How Long Can Food Sit Out Before You Toss It?

It seems like a lot more of us have turned into gourmet chefs lately. The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to be more creative cooks at home, and honestly, that's OK with me. And it's also given me time to re-evaluate some of my cooking practices, because you can never be too careful. Especially right now.

So I was very interested to find an article from Cheapism that tells us EXACTLY how much time you have to eat food safely if it's not refrigerated. We've all left something out on the counter too long, and then wondered whether it's actually going to give us food poisoning if we eat it. The danger of bacterial growth is a pretty real thing, and it can have deadly results in some foods.

Some of my top picks are below, but be sure to check out the whole list, which has more info on how long you can safely eat these items after refrigeration. And, just FYI, the time frame is for items that are left out at room temperature. Y'all be safe out there.

• Eggs. Boiled, fresh, or cooked. 2 hours
• Butter. 1-2 days
• Cheese. Anywhere from 2-12 hours
• Cooked food or leftovers. 2 hours
• Fruit pies. 2 days
• Lettuce and greens. 2 hours
• Yogurt and other dairy products. 2 hours
• Mayonnaise. Opened, 2 hours. Unopened can be kept indefinitely
• Mushrooms. 1 day
• Jelly. 1-2 days
• Peppers. This includes bell, jalapeno, or any raw variety. 1-2 days
• Tomatoes. 1-5 days
• Bananas. 2-5 days
• Bread. 1 week
• Basil. 7-10 days
• Potatoes. 1-2 weeks
• Avocados. 2-7 days, or until ripe
• Tortillas. 2-4 weeks
• Peanut Butter. 1-3 months
• Acidic based condiments. Ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce. 1 month or more
• Onions. 2-3 months
• Garlic. 3-5 months