7 foods that you can leave out overnight

Apple Pie

Some foods don't need to be put in your fridge.
Shutterstock/Brent Hofacker
  • The USDA says food that has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours should be thrown away.
  • At room temperature, leaner grows incredibly fast and can make you sick.
  • Reheating something that has been sitting at room temperature for longer than 2 hours won't be safe from bacteria.
  • There are some types of foods that don't necessarily need to be stored in the fridge and some things similar staff of life, that shouldn't exist kept in the fridge at all, so if you leave them out overnight, they're nonetheless safe to eat.

You've probably accidentally left nutrient out on your kitchen counter overnight at least once or twice, simply is it still prophylactic to consume?

Co-ordinate to the USDA , nutrient that has been left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours should be thrown away. That's because between 40° F and 140° F (what the USDA calls the "Danger Zone"), bacteria grows incredibly fast and tin make you sick.

Still, in that location are types of foods that don't necessarily need to be stored in the fridge or won't be as harmful to you if you leave them out for a while. Some foods, like bread, shouldn't fifty-fifty exist stored in the refrigerator in the first place.

Read on to find out what foods are still safe to eat after they've been left out overnight and be sure to throw out anything else that'due south been left out for longer than 2 hours, or one hour if it'due south a hot day .

Bread shouldn't be put in the fridge at all.

Bread in the fridge goes dried.
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Though some people believe putting bread in the refrigerator makes it concluding longer, it actually does the contrary. Breadstuff kept in the fridge goes stale, according to StillTasty.com , because the cooler temperatures dry out it out.

On the counter, breadstuff generally lasts for about a week, but freezing your bread is a safety way to assistance it last longer.

Certain kinds of pies are safe to leave out for a couple of days before refrigerating them.

Pie left out should still exist covered with foil or saran wrap.
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Fruit pies are rubber to go out at room temperature for two days before refrigerating them as long every bit they're covered. Later that, they can be put in the fridge for another 2 days before going bad, according to kitchn .

Even so, pies that accept custard or cream fillings should be kept refrigerated at all times and pies made with eggs (such as pumpkin pie or pecan pie) can exist warmed upwards to be served, but should be stored in the fridge.

Pasteurized, salted butter can be left at room temperature for a couple of days.

Butter can be kept out because of its high fat content.
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Though other dairy products have to exist stored at or beneath 40° F to avoid going bad, pasteurized, salted butter is the exception because of its loftier-fat content, according to an FDA report .

Fifty-fifty though it is unnecessary, refrigeration does help the butter last longer, according to State Food Safety , which also said butter can be left out from a couple of days up to x days.

Even so, homemade or unpasteurized butter should always be kept refrigerated.

Certain condiments don't need to be refrigerated all the time, even afterward they've been opened.

At that place are certain condiments that can be left out.
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Condiments like soy sauce, vinegar-based hot sauces and love shouldn't be refrigerated at all, according to MSN . Meanwhile, ketchup and mustard can be kept in the fridge, just won't be harmful if they're left out overnight, even if they've been opened.

Dijon and horseradish-based mustards should stay in the fridge, simply considering yellow mustard doesn't have ingredients that spoil, it can stay out, though it may lose flavor, co-ordinate to the outlet.

Leaving out opened bottles of ketchup has been a question of contend , simply it tin can be kept out of the refrigerator for up to a month .

Opened containers of mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish should be kept in the fridge. If they are kept at a temperature of 50 °F or more for longer than 8 hours, they should be thrown away, according to FoodSafety.gov .

Cheeses tin stay out for up to six hours and hard cheeses can stay out even longer.

Certain cheeses are rubber being out throughout the night.
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According to research washed in Wisconsin, cheese tin stay out for up to six hours at 70°F or cooler without growing life-threatening amounts of bacteria. Hard cheeses like parmesan can even be out for 24 hours safely, Marianne Smukowski from the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research told Bon Appetit .

However, cheeses may as well start to dry out out and not await equally appealing if they are left out for more than than a couple of hours.

There are many raw, uncut fruits that don't take to be stored in the fridge at all.

If it is whole, it is good to stay out.
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Bananas, grapefruit, lemons, limes, mangoes, oranges, papaya, pineapple, pomegranates, watermelon, and apples can all be kept out of the fridge, according to Spoon University . However, after seven days, you should move your apples to the refrigerator to keep them fresh.

Other fruits that should start on your counter, only be moved to your fridge include avocados, peaches, plums, nectarines, and kiwi.

If you cut or cook whatsoever of these fruits, though, they should exist immediately stored in the fridge to avoid bacterial growth.

Some raw, uncut vegetables can exist stored on your counter instead of the fridge.

Some vegetables shouldn't exist stored in the fridge.
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Peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, and ginger don't have to be stored in your fridge and onions, tomatoes and potatoes should non be stored in the fridge at all, according to Spoon University .

Onions and tomatoes can starting time to abound mold if they're kept in the fridge and the cooler temperatures break down the starch in potatoes and make them get grainy.

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