Whether you’re spreading it on toast, folding it into pastry, or using it to perfect your scrambled eggs, butter is a staple ingredient in most British kitchens. But keeping it in the fridge can make it hard, unspreadable, and difficult to use in a pinch, according to food storage experts.

Butter isn’t exactly cheap these days, with some branded spreads somehow fetching prices north of £7 a tub, so wasting your butter by letting it go off is not only a minor annoyance, it’s actually quite an expensive mistake too. Now, waste management experts Wheeldon Brothers have revealed a surprising trick that not only makes butter more convenient to use, but could also help cut down on food waste at home - not storing it in the fridge.

A lot of people store their butter in the fridge, but it can actually be kept safely at room temperature.

A spokesperson for the firm said: “Many people automatically store butter in the fridge, but in reality, it can be kept safely at room temperature — provided it’s done correctly. This reduces unnecessary refrigeration and makes it easier to portion or spread, meaning less ends up wasted or discarded.

“Unlike other dairy products, butter has a low moisture content and high fat composition, which means it’s far less prone to bacterial growth.

“Butter is naturally low in carbohydrates and proteins — the nutrients bacteria feed on,” the expert added. “As a result, when it’s kept properly covered in a butter dish or crock, it can sit at room temperature for up to two weeks without spoiling.”

However, they stressed the importance of storing butter away from direct sunlight and heat, especially during warmer months.

“If your kitchen regularly exceeds 21°C, it’s best to pop it back in the fridge to avoid melting and spoilage,” they added.

Keeping butter out of the fridge also has an energy-saving benefit, especially for those in households trying to reduce unnecessary appliance use.

“Reducing how often you open and close the fridge, and how much you store in it unnecessarily, can contribute to a more efficient energy setup,” said Wheeldon Brothers. “Even small changes like this can have a positive long-term impact.”