French’s Settles the Debate: This Is the Best Place to Store Mustard

When you arrive home from the grocery store and put your purchases away in their respective places in the kitchen, chances are you store unopened bottles and jars of condiments in the pantry. Once they’re opened, though, where should they go? We’ve learned about the correct places to store everything from ketchup to soy sauce to hot sauce, and even coffee grounds, but what should we do when it comes to mustard?

We reached out to the experts for the answer, whether it’s store-bought or homemade mustard, but before we dive into the best place to store this popular condiment, let’s take a quick look at its history.

How Long Has Mustard Been Around?

While we enjoy a myriad of mustard flavors today, like classic yellow, Dijon, honey, whole grain, spicy, and many more, it may be surprising to learn there is evidence that mustard was used as a spice as far back as 3000 B.C.E. with mentions in ancient Indian and Sumerian texts. It was enjoyed in ancient Roman and Greek eras, too. There is even record of mustard seed being used medicinally by Hippocrates and other ancient physicians.

Fast forward a few millennia—the popularity of classic yellow mustard that we enjoy today at barbecues, on soft pretzels, and even with French fries, began in the U.S. in the 1900s when brothers George and Francis French introduced their French’s Classic Yellow Mustard at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The mustard was served over hot dogs, just one of the ways we still enjoy it today. In fact, mustard became the largest spice by volume in world trade during the 20th century.

What Is Mustard?

Though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a standard of identity for prepared mustard, the agency does stand behind ingredients defined in 1923, with slight modifications adopted in the 1930s. The FDA defines prepared mustard as "a paste composed of a mixture of ground mustard seed and/or mustard flour and/or mustard cake, with salt, a vinegar, and with or without sugar and/or dextrose, spices or other condiments."

Take a look at the back of French’s Classic Yellow Mustard and you’ll find those very ingredients in the popular yellow condiment: distilled vinegar, water, 1-grade mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spice, natural flavors, and garlic powder.

Where to Store Mustard

For the definitive answer on the best place to store mustard once it’s opened, we checked in with Kevan Vetter, Senior Director Culinary, Executive Chef with McCormick & Company, Inc.

For those who don’t want to spread a cold condiment onto warm dishes like hamburgers and hot dogs, Vetter has a pro tip to achieve the best flavor: refrigerated mustard can be portioned and allowed to reach room temp prior to consumption.

So there you have it, the best way to store mustard according to the pros. Make room in your fridge.