What Foods Don't Require Refrigeration? A Comprehensive List

In the modern world, many people refrigerate foods that don't require cool temperatures to stay good. Some of this is because of misconceptions, such as with mayo, while others are due to tradition - such as with butter.

If you're looking to downsize your refrigerator or simply avoid refrigerating items unnecessarily, read on to find out what foods will stay good without being in the icebox.

Eggs

Many people panic at the thought of eating an egg that has been left sitting on the counter for days, but few of the realize that the eggs in their refrigerator were stored in a warm room on a pallet before being put in the fridge.

Chickens place a protective coating on eggs that keeps them fresh. If that coating is not washed off, eggs can remain fresh on the counter for a month or longer. If an egg is scrubbed too thoroughly, that protective coating is degraded and the egg will not last as long. With that said, store-bought eggs can still be left on the counter for about 1 week and still remain fresh.

In this case, eggs are refrigerated simply to extend their shelf life.

Mayonnaise

Mayo (real mayo, not sandwich spread) is mistakenly believed to be a breeding ground for bacteria. Because of this, many people throw away their mayo if it gets even the slightest bit warm.

The truth is that mayo not only isn't a breeding ground for bacteria, but it doesn't even have to be refrigerated. This reality is due to the acids in the mayo, namely the vinegar and the lemon juice. These acidic substances make the mayo inhospitable to bacteria.

When I emailed Hellmann's (the best mayo in the world, in my opinion) about this issue, they said that mayonnaise will indeed remain fresh on the counter or in the cupboard. The reason for the need to refrigerate is to ensure that the quality stays consistent and that the flavor doesn't degrade.

If you choose to keep your mayo on the counter, just remember: avoid cross-contamination. A big mistake many people make with mayonnaise is contaminating it by placing a knife in it that has touched a sandwich or other food item. This moves contaminates from the food to the mayo, which will then rot and make you sick.

Moral of the story? You can take mayo camping with you.

Butter

At one time butter had to be kept cool - this was because of the way it was made. By placing fresh cream in a jar and agitating (shaking or stirring) it until it turned into butter, the cooks of the past were starting a tradition that would be followed for decades to come - refrigerated butter.

In modern times, the butter you buy off the grocery store shelf should be fine if left on the counter. This is because of the level of salt and preservatives in the butter, which keeps it from going rancid. In addition, the use of a butter bell can prolong the life of butter while keeping it soft.