Every time I walk into a new kitchen, I can't help but notice the condiments. People keep them in the strangest places! At my friends' various abodes, I've seen everything from opened bottles of ketchup and mayo in the pantry, to hot sauce and olive oil in the fridge, and vice versa. If there's anything my kitchen snooping has taught me, it's that where you keep your condiments is a deeply personal choice that may, or may not, be based on expert opinion.
Many times I've wondered if it's even safe to leave things like ketchup, mayonnaise, jam, or nut butters at room temp. After all, they're wet ingredients that seem like they'd be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. On the other hand, I've also wondered if you can accidentally wreck an ingredient by storing it at the wrong temperature. For example, you'll notice olive oil solidifies when stored in the fridge, and that can't mean good things for its flavor—right?
To clear up any confusion, I asked Jennifer Berg, Ph.D., director of graduate food studies at New York University, exactly how to store condiments no matter what kind. Use what she told me to ensure you never put your ketchup in the wrong place again.
Anything with a lot of acidity, sugar, or salt does not need to be refrigerated.
So it turns out I was wrong about refrigerating certain wet ingredients, like ketchup, mustard, and jam. You totally don't have to, says Berg, because the large amounts of salt and sugar they're made with keep them preserved even after opening. The same goes for things like Sriracha, hoisin or barbecue sauce, both of which are made with enough vinegar and sugar to keep them safe to consume when stored at room temperature. (Plus: Sriracha has the added bonus of also being a bit fermented!) She says mustard's flavor will keep better in the fridge, but it'll still be safe to eat until its best by-date if you decide to store it in the pantry. The only instance in which you might need to refrigerate one of these ingredients is if you've purchased a reduced-sugar or low-salt version, says Berg. Because they have less than the normal amount of preservatives, they may not last as long open and kept at room temp, she explains. "I would err on the cautious side and refrigerate after opening," she says.
As for salad dressings, the rule is that if there's no dairy, eggs, or fresh vegetables (like herbs), it'll be fine at room temp.
That means vinegar- and sugar-heavy dressings like Italian or balsamic are fair game, whereas you should definitely keep Caesar and ranch dressings in the fridge.
Fermented sauces, like soy sauce and fish sauce, can also be left at room temperature.
Berg says that because they're fermented, fish and soy sauces can be kept at room temp and will be safe to eat for up to a year after opening.
Nut butters can stay in the pantry, unless they're fresh.
If you buy your nut butters with nothing added, or you get them freshly ground, or you make them yourself, Berg says you'll need to store them in the fridge. On the other hand, shelf-stable nut butters are typically made with preservatives, and will be safe to eat when kept in your pantry. If you're not sure if the nut butter you bought should be refrigerated or not, check the bottle or the company website for storage instructions. Or take a look at the ingredients list—if you notice preservatives, or lots of sugar or salt, then it'll be safe to leave at room temp after opening.
Butter you can refrigerate or leave at room temp, but you can't keep it at room temp for a very long time.
According to the FDA, you can safely leave butter at room temperature for one to two days before it starts to go off. So if you're a big butter on toast kinda person, leave just enough out to give you softened butter for two days at a time (just be sure to store it in an airtight container). Other dairy products—spreads like cream cheese—are generally a no-go because they aren't aged and preserved like butter. Keep those in the fridge.
Mayonnaise should always be refrigerated.
Mayonnaise is one of the few wet condiments made without a bunch of sugar, salt, and vinegar. Mainly, it's just eggs and oil, which is a combo that can go bad pretty quickly if kept in your pantry, says Berg. "I would always refrigerate mayonnaise once opened," she says.
And never refrigerate olive oil or honey.
You run the risk of destroying these ingredients if you refrigerate them, says Berg. Honey can crystallize and dry out, and olive oil will solidify and lose its flavor. You can find all the nitty gritty details about storing olive oil here, but to sum it up, you should always keep it in a cool, dark place in your pantry to protect if from heat and light, without cooling it down too much like you would by refrigerating it.
Now that you know how to store condiments, use your knowledge to keep all your spreads and sauces fresh and safe to eat, so you always have a way to spice things up.
