How long can do you keep RI in the fridge. One week?

I think 3 weeks. When i had my decorating classes I believe my instructer told us it had to be stored in a glass container and it would keep for 3 weeks.

At least two weeks (could be three) in a glass container with a lid. I made the mistake of leaving it in a plastic container once. Started out piping roses just fine. Then, as I watched, they melted. Something about the plastic.

In class our teacher said they could be kept indefinitely if they were stored properly: she suggested a cardboard shoe box, not in direct sunlight and not in the refrigerator Not too sure about the indefinitely part but I have used flowers that were a few months old and they were fine. If you store them in plastic you have to make sure the plastic is grease free...

Wait...did the OP mean unused RI or flowers, etc.?

I put my RI in plastic tubs and it was fine.
I was also told and from personal experience that it starts to deteriorate around two days after making it. By the time is was out a week, it did not look good.

As a matter of fact it might be because I put it in a plastic container! Hmmmm.....got to find me something glass for it.

Thanks for point this out. Do you like how I contradicted myself in the same post?

My instructor did say that you should use it right away if that is any help.

In culinary school we made huge buckets of royal icing, poured water on top and left it in the fridge for quite a while before using it. Pour off the water, and re-stir before using and all is well!

I have RI in my frig since February of this year and it still looks good.

My Wilton instructor said that we can freeze RI for months and when you need it just thaw it out and away you go. I've done this as well and the flowers I made came out fine.

........made the mistake of leaving it in a plastic container once. Started out piping roses just fine. Then, as I watched, they melted. Something about the plastic. .........

So right Plastic breathes - is NOT air tight AND... it holds grease. Unless it is a completely new, never used container don't even think of using it. Some plastics will hold it o.k. for a day, maybe two at very most.
*Any* leftover royal starts to deteriate within tow days. Yes, sometimes I can be rewhipped o.k. but many times it just won't 'come back'

I use any left over royal to make Nic Lodge's gumpaste.....works like a charm. Found thisout when I was a Wilton instructor and had to make 3 batches within some 10 days and nothing to do with it.

And who ever said they made buckets of it, covered w/water to store.....I don't see how that can work. The water would be absorbed and as anyone knows moisture is death to royal. I don't even cover the container with a damp cloth as many recipes tell you. Instead cover it w/plastic wrap directly on the icing, then another layer covering the container.

oooh...Thanks, kakeladi!

As for glass bowls with lids, maybe Target or a similar store?

I keep mine in plastic "gladware" you know the disposable container,s right on the kitchen counter. It lasts for WEEKS! I stir it before I use it, but have never actually had to rewhip it on the mixer. I use antonia ri from this site, it uses meringue powder, not raw egg whites.

Based on what everybody posted here I believe the problem I had was using plastic containers that previously stored food. They must have had grease build up in the plastic.

I bought two storage bowls with air tight lids that I will use to store the Royal Icing only right after it is made.

And then I bought smaller plastic ones for when I color the RI. These I will keep separate from my regular storage bowls and use them only for RI. This should help.

My Wilton instructor told us that RI only last so so long. I'm going to conduct my own experiment and make some up, store it in my new containers, and use it to make flowers over the next few weeks.

Thank you everybody for your help.

Has anyone thought of using large mouth Mason jars...easy to sterilize...also clear..