How Long Does Egg Salad Last When Stored Properly?
How long does egg salad last? Does this food have a long lifespan if you just store it properly?
Honestly, too much egg salad is more of a pleasure than a problem. The issue here only comes when you can't consume the entire salad and you are left with no choice but to store. By that time, you will also have to worry about its shelf life, too.
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If you want to know more about this matter and anything in between, I suggest that you read on.
Contents
How Long Does Egg Salad Last?
Many of us like to prepare egg salad. It is not only good as an appetizer or a side dish, but it can also work as a main dish in the platter as well. You can also use as the stuffing to your sandwiches.
Aside from its taste, egg salad has a myriad of benefits, too. It contains a lot of protein and is a good source of various types of vitamins and minerals. This simple dish can really boost your system.
Because of these reasons, it is quite understandable if people tend to make as many egg salads that they can. Later on, they had realized that there are too many leftovers to deal with.
1. When In The Fridge
To take care of the leftovers, one should know the answer to the question "how long does egg salad last in the fridge". After all, this is the very appliance in your home that can extend the lifespan of the said dish in the most efficient way possible.
But of course, there's no definite or exact answer to this. It still depends on how you stored the salad in the fridge. To further maximize the edibility of the salad, it is prim and proper that you have a proper container for it. Specifically, I am talking about airtight containers here. These are the ones that can seal the dish from the air and other spoil-causing elements.
Once done properly, your beloved salad can last three to five days in the refrigerator. You have to be prompt in storing the salad, too. As much as possible, you have to avoid letting the salad in the room without any sort of protection. There are various factors in there--such as heat and bacteria--that can expedite the egg salad shelf life.
If you are done eating the salad, it is only logical that you have to put it in your refrigerator immediately. In that way, you can retain the freshness of the ingredients and effectively repel the possibilities of food poisoning.
Even for egg salad sandwiches, the refrigerator still proves to be the best haven. However, keep in mind that there's a limit as to how cold you can set your fridge for this particular delicacy. The maximum cold holding temperature for sliced egg salad sandwiches is just 41 degrees Fahrenheit or 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower than this and the sandwich will become stiff.
Here is a guideline on how to keep your salads fresh:
2. When In The Freezer
Can you freeze egg salad?
People are practically divided when it comes to this matter. After all, the idea of freezing a salad is quite absurd. The conventional method of storing or preserving salads is through the use of your fridge. The use of freezers is not that well entertained because it sounds very unlikely.
However, keep in mind that it is pretty safe to put an egg salad to a freezer. Of course, as long as it is wrapped inside an airtight container, you should not encounter any problems.
The only drawback here is that freezing can generally affect the flavor and texture of the salad. This is especially true after you have thawed the delicacy. You will notice that the salad slightly became bland. The fresh taste was thoroughly altered by the extremely low temperatures. Yes, the salad is still edible, but the original tastiness has been degraded already.
By the way, can you freeze egg salad with mayonnaise?
Well, that's something that I don't want to recommend you in doing. Technically, mayonnaise is safe to be put in the freezer. However, its flavor and texture can be ruined right after you thaw it. This ingredient tends to break off after thawing, which in turn, will make it slightly repulsive. It disintegrates, which, in turn, loses its original taste. It is among the ingredients that you should not store in the freezer.
Therefore, if your egg salad has mayonnaise, it is better to store it in your refrigerator rather than your freezer. That's the way you can deal with this particular salad composition.
3. When In The Room
How long can salad sit out?
Well, keep in mind that salads are made of raw or uncooked ingredients. Even if one of the main ingredients of the salads is boiled egg, this doesn't mean that its lifespan is lengthy.
Overall, a salad is a perishable delicacy. Right after you prepared it, you have to consume it immediately. In this way, you can still experience its freshness while avoiding the possibilities of spoilage.
Keep in mind that in a room setting, any food becomes susceptible to the elements. Heat, moisture, water, and bacteria are among the prevalent culprits why food are ruined. Unless you have a way of protecting your salad from these elements, you should never let it sit outside your fridge.
If you are going to leave the egg salad momentarily in your dining table, make sure that it won't stay there for more than one hour. Any longer than this and your salad might have developed some indicators of aging and spoilage.
Conclusion
It is undeniable that egg salad is a tasty delicacy. You can prepare it every day even without feeling sick of it. However, if you want to make sure that you can make the most out of this ingredient, then you should learn how to store it properly. You can never extend the lifespan of this particular dish if you will not take extra measures in preserving it.
That's it for now. If you have questions or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
