You can refrigerate the doughnuts, but leaving them at room temperature for one to two days is safe as long as they don't have a creme filling. Most of the time, you can stash the container in your cupboard. You want to remove the doughnuts from direct sunlight to prevent them from drying or growing mold.

It's best to refrigerate any leftover filled doughnuts in an airtight container. Refrigerated doughnuts will keep for 3-4 days.

Expiration dates are also meant to have a bit of a grace period, as in the manufacturer estimates the expiration date a few days before it truly does become spoiled. This way it avoids any liability they have of selling spoiled food. So donuts are safe to eat one day after expiration if they show no signs of spoilage.

"To best keep doughnuts overnight, wrap them in a napkin and store in a paper bag," Grief wrote in an email.