How long do tater tots last in the fridge? (3 rules to follow)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, how long do tater tots last in the fridge? We will discuss the apt way of storing tater tots and four different ways to reheat tater tots before serving.

How long do tater tots last in the fridge?

Tater tots last for four days in the fridge and even as long as a week. 

When stored in the freezer, tater tots last anywhere between six months and up to a year. 

Before you serve tater tots that were frozen, thaw them for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

To reheat, take the tater tots out of the bag and on a sheet pan and bake at 425 Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes. 

You must keep tater tots in the fridge within two hours of sitting at room temperature, otherwise, they will be home to food-borne illnesses. 

For best quality, keep the tater tots in the fridge in an airtight container after they have cooled and reheat before you serve them. 

How to prevent tater tots from going bad?

To store tater tots, take an airtight container and line them with parchment paper, to prevent them from getting soggy. 

Do not forget the tight-fitting lid to prevent odor from other food in the fridge from entering as well as food-borne bacteria. 

After a few weeks in the fridge, there will be visible signs of spoilage in the tater tots. When tater tots go bad, they develop an off-odor that is sour and musty. If the texture or taste hints that the tater tots have gone bad, you must throw them away. 

Other times, tater tots will have changed color if they have gone bad. The color appears to be dark brown as they spoil and the insides change to mush. 

How are tater tots made?

The primary ingredient of tater tots is potatoes. Potatoes are first boiled and then shredded to get them as fine as possible as well as straining excess water off of them. 

The next step is to season the potatoes using flour, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, dill, salt, and pepper. Then the potatoes are rolled into small cylinders and fried for 3-4 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Tater tots are then garnished with parsley and served alongside a sauce or condiment. 

How to reheat tater tots?

Before you serve tater tots, you must reheat them first. To reheat tater tots, you can use either the microwave, the oven, the stove, or even the air fryer. Let us look at the methods you can use to reheat tater tots. 

Using the Microwave

  • Heat the tater tots for 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Abort if you suspect that the tater tots are too hot or are turning brown. 
  • After 10-15 seconds pass, flip the tater tots to the other side to let them heat up from the other side as well.

The downside of reheating tater tots in the microwave is that it can cause them to become rubbery and soggy. To prevent this from happening, use a damp paper towel, and a microwavable bowl.

Using the Oven 

  • To reheat tater tots in the oven, start by preheating the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. 
  • Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet and neatly arrange the tater tots on it.
  • The tater tots will be done heating in about twenty minutes, flipping them over to the other side halfway across the time. 

On a stovetop

You can even use your stove to reheat tater tots. 

  • Take your pan, and grease it with vegetable oil. 
  • Place refrigerated tater tots on the pan and allow them to cook for about five minutes. Frozen tater tots will take 15 minutes to reheat. 
  • Keep it at a low flame to let them cook from the inside. You will see crispy, brown edges forming on the tater tots which is one of the signs that the tater tots have been heated well. 
  • You can even season the tater tots with salt, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, and onions while they are still on the stove.

In your Air fryer

The air fryer is a good way to reheat tater tots without getting them mushy.

  • The first step is to place the tater tots in the air fryer basket and opt for a high setting; at around 360 Fahrenheit. 
  • Let the tater tots heat for 12 minutes, and check whether they are done.
  • Before you let the basket out, shake the excess oil off and serve with your favorite dressing or sauce.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question, how long do tater tots last in the fridge? We discussed the apt way of storing tater tots and four different ways to reheat tater tots before serving.

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