How Long Does Salad Last In The Fridge? Solved

Last Updated on July 14, 2024 by Shari Mason

Making a salad is an easy and nutritious meal choice. Nevertheless, it is not usually recommended to make them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for long periods.

Some salads can go bad quickly, even in the fridge. But how long does salad last in the fridge? Our team conducted an experiment last week, and here’s what we found out.

How Long Can Salad Last In The Fridge?

Salad is normally good for 1-2 days after opening. Based on our experiment, it can even last in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored properly.

If you have any leftovers, keep them in a tight container or wrap them in shrink wrap before putting them in the fridge.

Greens in packages should be kept in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. They can be stored for up to 5 to 6 days. However, they should be consumed within four days.

Read:

• How Long Do Egg Bites Last In The Fridge?
• How Long Does Chimichurri Last in The Fridge?

Factors To Consider

Type of Salad

Tuna Salad

Tuna salad can be refrigerated at 40°F for 3 to 5 days before deteriorating. Understanding the signs of deterioration in tuna salad can prevent foodborne disease. (1)

Read: How Long Does Quinoa Salad Last In The Fridge?

Green Salad

A green salad like caesar salad can last in the fridge for a week without mayonnaise and can be properly stored. With yogurt, caesar salad could last in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Read: Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad Recipe

Fruit Salad

Fruit salad could stay fresh in the fridge for 3-5 days. If mixed with apples and avocados, it may easily turn brown. Adding sugar could maintain its freshness for a week in the fridge.

Read: How Long Can Spam Last In The Fridge?

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad should be refrigerated for three to five days and kept at 40 degrees or lower for best quality. (2) 

Read: How Long Does Cut Celery Last In The Fridge?

Pasta Salad

Pasta salad in the fridge could last for 3 to 4 days. Salad with oil-based dressings keeps their fresh quality longer than those with mayonnaise.

Read: Does Jack In The Box Have Salads?

Potato Salad

Potato salad, whether store-bought or homemade, keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If the salad has a printed date, it should keep for a day or two after that date.

Read: How Long Does Cooked Cauliflower Last?

Egg Salad

If the egg salad is properly stored (in a sealed container in the refrigerator), it can be eaten within four days. (3) 

Spring Salad

Spring blend green salad spoils faster than other types of greens. Buy only what you need in 7 to 10 days and keep it in the fridge. Mayonnaise should be separated.

Macaroni

Macaroni salad lasts three days in the fridge when refrigerated tightly. Make it the night before for the finest flavor. 

Macaroni salad should not be left out for more than two hours so the noodles won’t get soggy.

Quinoa

When refrigerated, quinoa lasts five days. Always check for off-smell, mold, or milk liquid when removing it from the fridge.

Preparation

Without Dressing

You can store salad properly in the fridge for up to 10 days without dressings. The oils and water content of the mayo will not deteriorate the contents as it moisturizes in the fridge.

With Dressing

The salad will last 1 to 5 days, depending on the preservation method and the mayo. The salad’s shelf life may be even shorter if correct storage measures are not used.

With Excess Water 

Extra water ruins salad. Watery salad lasts only two days, green salad less. A small amount of water on greens repels salad dressing oils, avoiding leaf coverage.

Temperature 

Salad with dairy products and cheese last at least five days in the fridge at 41° F. 

Dressed salads with kale, lettuce, and spinach should not be in the freezer to prevent wilted leaves.

How To Keep Salad Fresh In The Fridge?

Salads stay fresh in the fridge if you separate the salad dressings. Rather than spreading on your green salad during food prep or in the morning, invest in an airtight Tupperware.

Store your lettuce in resealable plastic. Wrapping salad greens on a dry paper towel helps absorb excess moisture that can cause rapid wilting.

“To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist – the problem is entirely the same in both cases. To know exactly how much oil one must put with one’s vinegar.”

– Oscar Wilde, Irish Poet and Playwright.

The glass keeps salad drier than plastic. Mason jars or Pyrex bowls with lids work well.

How To Tell If It Has Gone Bad 

Texture

If the salad is spoiled, the texture will be soggy and slimy, and the ingredients will emulsify. Do not eat it to avoid health risks.

Smell

A spoiled salad lost its sweet smell and was replaced with a rotten odor. If your salad smells like rotten eggs or the lettuce starts to smell like soil, avoid eating it and throw them away.

Taste

Salad is bad when it develops a harsh, rotten, sour flavor. If the lettuce is sour, do not eat it. Throw it out right away.

How To Make Salad Last Longer In The Fridge

To make your salad last longer in the fridge, always separate the mayonnaise.

Then, after removing the lettuce from the packaging, put dry paper towels inside the bag or on top of the veggies. You can also use a salad spinner.

The paper towel will absorb some moisture; the salad greens will have a longer shelf life in the fridge. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Any salad recipe with or without dressings could last in the fridge for five days if properly stored and at the right temperature. Always store salad in the fridge after use to keep it fresh.

It is not advisable to store the salad in the freezer as freezing affects lettuce and mayonnaise. To keep salad last for days it is important to know the factors that affect the shelf life.

References:

1. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-handling-take-out-foods
2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/hints-from-heloise-the-life-span-of-chicken-salad/
3. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts