7 foods you should always refrigerate

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Ever wondered whether it's okay to keep butter out of the fridge, or what to do with jam after you open it? 

Wonder no more.

First, when it comes to perishables, the FDA recommends refrigerating or freezing them right away. And as a general rule, meat, seafood, eggs, and certain kinds of produce should never be kept at room temperature for more than two hours (or more than one hour if it's hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit).

But what about soy milk? Jam? Read on to find out what you should be keeping in the fridge for optimal enjoyment.

Note: This is not intended as a substitute for public-health recommendations.

Milk

Flickr/USDAgov

It goes without saying that you should refrigerate milk to slow the growth of harmful bacteria.

The FDA recommends that you never keep milk out of the fridge for more than two hours. Pasteurization (heating milk to kill bacteria) does not mean you don't need to refrigerate it.

Fresh meat/fish

Shutterstock/Olga Lyubkina

Like milk, you should always refrigerate raw (or cooked) meat and separate it from other foods to prevent cross-contamination.

Here's how long meat is good for in the fridge: Raw ground meats, all poultry, seafood, and variety meats: one to two days; raw roasts, steaks, and chops (beef, veal, lamb, and pork): three to five days; and cooked meat, poultry, and seafood: three to four days.

Meat will last several months or more in the freezer.

Eggs

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You should always refrigerate eggs in the US to prevent the risk of infection from salmonella bacteria, according to the USDA. But the UK and other European countries don't refrigerate eggs, because the eggs are processed differently.

Some people say you can keep certain organic eggs at room temperature, but when in doubt, it's probably safest to keep 'em in the fridge.

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