The Only Way You Should Store Peanut Butter, According to SKIPPY

Is there a consensus on whether it’s better to store peanut butter in the fridge or the pantry?

After years of restaurant experience, I know my way around a kitchen. This means I’m usually the one in my household calling the shots about pretty much everything kitchen-related, but I am particularly conscious of food safety. Having gone through multiple food safety courses, I know just how important it is to properly reheat frozen foods, correctly re-use ziptop bags, and everything in between.

When it comes to storing foods, however, there are a few household staples that even seasoned home cooks like myself find confusing. The one ubiquitous (and favorite in my household) food item that I’m never sure if I should stick in the fridge or pantry is peanut butter.

Without much consensus out there on the internet, or in real life chatting with fellow food folks, I conferred with Sam Hovick, a brand manager at beloved peanut butter brand SKIPPY, to get his suggestions.

Where You Should Store Peanut Butter

According to Hovick, the answer to that question is entirely up to you! That’s not to say that there won’t be differences in consistency depending on whether you stick the jar in the fridge vs. the pantry.

When kept in the fridge, your peanut butter will be firmer. This, as he points out, is ideal for those of us who like to go at it by the spoonful. Otherwise, “If stored at room temperature in the pantry,” says Hovick, “it will be more spreadable—perfect for making lunchtime peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.” Or, a PB and honey if you’re me.

If you find yourself struggling with separated peanut butter these life-changing stirring and storing method eliminates the hassle of reincorporating natural peanut butter.

When it comes to SKIPPY in particular, there's no need to treat natural peanut butter any differently than no-stir. Hovick says, “They are both formulated and processed in a manner that helps to contain oil separation.”

Is It Safe To Store Peanut Butter at Room Temperature?

For all kinds of peanut butter (natural or no-stir), storing it at room temperature is perfectly safe—for a few months, that is. Peanut butter should be moved to the fridge after two to three months if you’ve been keeping it in the pantry because the oil in it will eventually go rancid.

No-stir peanut butter lasts longer than "natural" options because it contains stabilizers that increase its shelf life. Either way, it's time to toss your jar if the peanut butter smells or tastes off or rancid, and, as Hovick reminds me, check the “Best if Used By” date just to be safe!

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.