⚕️ General information only — not medical advice. If pregnant or unwell, always follow the guidance of your midwife, GP or NHS 111. Full disclaimer

Left Out Overnight

Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS, FSA and USDA FoodKeeper guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026

The 2-hour rule, the foods it applies to, and the handful that genuinely don't mind a night on the counter.

And don't be tempted to give food that's been left out to the dog — check our dog food safety guide first.

Start here: common questions

🔴Rice🔴Pizza🔴Cooked Chicken🔴Chinese Takeaway🟡Butter🟡Hard Cheese🔴Milk🟢Cake🔴Mayonnaise

Meals, leftovers and takeaways (14)

🔴Bolognese🔴Chilli con Carne🔴Cooked Pasta🔴Curry🔴Fish and Chips🔴Gravy🔴Kebab🔴Lasagne🔴Pasta with Sauce🔴Pizza🔴Quiche🔴Soup🔴Stew🔴Takeaway Food

Long-life foods (10)

🟢Bananas🟢Biscuits🟢Bread🟢Cake🟢Chocolate🟢Crisps🟢Honey🟡Opened Jam🟢Opened Ketchup🟢Whole Fruit

Meat (7)

🔴Bacon🔴Burgers🔴Cooked Ham🔴Cooked Meat🔴Cooked Sausages🔴Sausages🔴Steak

Dairy and cream (5)

🟡Butter🔴Cream🔴Milk🔴Prepared Baby Formula🔴Yoghurt

Poultry (4)

🔴Chicken🔴Cooked Chicken🔴Cooked Turkey🔴Raw Chicken

Rice and grains (3)

🔴Chinese Takeaway🔴Cooked Rice🔴Rice

Fish and seafood (3)

🔴Fish🔴Prawns🔴Salmon

Eggs (2)

🔴Cooked Eggs🔴Hard-Boiled Eggs

Cheese (2)

🟡Hard Cheese🔴Soft Cheese

Cupboard staples and other (1)

🔴Mayonnaise

Other guides

→Pregnancy foods→Breastfeeding→Fridge storage times→Can you freeze it?→Reheating guides→Use-by dates

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Fridge thermometer

The 2-hour rule only protects you if the fridge is actually at 0–5°C.

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Shallow cooling containers

Shallow portions cool quickly enough to hit the fridge inside 2 hours.

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AMAZON

Digital food thermometer

When in doubt about reheated leftovers, 75°C in the middle settles it.

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General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.