How Long Can Yogurt Sit Out? Facts That Will Make You Think Twice

Yogurt is one of the most convenient snacks to have. They’re handy to bring to work if you’re in a rush and can’t have breakfast at home. They’re also small enough to fit in your bag if you plan on having it as a snack in the middle of the day.

There are also a lot of sauces and salad dressing that calls for yogurt as the base ingredient. It’s a great pair for Middle Eastern dishes and makes for a light and refreshing dip on some vegetables for appetizers.

Yogurt may seem harmless. But have you ever thought about how long can yogurt sit out? You may have brought it to work with you and just placed it on your desk. You might have also forgotten to keep your yogurt dressing in the fridge hours after your party ended. Have you ever thought if your room temperature yogurt is still safe to consume?

Yogurt is very tricky to keep. But we’ll teach you how long can yogurt be out of the fridge without going bad and other facts about this healthy food you need to know.

How Long Can Yogurt Sit Out?

Yogurt can only sit out at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours. You’re probably thinking how that’s such a short time to allow yogurt out of the fridge. But there’s an important explanation for it and one that you should take heed.

There are good bacteria inside yogurt and bad bacteria as well that developed during the yogurt’s manufacturing stage. Bad bacteria don’t necessarily come out until it’s triggered by letting the yogurt sit out at room temperature. Bad bacteria are responsible for the production of molds and will eventually lead to food poisoning from spoiled yogurt. This is why it’s advisable to dispose of unrefrigerated yogurt after two hours.

Time isn’t also just the only exception. You’d also have to take into consideration the temperature. If your yogurt is sitting out past 40 °F for two hours, then it’s best to dispose of it.

To avoid having your yogurt go bad, always remember to put it back in the fridge or consume the yogurt immediately.

How To Tell If Yogurt Has Gone Bad

Does yogurt go bad? How can you tell? There are many signs when yogurt has spoiled. You can check some of the signs below:

A quick tip in checking if yogurt has gone bad is to check the expiration date. Indeed, yogurt can still be consumed days even after it’s gone past the expiration date. But make sure to consume your yogurt at once before it expires. Also, just buy a few batches of yogurt you’re sure to consume rather than overstock on them.

With these tips, you’ll be able to spot the signs of a spoiled yogurt and save your stomach from a disaster happening.

Yogurt Health Benefits

Yogurt is a healthy choice for people going on a diet or trying to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s a healthy dairy made up of probiotics and fermented milk. Other health benefits of yogurt include calcium and protein.

What do probiotics do to the body? They help regulate the gut. It decreases bloating, diarrhea, and helps solve other digestive problems.

Yogurt is low in calories which makes this an ideal snack. You can substitute yogurt for butter if you’d like to pair it with bagels. It’s also a wise substitute for milk when you want to consume less fat.

Always read the label when buying yogurt. Some yogurts include added sugars making it no longer a healthy treat. This rings true for lots of flavored fruit yogurts that might add artificial sugars. Opt for plain yogurt to be on the safe and healthy side.

Yogurt unrefrigerated for 8 hours loses the nutrients involved so it’s best to keep your yogurt refrigerated.

Yogurt Recipes

How do you use yogurt? The following are some recipe ideas you can make that involves yogurt:

The next time you buy yogurt and wonder how long can yogurt sit out without it going bad, just read through this guide. Yogurt is a handy and healthy snack to carry around but to let it sit out for more than 2 hours can be dangerous to your body. Be sure to consume your yogurt as soon as you can or make sure to store it back in the refrigerator at once. By following these tips, you’ll avoid the worst from happening to you or your family.