How Long Can Pizza Sit Out? (All You Need to Know!)

The pizza is fantastic! Seriously, do you know anyone who doesn’t love it? Even when we think deeply, we must say no. Pizza is a delicious meal that can be an excellent choice for bigger gatherings like parties.

But precisely on those, the food usually doesn’t get eaten right way, quite the contrary, it has to sit out for a while so that everyone can get a piece of what they like. And because of that, some of you may be left wondering:

How long can pizza sit out? According to the USDA, pizza shouldn’t sit out for more than two hours. Then, the bacteria grow rapidly at room temperature, which might very likely make the pizza dangerous to eat.

The exact time it takes for a pizza to turn bad depends on many factors, though. Hence, we’ve got to take a more in-depth look.

So without any further hesitation, let’s just get started!

How Long Can Pizza Sit OutPin

How long can pizza sit out unrefrigerated?

Like any other cooked food, pizza can sit out unrefrigerated for no more than two hours. According to the USDA, temperatures between 40° F and 140° F are considered “Danger Zone,” in which the bacteria grow exceptionally quickly. 

Therefore, you should always store your food in the fridge to ensure it’s safe to eat.

Can you eat pizza that’s been left out overnight?

No, you cannot eat pizza that’s been left out overnight because pizza cannot stay suitable for any more than two hours without refrigeration. At room temperature, bacteria grow very quickly, and it, therefore, doesn’t take a lot of time for the pizza to spoil when it sits out.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 2 hours?

The USDA says no cooked food should ever be eaten after being left out for two hours. So, therefore, it is okay to eat pizza left out for 2 hours because it still hasn’t been left out long enough for it to get spoiled.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 3 hours?

As we’ve mentioned in the last answer, the upper boundary for pizza staying out of the fridge is generally considered to be two hours. However, that doesn’t mean every pizza left out for a longer time would be necessarily uneatable.

Therefore, it most likely is okay to eat pizza left out for 3 hours, because in most cases, this time still won’t be enough for it to spoil. With that being said, though, it is still a bit risky, and you should make sure the pizza doesn’t smell or look weird.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 4 hours?

While the USDA says pizza shouldn’t be eaten if it was left out for any more than two hours, most of the time, it will stay good a bit longer. Because of that, it should be safe to eat a pizza left out for 4 hours, although it is not necessary.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 5 hours?

No, it isn’t okay to eat pizza left out for 5 hours, because according to the USDA, it isn’t safe to eat any cooked meals that sat out for more than 120 minutes.

With that being said, though, 5 hours still aren’t that much, and there is a chance the pizza is still good. However, we still think it’s too much of a risk and recommend you rather throw it away.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 6 hours?

As we have already explained, no pizza should ever be left out for more than two hours if you want to be entirely sure it is safe to eat. That’s because bacteria grow very quickly at temperatures between 40° F and 140° F. Hence, you shouldn’t eat pizza left out for 6 hours because it’s very likely it has already turned bad.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 7 hours?

According to the USDA, perishable food (including pizza) shouldn’t be left out of the fridge for any more than two hours. Therefore, eating pizza left out for 7 hours isn’t really okay, because it’s very likely turned bad and may cause you food poisoning.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 9 hours?

Since the USDA says it isn’t safe to eat any pizza that was left out for more than two hours, it isn’t okay to eat pizza left out for 9 hours. Why? Well, because bacteria grow fast at room temperature, and that means pizza gets spoiled very soon when it sits out.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 20 hours?

No, it is not okay to eat pizza left out for 20 hours because it can turn bad just after two hours without refrigeration. That’s due to the extremely high activity bacteria have at temperatures between 40° F and 140° F.

Is it okay to eat pizza left out for 24 hours?

Eating pizza left out for 24 hours is unsafe, and you shouldn’t do it. That’s because pizza shouldn’t be left out for more than two hours if you want to be sure it’s safe to eat, at least according to the USDA. 

And even though, in many cases, pizza can stay good for a bit longer, leaving it out for a whole day is simply too much.

Can you eat 2 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

No, you cannot eat 2 days old pizza that was left unrefrigerated because it starts to turn bad just after two hours of sitting out, at least according to the USDA. However, most likely, pizza that wasn’t left out for more than four hours will still be eatable.

But with that being said, it simply still isn’t enough for pizza not to turn bad after two days without refrigeration. It is sad, but then you simply have to throw it out.

Can you eat 3 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

As we have explained above, pizza shouldn’t be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Because of that, you absolutely cannot eat 3 days old pizza unrefrigerated, since otherwise, you might very likely get pretty sick.

Can you eat 4 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

According to the USDA, no pizza should ever be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, which means eating 4 days old pizza that sat out is a serious health hazard. Therefore, you cannot eat 4 old pizza unrefrigerated since it might cause you some severe problems.

Can you eat 5 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

Pizza (and no other cooked meals either, for that matter, at least in the opinion of the USDA) shouldn’t sit out of the fridge for any more than two hours if you want to be sure it’s safe to eat.

Hence, you cannot eat 5 days old pizza unrefrigerated because there are extremely high chances that it would cause you food poisoning. And frankly, it’s doubtful that eating five days old pizza would be an enjoyable experience even besides that.

Can you eat 6 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

According to the USDA, it isn’t safe to eat any perishable food left out for more than two hours. That means eating 6 days old pizza that wasn’t unrefrigerated is an extremely big health risk, and you should never do that.

Can you eat 7 days old pizza unrefrigerated?

No pizza should ever be left out for more than two hours if you want to be sure it’s entirely safe to eat. Therefore, eating 7 days old unrefrigerated pizza is indeed not recommended. Not only would eating it very likely cause you some serious health problems, but it’s also nearly sure that the pizza will look and taste completely hideous.

How long can pizza sit out in a car?

Pizza starts to turn bad pretty quickly when it sits out; in the opinion of the USDA, it shouldn’t be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. Leaving it in a hot car may therefore ruin it even in an hour.

With that being said, though, in winter, you should probably be able to leave your pizza in the car for even a few hours, and it still would be good.

How can you tell if pizza is bad?

Telling if your pizza is bad isn’t that hard to do, because you just have to take a good sniff and a good look, just like with any other food.

Hence, if you’re not entirely sure if it is safe to eat the pizza (for instance, after leaving it in your car for a while), you just have to make sure that it doesn’t look or smell disgusting. If not, it is good to go.

Summary

While it isn’t surprising that you have some leftovers while ordering pizza, you definitely can’t just leave them out overnight and eat them in the morning. In fact, according to the USDA, it isn’t safe to eat pizza that was left out for any more than two hours!

And although the vast majority of pizzas should be safe to eat even after three or four hours pass, eating it would simply still be a risk. Because of that, you should always put your pizza into the fridge if you want it to stay eatable for a longer time. 

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Image credits – Canva

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