How Long Can Hard-Boiled Eggs Sit Out?

Hard-boiled eggs are nature's handiest protein supplement, which means having a few around is always a good idea. There are many things to do with hard-boiled eggs — egg salad sandwiches, garnishes for hot bowls of ramen, and as part of a salade Niçoise, and there's also their necessity for Easter festivities (though let's hope we can afford them this year). And fresh hard-boiled eggs will last for up to a week in the fridge.

The thing is, after you're done boiling a batch, sometimes you get a little busy. So it's not unheard of to forget about them while they're cooling off in the kitchen. Suddenly, it's been an hour, and you might wonder if you're no longer steering clear of one of those key egg cooking mistakes. So how long can you leave out hard-boiled eggs? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a set of egg safety guidelines, and their rule states that you should "never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90°F."

Why? Because bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses really thrives between 40 to 140 degrees, and you want to stunt that growth to make sure you don't get sick later. I don't think I need to tell you that gambling with an upset stomach or flu-like symptoms isn't a good idea.

Hard-boiled eggs also make for a useful snack to bring on hikes, picnics, or beach days, but they need special consideration when you transport them. The FDA suggests that you pack them in an insulated cooler that's lined with a sufficient amount of freezer packs or ice to keep them nice and cold. One interesting detail the FDA also provides is that you're going to want to keep that cooler in the cabin of your car, not the trunk. Why? Because the trunk can be much warmer, which is something I've never considered. (Now I'm rethinking my grocery situation.)

When you're at your destination, keep the cooler somewhere in a shady area and leave the lid closed as much as possible to avoid the eggs from warming up to ambient temperatures. So really, it's about keeping your hard-boiled egg in an environment that simulates a refrigerator. And to keep to best practices, you'll want to consume those eggs within the two-hour window the FDA recommends.