect the flavor and quality of your bagel.
Storing bagels with cream cheese in the fridge is not the most ideal option as the dry and cold environment can extract moisture from the bagel.
It is recommended to store bagels either on the counter or in the freezer. To properly store them in the freezer, slice the bagels in half and arrange them on a baking sheet. Freeze for approximately 30-40 minutes until they are completely frozen.
Afterward, take them out of the refrigerator and tray, and transfer them to a container or bag that is safe for freezing. They will remain fresh for 3-4 months since the freezer has moisture that keeps your food from drying out and becoming stale, unlike the fridge.
The most common method of storing bagels is on the kitchen counter. This approach provides easy access to your bagels and eliminates the need to defrost them before toasting.
To maintain the freshness of bagels with cream cheese, it is recommended to store them in an airtight container or bag on the counter while avoiding direct sunlight and heat sources. It is important to prevent moisture buildup caused by heat as it can lead to the formation of bacteria and mold.
How Long Do Bagels Last?
When stored in a sealed container or bag, bagels can remain fresh for 4-7 days on the counter; however, if they are left uncovered and uncontaminated, they will only last for a day. The shelf life of homemade bagels is shorter due to their lower preservative content.
As previously mentioned, the duration for which a bagel remains fresh is determined by its storage method, but there are additional factors that can affect its shelf life. These factors comprise:
Moisture
Humidity
Season
Ingredients
Sunlight
Seasons can significantly affect how long a bagel stays fresh, depending on the location. In the eastern part of the United States, for instance, there can be a significant difference in weather conditions between Maine and Florida.
While Florida has warm and humid temperatures throughout the year, Maine undergoes significant temperature changes from January to July, making it difficult to determine the best season for keeping bagels on the counter in Florida.
Nonetheless, storing bread and bagels on the counter during winter in Maine is ideal, but it’s crucial to keep them away from the heater to avoid moisture.
Sunlight can have a negative impact on the longevity of your bags and packages, as it has the potential to compromise their structural integrity and cause food degradation. Additionally, exposure to sunlight can result in moisture accumulation within the bag, which may lead to spoilage and mold formation.
Various factors can impact the longevity of bagels. In case you reside in a warm, damp location and want to preserve your bagels for an extended period, it is advisable to store them in the freezer.
How Long Can A Bagel With Cream Cheese Stay Out?
It is recommended by the FDA that cream cheese should not be kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours due to its uncooked cheese content, and this rule applies to the cream cheese on bagels as well since it is not baked.
Cream cheese is a type of soft and moist cheese that has a shorter room temperature shelf life compared to dry cheeses like cheddar.
Cross-contamination is a significant concern when leaving cream cheese out, as every hand that comes into contact with the bagel carries germs that can incubate at temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius).
Cream cheese contains sugars and fats, making it a more favorable environment for bacteria to grow compared to a hard, baked bagel. While a plain bagel can be left at room temperature, a buttered or cream cheese bagel should not be.
Cream cheese has a short shelf life when stored at room temperature, but if left unopened, it can last for approximately one month in the refrigerator; however, once opened, it should be placed in an airtight container and consumed within ten days.
Various kinds of cream cheese possess varying durations of shelf life. Among dairy cream cheese, the conventional type with average fat content has one of the lengthiest shelf lives.
Traditional cream cheese, which doesn’t have any additional ingredients, can remain fresh in the refrigerator for a maximum of one month if it is unopened. However, if opened, traditional cream cheese will stay fresh for 7-10 days when stored in the fridge.
Whipped cream cheese typically lasts for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator, and this is particularly true if it contains additional ingredients.
Although there are approximately 16 varieties of cream cheese, determining their shelf life can be challenging. However, it is recommended to consume whipped and low-fat cream cheese within 2-3 weeks.
Specialty cream cheese that has been opened can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.
Non-dairy, vegan cream cheese has a shorter lifespan compared to its dairy alternatives, although the duration may differ based on the ingredients used in making the non-dairy cream cheese.
Non-dairy cream cheese that has been opened should be eaten within 3-4 days, while unopened non-dairy cream cheese can last for 1-2 weeks.
Can a Bagel With Cream Cheese Be Left Outside?
Leaving any food uncovered is not a wise decision, including bagels with cream cheese, which are equally vulnerable to spoilage and attracting animals and pests like other foods. Moreover, the duration for which cream cheese can be kept at room temperature is limited to 1-2 hours, depending on the surrounding temperature.
It is important to cover all food items that are left out on a table inside the house or outside for a picnic to prevent contamination from insects like flies, cockroaches, and other germ-carrying insects.
Due to their lack of teeth, flies regurgitate bacteria onto their food, resulting in a gelatinous substance that causes rotting fruit to develop gooey brown patches.
Although it may seem disgusting and teeming with bacteria, if a fly only lands on your food for a brief moment, it is unlikely that they have begun the process of digestion. Nevertheless, insects like flies and roaches traverse extremely unsanitary areas.
Both flies and cockroaches spend time on decaying animals and excrement, leading to highly soiled legs. As a result, when they land on your food, they can transmit numerous microorganisms that are subsequently ingested. To avoid this scenario, it is recommended to keep your food covered whenever you are outdoors.
Whether you have a bug problem or an infestation, your level of caution can vary when you are inside your home.
Moreover, during the winter months in the northern hemisphere, there is a reduced likelihood of encountering bug issues, which means that you may not have to be overly concerned about bugs inside.
Basically, it is not advisable to leave cream cheese at room temperature for extended periods as it has a tendency to spoil rapidly.
How Do You Know if Cream Cheese Has Spoiled?
One way to determine if cream cheese has gone bad is by checking for the presence of mold, which is the most obvious indicator. Additionally, a rancid or fermented smell can also suggest the growth of mold and bacteria in cream cheese stored in the refrigerator.
Distinguishing spoiled cheese can be challenging because all cheese is essentially curdled milk, produced by introducing tannins that foster the growth of beneficial bacteria.
Cheese is safe to consume even if it’s spoiled because the presence of healthy bacteria in milk makes it difficult for harmful bacteria to form. Nevertheless, using contaminated utensils or handling soft moist cheese with unclean hands can introduce bad bacteria.
Introducing mold spores can spoil your cream cheese.
Typically, cheese has a strong odor and bitter taste which are indicators of spoiled milk. However, these signs do not necessarily mean that the cheese has gone bad. To determine if the cheese is spoiled, it is important to inspect for mold or a slimy consistency.
It is advisable to discard cheese that is moldy or has a runny consistency, particularly soft cheeses like cream cheese.
Can You Reheat Bagels with Cream Cheese In the Microwave?
Although cream cheese bagels can be reheated in the microwave, they may have an altered taste due to the potential bitterness caused by excessive heating. To achieve optimal results, it is recommended to remove the cream cheese using a knife and reapply it onto the bagel after warming it up.
Heating cream cheese in the microwave can be risky because it may not heat evenly due to the high heat warming feature of microwaves, which is suitable for solid foods but not for milky foods like cream cheese.
When heating a bagel with cream cheese, it is important to note that the bagel may take longer to heat up completely compared to the cream cheese, which should be heated in short intervals and stirred every 15 seconds to avoid burning.
Heating a bagel for only 15 seconds will not be enough, while heating it for 30 seconds may result in burnt cream cheese.
To keep the bagel with cream cheese fresh, it is recommended to heat the bagel separately without the cream cheese and then add the cream cheese after reheating.
You can also check this video about “How to Keep a Bagel With Cream Cheese Fresh”
