Survey: Do you refrigerate your KETCHUP, MUSTARD and...?

Question

peanut butter?
I do not refrigerate ANY of these, but almost everyone I know does! (with exception to the p.b.)
ketchup & mustard have vinegar in them which is a natural preservative & I have always kept them in the pantry...

Yeah, that is just it... they SAY to refrigerate, but ACTUALLY, it is unecessary!
The vinegar keeps it fresh!
I have been doing it for years & years & have NEVER had a problem!

AT restaraunts, they keep it out, ya know?
But, I DO realize they go through it faster than I do at home, for sure.

I HATE cold ketchup & mustard!

I have never had any of it go bad, as I said.

Answer 1

i have seen ketchup bubble up and go bad but your right.... i do refridge everything, i even keep my flour, sugar, pasta in the freezer but i live in florida and you have to worry about humidity, bugs, etc......

Answer 2

Brad, it that you? OK, anyway if it's not, then I know someone who thinks exactly like you. The problem with ketchup is that there is a lot of sugar in it, so it can ferment if not refrigerated. I keep mine in the fridge becasue I do not use it much and have experienced fermented ketchup in my childhood (tomato wine, anyone?) As for mustard, it should be fine in the pantry, because of the high vinegar content, but again, will probably last longer in the fridge, that's all. BTW: restaurants DO refrigerate Ketchup. It is the LAW (at least in the US) They can keep them on the table for a certain number of hours during the day, but after that, they MUST be refrigerated. Restaurants are also require to refrigerate tomatoes, which I think is gross, and something I never do at home becasue it ruins the texture.

Answer 3

I keep my mustard ketchup, salad dressing and Mayo in the fridge. Peanut butter is in the cabinet.

Yet just a few days ago someone posted on Yahoo Answers that they don't place any of the above item in the fridge. Maybe two each its own.

Answer 4

I don't refrigerate peanut butter, mustard, ketchup, soy sauce,none of those things. Also not olive oil. I keep them in a cool, dark place. I know people do, but that stuff never goes bad and has never gone bad on me.

Answer 5

Yes, I refrigerate my ketchup and mustard cause they say on the bottle to refrigerate once open. Peanut butter - no...

Answer 6

I refrigerate ketchup & mustard and jelly too. Not peanut butter but I my bf refrigerates it I find it hard to use.

Answer 7

I tend to put jam (jelly), apple sauce and pickle (Branston type) in the fridge as we don't use those up so quickly. We use a lot of tomato sauce and peanut butter so just leave those in the cupboard. I don't even go near mustard(!) but if we did use it I would keep it in the fridge. I am in the UK so it doesn't usually get that hot very often.

Answer 8

I put ketchup and mustard in the fridge, not peanut butter.

Uh, I'd rather put it in the fridge then let it go bad and just because you hate cold ketchup and mustard doesn't mean others do. I prefer mine cold.

Answer 9

I refrigerate ketchup and mustard but not PB unless it is organic and has no preservatives.

Answer 10

I refrigerate my mustard only ........ the ketchup and peanut butter stay on the counter and cupbord respectively

Answer 11

I don't refrigerate any of the above. I keep them in the pantry also. We use them up so fast. They have never gone bad. Ever. Have yours?