How long is a cheese stick good for out of the fridge?

true_norskie

I just pulled out a cheese stick from my work bag and it has been in there since mid-morning.

Eat or throw?

(I get confused because I know one of the recommended healthy snacks to carry with you is a cheese stick.  I often wonder how you can carry it around when it should be in the fridge...which leads me to wonder how long it can actually be left out of the fridge)

BerriGirl

I'd say it's fine... they're made for lunch boxes, which typically aren't refrigerated.

Libramom2b

More than 1 hour of the food itself at room temperature is considered past the "danger zone". So if the food was refrigerated, it would take some time to reach room temp, and then once it's reached it, an hour past is no good. A good rule of thumb is 2 hours out = toss it unless it's in a cooler.