After prepping meals or cooking for guests, it can be tempting to leave food out and take a break from the kitchen. Or sometimes, you might simply forget or get distracted by other tasks (it happens to the best of us). Regardless of the situation, it's important to avoid letting food sit out on the countertop for too long—you might be left with a food safety hazard, along with a spoiled dish.
But how long is too long, exactly? To find out, we consulted food safety experts to determine how soon you should refrigerate food before it goes bad.
The Temperature Danger Zone
When it comes to food safety, the first step is to understand the significance of the temperature danger zone. This is the temperature range (40 to 140 degrees) in which harmful bacteria is more likely to grow quickly, potentially making food unsafe to eat, says Ghaida Batarseh Havern, MS, food safety extension educator at Michigan State University Extension. This includes bacteria, such as Salmonella and E.coli, says Catie Beauchamp, Ph.D., VP of food science, quality, and safety at ButcherBox. In fact, such microorganisms can double in just 20 minutes in the temperature danger zone, according to Beauchamp.
The Two-Hour Rule
Cooked food can only stay in the temperature danger zone for so long before it becomes unsafe to eat. Havern explains: "The maximum amount of time perishable foods can [spend] in the danger zone is two hours. At two hours, the food must be consumed, stored correctly, or thrown away. This includes all cooked leftovers, [chopped] fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products."
On hotter days, this time frame is even shorter. "If the temperature is 90 degrees or above, foods should be [refrigerated] after only one hour," says Beauchamp. That's because the warmer ambient temperature will hasten bacterial growth, thereby increasing the risk of food poisoning.
The Right Way to Leave Food Out
If you're hosting a party or dinner, it might make more sense to keep food out of the refrigerator. To do this properly, keep hot foods at 140 degrees or above—i.e., out of the temperature danger zone. "Place hot foods next to electrical outlets where they can be housed in slow cookers," advises Beauchamp. "This will allow you to keep these foods out and available longer, but safely." If hot holding equipment like a slow cooker is unavailable, your best bet is to refrigerate the cooked food and take it out in small amounts.
Let Hot Foods Cool Before Refrigerating
Although cooked foods should always be refrigerated, it's just as crucial to avoid placing hot dishes directly in the refrigerator, says Havern. The practice "will prolong the [overall] cooling time, and your food will spend longer in the danger zone," says Beauchamp. Instead, you'll want to help the food pass through the danger zone as quickly as possible. "You can do this by placing the food into multiple shallow containers to help the heat escape quicker," says Havern. Other options include adding ice cubes to the dish, if possible, or chilling the container in an ice water bath before refrigerating, she says.
FAQs
Keep Food out of the Danger Zone
How long can cooked food be left unrefrigerated? ›
The best plan is to put leftovers in the refrigerator right after your meal. Food that is sitting out for a party or picnic should be chilled after two hours at typical room temperature. If it's above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) or more, food should not sit out for more than one hour.
Can I eat cooked meat left out for 3 hours? ›
The Two-Hour Rule
This includes all cooked leftovers, [chopped] fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products." On hotter days, this time frame is even shorter. "If the temperature is 90 degrees or above, foods should be [refrigerated] after only one hour," says Beauchamp.
Can I eat food left out for 6 hours? ›
Bacteria can grow rapidly on food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If food is left out in a room or outdoors where the temperature is 90 degrees F or hotter, food should be refrigerated or discarded within just 1 hour. Myth: When I microwave food, the microwaves kill the bacteria.
How long is food safe without refrigeration? ›
TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal. Just ONE bacterium, doubling every 20 minutes, can grow to over 2,097,152 bacteria in 7 hours!
Can you eat pasta left out for 5 hours? ›
TL;DR: You can get very sick and potentially die from cooked pasta or rice that has been left out for more than two hours — this is due to the bacillus cereus bacterium. You should also always store your dry goods in a cool, dry place to prevent the bacteria from growing on unprepared food.
Can you eat 3 day old pizza not refrigerated? ›
Like other perishable foods, pizza that has been at room temperature—or anywhere in the 40°F to 140°F danger zone— for more than two hours should not be consumed, confirms Meredith Carothers, a food safety specialist with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
How long can cooked hamburgers sit out? ›
Never leave ground beef or any perishable food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours — 1 hour at 90°F (32.2°C) and above.
How long can eggs sit out? ›
You can leave eggs on the counter about two hours at room temperature or one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees F or hotter before you start to worry, per the Egg Safety Center. After two hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.
What food can be left out at room temperature? ›
WHAT FOODS SHOULD NOT BE REFRIGERATED?
- TOMATOES. Keep your tomatoes juicy, tasty and ready for your next Tomato and Ricotta Pizza by storing them at room temperature rather than in the fridge.
- POTATOES. ...
- ONIONS. ...
- PICKLES. ...
- CUCUMBERS. ...
- BELL PEPPERS. ...
- AVOCADOS. ...
- WINTER SQUASH.
Cooked chicken, can be left out for two hours at the most unless it's kept warm—above 140°F. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out. This includes rotisserie chicken. The same applies to cooked chicken enjoyed outdoors, like at a picnic or barbecue.
What is the maximum time that cooked leftovers may be used? ›
Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.
What is the 2 4 hour rule? ›
Food held between 5oC and 60oC for less than 2 hours can be used, sold or put back in the refrigerator to use later. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 2-4 hours can still be used or sold, but can't be put back in the fridge. • Food held between 5oC and 60oC for 4 hours or more must be thrown away.
How long can cooked food sit out at room temperature? ›
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food and safety basics states cooked food can be left at room temperature up to two hours. If the temperature outside (or inside your house) is 90°F or above, you should cut that time in half.
What is the maximum time food can be left at room temperature? ›
Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees and can double every 20 minutes in that “danger zone.” Based on that growth, scientists pinpointed two hours to be the maximum amount of time consumers can safely leave perishable food at room temperature.
How long do leftovers last out of the fridge? ›
Home cooked foods or leftovers brought home from a restaurant must be refrigerated within two hours. Discard all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs, side dishes, or casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours; one hour in room temperatures above 90 °F.
Can you eat a ready meal 4 days out of date? ›
never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok. it is safe to eat food until midnight on the use-by date shown on a product, but not after, unless the food has been cooked or frozen.
Is it safe to eat cooked chicken left out for 4 hours? ›
Cooked chicken, can be left out for two hours at the most unless it's kept warm—above 140°F. Any cooked chicken left at room temperature for more than two hours should probably be thrown out. This includes rotisserie chicken. The same applies to cooked chicken enjoyed outdoors, like at a picnic or barbecue.
Can cooked pancakes be left out overnight? ›
Having a late breakfast and left your waffles out for a few hours? FoodSafety.org says you should be fine. Same goes for pancakes and bagels. If milk, cream, sour cream and yogurt has been left unrefrigerated for longer than two hours, don't take your chances and throw them out.
