If you make it homemade, store it well so it will last.
We appreciate its popularity and portability, making it a go-to choice forpicnics, cookouts, and potlucks.
Yet, we’ve all heard cautionary tales where potato salad was blamed for outdoor meals with unhappy endings.
Credit:Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
So what’s the deal?
How long can potato salad sit out?
How many days will it keep?
The answers are pretty simple, actually.
It comes down to time and temperature.
The safe temperature threshold for potato salad is below 40F.
At home, that means in the refrigerator.
When away from home, acoolerfull of ice or frozen gel packs is the only way to go.
When handlingstore-boughtready-to-eat potato salad, the clock starts ticking as soon as you place it in the shopping cart.
(That’s true for other perishable groceries and take-out fare as well.)
By the way,mayonnaiseis not the culprit here.
Bottom Line:When stored safely, fresh potato salad should keep for up to five days.
How Do You Know If Potato Salad Has Gone Bad?
Visual clues are the most obvious sign that potato salad has gone bad.
Off smells are another telltale sign that potato salad is past its prime.
You want people to remember and talk about our potato salad for only good reasons.
Does Potato Salad Need To Be Refrigerated?
On days that are 90F or warmer and you’re dining outside, that time shrinks to one hour.
The USDA doesn’t recommend consuming potato salad that’s more than five days old.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Safe food handling.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.How temperatures affect food.
