How Long Egg Salad Lasts In The Fridge And Freezer

Economical, easy to make, and endlessly customizable with add-ins, egg salad is a popular go-to dish for many people, especially if they need to feed a lot of people. It's also an easy dish to make just a little too much of, which calls into question how long egg salad stays good for in the fridge and freezer.

According to the USDA, egg salad that's been stored properly in the fridge will be good for three to five days. To maximize that timeframe, use an airtight container and place the egg salad in the coldest part of the fridge promptly. Make sure your fridge is set to 40 F or lower. Moreover, don't let egg salad sit out at room temperature for more than two hours (or one hour when it's more than 90 F out). It's also a good ideal label your egg salad container when storing leftovers so you know when those 3 to 5 days are up.

And while you can technically freeze egg salad, it's not usually recommended since neither eggs nor mayonnaise freeze well. Cooked eggs can become rubbery while mayonnaise tends to separate when frozen and thawed out. If you must freeze egg salad, make sure to use an airtight container and remove as much of the air as possible to minimize freezer burn. It's best to consume egg salad within one to two months for the best results.

Regardless of whether it's been stored in the fridge or frozen and thawed out, it's important to be aware of signs that your egg salad has gone bad. Consuming spoiled eggs can lead to foodborne illness and unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If your egg salad smells off, looks off, or shows signs of mold, it's likely spoiled. If you see any of these signs, throw out your egg salad and make a new batch instead.

To avoid making too much egg salad, be mindful of how many hard-boiled eggs to use. A good rule of thumb when it comes to egg salad is to use one and a half to two eggs per person. Depending on the amount and type of add-ins you plan to include — for example, if you plan to add in diced potatoes, you can likely cut down on the number of hard-boiled eggs per person — and how you like to enjoy your egg salad, you may want to make some adjustments to that rule of thumb.

Having extra egg salad is not a bad thing, as long as you can use it all before it spoils. With a little careful planning, however, you may be able to avoid having to deal with leftovers at all — unless you want to.