Food storage practices vary by household, and the question of how eggs and dairy products should be stored is nuanced. Different types of dairy and eggs – from oat milk to salted butter – have varying storage strategies to consider for food safety.
Eggs
Eggs should always be refrigerated in the coldest part of the fridge in their grocery carton.
Room-temperature eggs are at the biggest risk of salmonella, the most common foodborne illness associated with eggs. Thus, it is important to consider the best refrigeration and freezing practices to keep them edible for longer.
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, neither shells nor raw yolks should be frozen, and any eggs with broken shells should be thrown out. Raw eggs in the shell can be kept in the refrigerator for three to five weeks, whereas raw egg whites and yolks have a fridge life of a few days, or up to 12 months in the freezer. Hard-cooked eggs can be refrigerated for one week, but not frozen.
Notably, farm-fresh eggs can be left out, if they have not been washed of their shell’s protective coating that helps prevent bacteria. Farm-fresh eggs, as EatingWell says, still need to be handled carefully before eating.
Milk
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milk
As a rule of thumb, pasteurized milk products should be kept at 40 F or cooler in the refrigerator, and should never sit out longer than two hours to prevent bacteria growth and maximize their shelf life.
Oat, evaporated and sweetened condensed milk are shelf-stable, but should be placed in the refrigerator after they’re opened.
In the refrigerator, milk and cream should be kept away from the door to minimize exposure to the outside air, the National Dairy Council says. The best place to store it is where it will be the coldest, which is typically in the back of a lower shelf.
Milk can also be frozen for up to three months, best kept in a plastic jug with room to expand as it freezes. Thawing milk can be shaken or quickly blended to break up visible particles and then consumed within three to four days, according to Food & Wine.
Butter
Butter tends to last longer when refrigerated, especially unpasteurized, whipped, homemade or unsalted butter. Whipped and unsalted butter can be set out for up to an hour to soften, but many other kinds of butter should always be kept in the refrigerator.
However, for pasteurized and salted butter, being kept at room temperature in a covered dish away from direct sunlight and heat sources is safe. Since these butters have higher amounts of fat and salt, they are okay to be left out for a day or two before they are at risk for turning rancid, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
If you like to leave your butter out on the counter, it’s best to portion out how much butter you will use in the subsequent days and refrigerate the rest.
Alternatives such as margarine and dairy-free butter are also best refrigerated, while plant butter can be frozen and then left out at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Soft Butter Tip
Taste of Home recommends Lifehacker’s method:
- Place the butter on a plate.
- Fill a glass with hot water, let it sit for one minute, then empty and dry the glass.
- Flip the glass and set it over the butter for a couple of minutes.
- Remove the glass, then use the now-spreadable butter.
Cheese
In most cases, cheeses are safe to leave in their plastic wrap on the counter if they will be consumed in a couple of days.
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cheese
For longer storage, cheeses should be wrapped in a layer of parchment or wax paper then foil to be refrigerated and wrapped then put into a vacuum-sealed bag to be frozen. Soft cheeses can last around two weeks in the fridge or two months in the freezer, similar to hard and semi-hard cheeses. Shredded and sliced cheeses can last a week or two in the refrigerator, and up to three months in the freezer.
Healthline says a typical hard cheese lasts three to four times longer than soft cheese since its lack of moisture makes it more resistant to spoilage from bacteria. Hard cheeses can be safe to eat after seeing mold sometimes, too, as long as everything within an inch of mold is discarded, according to the USDA. Freshly wrapping and tightly sealing your cheese after use can extend its lifespan, as well.
In the fridge, cheeses should be placed in a cold spot and away from smelly foods to avoid absorbing odors.
For all dairy products, the best practice is to throw them out if you have any doubts about their safety.
Jane Dimel is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
