How Long Can Mashed Potatoes Sit Out? (Explained!)

Mashed potatoes are one of the most popular side-dishes ever, and it is nearly impossible to come across a table at family dinner without one bowl of them. They simply always have to be there, but is it actually good for them? Shouldn’t they rather be in the fridge? Let’s find out!

So how long can mashed potatoes sit out? Mashed potatoes can sit out for only two hours to be entirely safe to eat. After a longer time without refrigeration, eating the mashed potatoes might be dangerous because bacteria grow very quickly at room temperatures.

This was just to put it briefly, though, because a more in-depth look is needed to understand this topic.

What are we waiting for then? Let’s just jump right into it!

How Long Can Mashed Potatoes Sit OutPin

Do mashed potatoes need to be refrigerated?

Yes, mashed potatoes need to be refrigerated if you’re planning on storing them for a more extended period of time because they’re not able to stay good on their own for quite a while. In fact, according to the USDA, mashed potatoes start to turn bad just after two hours outside of the fridge, but more about that in the following answer.

How long do mashed potatoes last at room temperature?

As the United States Department of Agriculture says, eating any perishable food that sits out for more than two hours is dangerous. Because of that, mashed potatoes last only for two hours at room temperatures, and it is dangerous to eat them after that amount of time passes.

If you’re wondering why it is so, know that bacteria are to blame – they grow exceptionally quickly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, resulting in food like mashed potatoes spoiling so quickly.

Can mashed potatoes be left out overnight?

As explained above, mashed potatoes should never sit out for more than two hours to be entirely safe to eat. Because of that, mashed potatoes cannot be left out overnight since that is far longer than two hours. 

After that huge amount of time without refrigeration, the mashed potatoes are simply not going to be safe to eat, so you’d better just toss them away as soon as possible.

How long can instant mashed potatoes sit out?

Just like any other perishable food, instant mashed potatoes can’t sit out for more than two hours, at least in the opinion of the USDA. As they say, the temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F are the “Danger Zone” for food because bacteria proliferate at them, meaning things like mashed potatoes may be dangerous to eat even just after a short while outside of the fridge.

How long can cooked mashed potatoes sit out?

As the USDA says, cooked mashed potatoes can sit out for no more than two hours if you want to be entirely sure that they’re safe to eat. That’s due to the extremely high activity bacteria have at room temperatures.

How long can scalloped potatoes sit out?

According to the USDA, no perishable food should be ever left out of the fridge for more than two hours for it to be entirely safe to eat. Therefore, scalloped potatoes can sit out for just two hours.

After that amount of time passes, eating them may be very dangerous because bacteria grow extremely quickly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F

How long can cooked hash browns sit out?

In the opinion of the United States Department of Agriculture, no kind of perishable food should ever sit out for more than two hours. And since this recommendation of the USDA goes for hash browns, cooked hash browns cannot sit out for any more than two hours.

Eating them after they were left out for a longer time may be dangerous because bacteria grow rapidly at room temperatures.

How to tell if mashed potatoes are bad?

Believe it or not, telling bad mashed potatoes from the good ones is easy! To tell if mashed potatoes are bad or not, just make sure that there are no weird stains in them nor any weird smell coming from them. That way, they’re good to go; otherwise, throw them out as soon as possible.

How do you keep mashed potatoes fresh?

If you want to keep your mashed potatoes as fresh as possible, just put them into a deep casserole and then into the fridge. That way, they’ll stay in excellent shape for you to reheat them for even as long as three days. 

By the way, if you indeed want to make them taste as though they were freshly made, put a bit of butter into them while reheating.

What happens when you eat bad mashed potatoes?

When you eat bad mashed potatoes, it is more than likely that you’re going to be sick. That means some of the most common symptoms of food poisoning, like a stomach ache or vomiting, may occur, but don’t worry, it’s not going to be serious.

If the problems get too severe, don’t hesitate and call your doctor.

Summary

According to what the USDA says, mashed potatoes, just like every other perishable food, should never sit out for more than two hours. After that amount of time passes, eating it may be very dangerous due to the extremely high activity bacteria have at room temperature.

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Image credits – Canva

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