I like energy balls, with peanut butter, oats, shredded coconut, sweet chips, etc. These things can last weeks / months in a cupboard, but when mixed into balls, the recipes ALWAYS say good for 3-5 days in a fridge.
Why? Why does mixing these things [uncooked, just rolled into ball] they suddenly cannot last?
Here’s my guess. You can introduce bacteria and viruses to the ingredients in the process of making the energy balls, therefore refrigeration is recommended. In the refrigerator, the balls can absorb odors and/or dry out, therefore the limit on how long you should keep them in there. On day 6, you’re probably not going to die if you eat them, but they’re not exactly fresh, either.