# a question about ..peanut butter **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984 "2009-03-27T12:17:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NadaHappyCamper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@NadaHappyCamper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NadaHappyCamper)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/1 "2009-03-27T12:17:05Z")
does peanuit butter need to be kept in the fridge? iam asking about regular peanut butter (extra crunchy.) ``` nadahappycamper " freedom is an illusion." ``` ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/2 "2009-03-27T12:32:22Z")
Nope – room temperature is fine. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/3 "2009-03-27T12:34:24Z")
From [here](http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodstorage/a/pbutterstorage.htm): > [@](#): > > Homemade peanut butter should be refrigerated in tightly-sealed containers and ideally used within a couple of weeks. Turn the container upside-down occasionally to help redistribute the oils. > > Natural peanut butters should be refrigerated after opening and can be kept up to six months. > > Commercial varieties require no refrigeration, can be kept up to six months after opening. Unopened jars can be stored up to one year in a cool, dark location. > > Peanut butter is not a good candidate for freezing. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/4 "2009-03-27T12:37:35Z")
I’ve never kept peanut butter in the fridge. According the the FAQ at [jif.com](http://www.jif.com/sitewide/faq.asp), > [@](#): > > In the first three months after opening, Jif doesn’t require refrigeration. If your family doesn’t gobble Jif up by then, you may want to refrigerate the peanut butter to help prevent flavor loss. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/5 "2009-03-27T12:58:56Z")
Oxidation of the fats will occur at a pretty slow rate. This can be slowed further by putting it in the fridge. Microbial spoilage is essentially a nonissue due to peanut butter’s extremely low water activity. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/6 "2009-03-27T13:02:25Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > I’ve never kept peanut butter in the fridge. > > According the the FAQ at [jif.com](http://www.jif.com/sitewide/faq.asp), If your family doesn’t gobble Jif up by then, they’re obviously alien freaks who have no taste buds. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/7 "2009-03-27T14:20:02Z")
Just another person who’s never kept peanut butter in the fridge. Never understood people who did. Or people who keep bread in the fridge, either, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19adc/32.png) [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Am_The_Lorax)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/8 "2009-03-27T14:54:28Z")
I once had a roommate who put the p.b. in the fridge, I’d put it back in the cabinet everytime I found it. Keeping it in the fridge makes it really stiff and hard to spread. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/9 "2009-03-27T15:14:03Z")
> [@I\_Am\_The\_Lorax](#): > > I once had a roommate who put the p.b. in the fridge, I’d put it back in the cabinet everytime I found it. Keeping it in the fridge makes it really stiff and hard to spread. Exactly. I have been known (occasionally) to put the sandwich in the fridge AFTER I make it just because I sometimes like to eat it cold (don’t ask me why, I don’t know). But to keep it in the fridge is unnecessary and makes it difficult to use. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/10 "2009-03-27T15:23:48Z")
My SO was shocked to find I never put PB in the fridge. This was the cause of some contention in the early days of our relationship until I put my foot down and said since I was the only one eating the damn stuff, it was my lookout whether I wanted it in the fridge or not. Bread…well, he would no sooner put bread in the fridge than he would, say, the phone. I had to convince him that sometimes you HAVE to put bread in the freezer if you’re not going to eat it right away. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/11 "2009-03-27T15:32:27Z")
The oil in natural peanut butter will separate out if you don’t keep it in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/12 "2009-03-27T16:18:23Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > The oil in natural peanut butter will separate out if you don’t keep it in the fridge. As post 3 makes clear. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/13 "2009-03-27T16:23:15Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > As post 3 makes clear. Actually, I didn’t get that from post 3. I just assumed it had something to do with lack of preservatives in natural peanut butter or something like that, but I guess the oil reason makes sense (even though my refrigerated peanut butter does separate out anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/14 "2009-03-27T16:24:25Z")
Well, not really. It says for homemade peanut butter to keep it in the fridge and turn the jar upside down to redistribute the oil. For natural peanut butter it just says to keep it in the fridge, but does not say why. As a consumer of natural peanut butter I’ve found that keeping it in the fridge keeps the oil from separating out, no need to turn the jar over as with homemade peanut butter. Just trying to clarify things for those who “never understood people who did” keep it in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/15 "2009-03-27T16:26:28Z")
I keep bread in the fridge because I live in an area that frequently has 80% humidity or higher. You can find a brand new loaf of bread has gone completely moldy if you leave it on the counter for about three days. Also, I’m single and do not eat enough bread to use it all before it goes moldy. So it keeps longer in the fridge. (Bread also freezes well, but I don’t want to have to toast every single slice every time I pull one out of the freezer.) All that said, my peanut butter lives on the kitchen counter. I use it twice daily to hide my dogs’ pills in their treats. ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/16 "2009-03-27T18:05:11Z")
Growing up we use to always have Jif, now it’s all Adam’s, all the time. The oil separation definitely makes you double take if you aren’t used to it. The best part about it though, is it enables you to choose creamy, chunky, or some where in between; all in the same jar. Just depends how much you stir it and where you scoop it. Stir it up just a little and it’s perfect for drizzling over ice cream. Be it Jif or Adam’s, I can’t stand cold peanut butter. All it is good for is ripping a hole in the bread. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/17 "2009-03-27T18:09:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Actually, I didn’t get that from post 3. I just assumed it had something to do with lack of preservatives in natural peanut butter or something like that, but I guess the oil reason makes sense (even though my refrigerated peanut butter does separate out anyway.) It’s because most peanut butter hydrogenates their oils, changing them from unsaturated, which are liquid at room temperature, to saturated, which are solid. They do this so that they don’t separate out. ---
**Author:** ![HumanMonkeyGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c67d28/32.png) [@HumanMonkeyGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanMonkeyGod)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/18 "2009-03-27T18:25:51Z")
I keep it in the fridge because I mostly just spoon it straight out and I like it chilled like a dessert. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/19 "2009-03-27T18:34:30Z")
I don’t even keep the natural kind in the fridge, usually. I tried, to keep the oils from separating, but the still sort of do, and then it’s too hard to stir them back in when it’s cold. It usually takes me a month or more to go through a jar of natural peanut butter (well, at the moment cashew butter), and I’ve never had it go rancid on me. ---
**Author:** ![NadaHappyCamper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/278dde/32.png) [@NadaHappyCamper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NadaHappyCamper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-peanut-butter/490984/20 "2009-03-28T01:44:48Z")
thank youfor the many answers ``` nadahappycamper ```