Is It Safe to Leave Butter Out on the Counter? The Internet Has Polarizing Opinions

Different households tend to have different approaches to food storage. For example, some people believe in keeping all condiments and spreads (including shelf-stable ones like peanut butter) in the fridge. Then there are other homes that leave as much stuff out of the fridge as possible, including a surprising ingredient like butter. 

That last item was at the center of a recent viral Threads post that was shared on Oct. 5 by Threads user @mamabearswiger. “Wait, so you can keep butter on your counter and it doesn’t go bad,” she asked. “Who keeps a stick of butter on the counter?” 

The post prompted thousands of people to weigh in on the question, sharing their own household philosophies on butter storage, including a few who shared pictures of their at-home setups. 

But when it comes to whether it’s safe to leave butter on the counter, there are actually pretty clear instructions on when it’s safe, how long you can get away with it, and what you need to know about butter storage. 

Woman’s Butter Storage Question Went Viral

 

 

View on Threads

 

The Oct. 5 post quickly received lots of responses, including more than 5,600 likes and 2,000 comments in less than 24 hours. A lot of people said they opt to keep their butter out on their counter. “12 months a year for decades and it has never, ever gone bad, even in the hottest of summers,” one person wrote.

“I do. All the time. In a covered dish,” another poster added. “That way when I need softened butter it’s already ready.”

Some Cautioned Against the Practice

Of course, there were those who said that they don’t think it’s practical for long-term storage. “No matter what some people are saying, yes, it can go bad. Especially if the house is warm,” they wrote. “Even if you get a butter bell, you still need to change the water every few days, or it will get moldy. Try just leaving a quarter of a stick out for toast or whatever. Not a whole stick or container at a time.”

“You might see [mouse] footprints in that butter if you do that,” another person wrote. “Been there when I lived out in the country in an old farmhouse.”

The Verdict is In … Kind of

According to Allrecipes, which spoke with representatives from Land O’ Lakes, there are very specific rules about storing butter. According to the publication, you can get away with keeping it on the counter for one to two days, but you should store your butter in the fridge when you’re not using it. That’s because leaving your butter out can cause it to spoil, which affects the flavor.

Not only that, but it can become contaminated, especially if it’s left out without a cover (perhaps that’s what the one Threads commenter meant by those little footprints). While many people may be okay with that and feel safe leaving salted butter out on the counter, it seems like the consensus is to err on the side of caution.