Posted on 05/04/2026 4:49:27 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
When it comes to storing food, many of us follow the practices our parents and grandparents used. Who cares about reading the package instructions when Grandma left her butter in the butter bell all day, every day, right?
So, maybe your butter's home is on the counter in a dish. Or if not on the counter at all times, perhaps you leave your butter sitting out overnight to soften before baking.
But, should you leave butter sitting out, unrefrigerated? And, if so, how long can it be on the counter before it becomes unsafe to eat? We asked the experts at Land O'Lakes to put the debate to rest once and for all—and some of you might not like the answer......
Even though room-temperature butter likely won't make you sick, Land O'Lakes recommends storing butter in the fridge when you're not using it. But, if you're in the heat of baking and forget to put the last little knob back in the fridge right away, that's ok—just so long as you don't let it sit out for a few extra hours.
"Do not leave butter at room temperature for more than 4 hours," says Engen. "Always return any unused butter to the refrigerator and be aware that butter left outside refrigeration may become darker in color and have [its] flavor affected."
Keeping butter in the fridge is a good rule of thumb, as it helps ensure the tasty fat won’t pick up any undesirable odors or flavors from your kitchen. Plus, the cool fridge temps make butter last much longer because room-temperature butter can go rancid within a day or two, according to the USDA, while refrigerated or frozen butter can last months.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
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“Everyone takes the milk out of the fridge, fills a glass, and leaves the milk on the counter.”
Back in the 50’s the delivery man left the milk bottles on the doorstep.
Even in the Florida summer.
Chase off the Indian but keep her land, keep her lakes and even keep her butter. Yeah, that's really progressive. The only thing missing is finding gold or oil on her former land.
I will always know those ants died doing what they are meant to do, steal my butter.
Me too. Except, I'll use a stick about every week and a half.
I’m not my Butter’s Keeper. I use it, but have it in fridge most the time
I’ve been leaving butter out for all my life, with some sticks consumed in mere days and others maybe a month. I’ve never had any problems.
You have something against sweet cream and salt?
Walmart’s says pasteurized cream , salt.
Pretty sure that goes for butter everywhere.
Maybe you read an oleo label?
“Go thru a stick about every 2 days.”
That’s why you haven’t had any issues.
If it took 2 weeks, wouldn’t taste very good.
In Le Crueset:

It fits. On the counter.
I have left my butter (organic) on the counter in a covered butter dish for weeks with no issues. Not usually but have and grabbed it to use on cornbread or garlic bread because it was soft or needed quickly. I had country neighbors who left their mayonnaise in their pantry with no issues back in the early 70’s.
What do you mean? There's still an "Indian" on the package:
Did you ever fold the Indian lady’s knees up? 😁
I see some ants in my house from time to time. They are super small, black and about the size of the period at the end of this sentence........
I have never seen any outside like these ants. We have regular Black and Red ants and Fire Ants and Caribbean Crazy ants, but never have seen these tiny ants anywhere else...........
Points for “harridan”!
My post was true yet a somewhat obscure reference to anything that takes my butter from being on my bread, will not survive long. AKA liberals.
I leave mine out. Land O Lakes.
Spreads easily on the morning toast.
.
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