{"id":14545,"date":"2022-06-02T06:14:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-02T06:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/?p=14545"},"modified":"2022-06-02T06:14:08","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T06:14:08","slug":"how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Can_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_at_Room_Temperature\"><\/span>How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit at Room Temperature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Mac and cheese have been a favorite snack for all individuals from children to adults. It is considered comfort food and you can make this at home with your version of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is known for its creamy, cheesy, perfectly cooked macaroni, and crisp topping. This recipe just needs simple ingredients that you can buy in any grocery store in your area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-much-mac-and-cheese-per-person-for-a-big-group\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"13435\">How Much Mac and Cheese Is a Single Serving<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/butter-substitute-mac-and-cheese\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"13405\">Can You Substitute Butter in Mac and Cheese<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/can-you-use-milk-instead-of-water-in-brownie-mix\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"14361\">Can You Make Mac and Cheese with Out Water<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>All you need are elbow pasta, butter, flour, milk, and your all-time favorite cheese that will make this dish supremely good. Protein such as beef or bacon can be added but still, it is just an option for this recipe. The best time to consume your mac and cheese is when it is freshly out of the oven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to pack boxed food for long term storage  Long term mac &amp; cheese storage\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_UUgXGkgxSA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Can Mac and Cheese Be Stored For a Year<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Can_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_Out\"><\/span>How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everybody is aware of how long we can serve food at the table that is still safe to consume. Hot food must be served and held at 140 \u00b0F or more. Cold food must remain at 40 \u00b0F or colder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The temperature between 40 \u00b0F to 140 \u00b0F is what we call the Danger Zone where bacteria grow at an exponential rate and can be harmful to eat. <\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#How_Long_Can_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_at_Room_Temperature\" title=\"How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit at Room Temperature\">How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit at Room Temperature<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#How_Long_Can_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_Out\" title=\"How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out?\">How Long Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#What_Happens_If_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_Out_Too_Long\" title=\"What Happens If Mac and Cheese Sit Out Too Long?\">What Happens If Mac and Cheese Sit Out Too Long?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#The_Best_Way_to_Store_Mac_and_Cheese\" title=\"The Best Way to Store Mac and Cheese\">The Best Way to Store Mac and Cheese<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#Avoid_using_processed_cheese\" title=\"Avoid using processed cheese\">Avoid using processed cheese<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#I_Left_Mac_and_Cheese_Out_Overnight_Is_It_Bad\" title=\"I Left Mac and Cheese Out Overnight. Is It Bad?\">I Left Mac and Cheese Out Overnight. Is It Bad?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#Do_Mac_and_Cheese_Need_to_Be_Refrigerated\" title=\"Do Mac and Cheese Need to Be Refrigerated?\">Do Mac and Cheese Need to Be Refrigerated?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/how-long-can-mac-and-cheese-sit-out\/#Can_mac_and_cheese_be_left_out_for_6_hours\" title=\"Can mac and cheese be left out for 6 hours?\">Can mac and cheese be left out for 6 hours?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Food like mac and cheese is easily perishable and needs to be served for just 2 hours only unless it is continually heated the same with buffets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are more mindful than others, you can always check the temperature of your food by using a food thermometer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_If_Mac_and_Cheese_Sit_Out_Too_Long\"><\/span>What Happens If Mac and Cheese Sit Out Too Long?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Always check the time when you serve the food. If it takes longer than 2 hours, then you would know you have exceeded the time to safely consume it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are signs of spoilage that you can consider such as a foul smell, and grayish color or molds -though these manifestations do not always appear immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just consider the time you have served the food and how long it sat out on the table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take precautionary measures when serving food well, better dispose of the food properly than having an upset stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Way_to_Store_Mac_and_Cheese\"><\/span>The Best Way to Store Mac and Cheese<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When storing your mac and cheese better use a sealed container that does not allow the food to dry out. It also keeps other contaminants away from spoiling the contents of the container. Allow hot mac and cheese to cool at room temperature which is around 68 \u00b0F before storing it away in the refrigerator or freezer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep it airtight<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensure that containers used in storing away food are sealed and airtight. This is to preserve the food and leave moisture, freshness, and aroma in the container. You can use glass or plastic containers, or plastic bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keep it in the fridge<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The best storage places you can keep any food including mac and cheese are the refrigerator and freezer. Make sure that the temperature inside the refrigerator is 40 \u00b0F or below and the freezer must be at 0 \u00b0F. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take note that all perishable food must be stored properly and kept in a sealed container. For mac and cheese, know the characteristics of the cheese you will use because most of the time the cheese determines the storage life of your dish. There are types of cheese that can last longer than the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Avoid_using_processed_cheese\"><\/span>Avoid using processed cheese<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Processed cheese is still cheese but has some other ingredients added to it. Most of the time we can measure the content as 50% cheese and the other half are the food coloring and preservatives that adds more flavor and consistency. Also, it is cheaper than real cheese. The downside to this cheese is it has more fat content and has higher sodium and calories. Whereas natural or real cheese only uses natural ingredients that have no added chemicals or preservatives that can be harmful to the health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-image-720\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"720\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-720x408.jpg\" alt=\"I Left Mac and Cheese Out Overnight. Is It Bad?\" class=\"wp-image-14591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-720x408.jpg 720w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-1024x580.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-480x272.jpg 480w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-640x363.jpg 640w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-960x544.jpg 960w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-1168x662.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption>I Left Mac and Cheese Out Overnight. Is It Bad?<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"I_Left_Mac_and_Cheese_Out_Overnight_Is_It_Bad\"><\/span>I Left Mac and Cheese Out Overnight. Is It Bad?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Better take precautionary measures when dealing with leftover food especially when it is out for more than the 2 hours safe zone. Leaving it overnight might have let bacteria grow and this can cause harmful effects when consumed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Worse scenarios can lead to food poisoning. Although we hate to waste food, it is a responsibility to store them in a way that we can still enjoy eating the dish afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> Leftovers must be handled properly such as storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Reheating overnight food will not kill the bacteria and might even produce more toxins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-image-720\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"720\" height=\"408\" src=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-720x408.jpg\" alt=\"Do Mac and Cheese Need to Be Kept Below 40 F\" class=\"wp-image-14590\" srcset=\"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-720x408.jpg 720w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-1024x580.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-480x272.jpg 480w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-640x363.jpg 640w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-960x544.jpg 960w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-1168x662.jpg 1168w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption>Do Mac and Cheese Need to Be Kept Below 40 F<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Mac_and_Cheese_Need_to_Be_Refrigerated\"><\/span>Do Mac and Cheese Need to Be Refrigerated?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To extend the storage life of mac and cheese, it must be stored properly in a refrigerator. This dish can last up to 3-5 days and can be reheated to around 165 \u00b0F. Once reheated you can easily serve this on the table. Storing it properly does a lot to any food since it can preserve its quality, especially its taste, texture, and aroma. Wastage of food will also be avoided if handled and stored properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_mac_and_cheese_be_left_out_for_6_hours\"><\/span>Can mac and cheese be left out for 6 hours?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not advisable to leave out food for more than 2 hours let alone 6 hours at room temperature. This will promote bacteria growth as soon as it exceeds the 2-hour allowable time to eat your mac and cheese. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also suggested to store food in shallow containers that are sealed well and put inside a refrigerator or freezer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Can Mac and Cheese Sit Out How Long<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14589,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[1054],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14545"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14592,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14545\/revisions\/14592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onepotdishrecipe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}