Eaten atop freshly toasted bread, or transformed by baking, melting, or frying, butter is a super versatile and decadent addition to sweet or savory dishes. While it may be good in any recipe, butter doesn’t last indefinitely, so storing it in the fridge can extend its shelf-life.

Since butter has a high fat content of 80% and low water content of 20%, it isn’t likely to harbor any bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses, especially if it’s salted. However, even as a resilient dairy product, butter only lasts one month on the counter, up to two months in the fridge, and up to nine months in the freezer.

When exposed to oxygen, the fat in butter becomes oxidized and turns a bit sour, so it’s best to store your butter in an airtight container, such as a Ziploc bag or water-sealed butter dish. Additionally, it’s best to keep butter in the back of your fridge where it’s coolest, rather than in the fridge’s door compartment.