should coconut oil be refrigerated?

[KatKeRo]

I have a tiny bit sitting in my bathroom but the main jar is in my kitchen cupboard.

[imerula]

I am so glad I came across this, my daughter has been begging me to pick up coconut oil to fry her tofu in. I did not realize I could use it in my hair as well. Now I have to go get some! She told me her grandmother introduced her to coconut oil and that she keeps it out on the kitchen counter.

[teela1978]

It will be ok kept at normal room temperature. No-one I've ever known keeps coconut oil in the fridge!

I have heard of virgin coconut oil going bad though. A few LHCers have had theirs develop a rancid smell.

[BranwenWolf]

I keep mine at room temp and use the same container for hair and some eating, dirty fiend that I am.

[Shermie Girl]

I keep mine at room temp and use the same container for hair and some eating, dirty fiend that I am.

I'm sorry... That was so funny.

As long as you are dipping a clean finger or spoon in, I can't imagine there is any dirty fiend action, really.

[paperwhite]

I keep mine on the sink in the bathroom for most of the year. I keep it in the fridge in the summer so that it stays solid. I prefer it at a soft solid state rather than rock hard, but if I leave it out it goes liquid on me and is very difficult to use.

I've had the same jar since around March and while mine hasn't gone bad, any oil can after a while. coconut oil is exceptionally stable though, you should be fine keeping it at room temperature.

[katha]

I'm only using coconut oil for a month or so now. So far, I'm keeping it in the bathroom, it stays solid in there and melts when I touch it. I find it easy to dose that way. In summer it'll get very hot here so I'll probably put it in the fridge... and then forget to use it. :S

[lynnala]

I keep a jar by the shower to oil my skin and hair after I've washed. Twice now, when I've used the original large jar, the coconut oil has become contaminated towards the end and starts getting brown spots and smells rancid. I think this is from constant exposure to heat and steam and my fingers. So I now keep smaller amounts in a jar by the shower, and the 'mother jar' on the kitchen shelf, and I only use clean utensils to scoop out what I need for the smaller jar.

[ericthegreat]

I keep my jar of coconut oil in my refrigerator. The colder temperature helps to keep it from going rancid longer.

As long as the temperature of the room its in is lower than 76 degrees F, then it will stay solid. So in the summer, you should decide to store it in the fridge.

[yogachic]

I haven't refrigerated my coconut oil either, I've had it for 1 year already, and mines fine too.