Food and Recipes Dairy Eggs How Long Does Egg Salad Last In The Fridge? Know when to keep that extra egg salad, and when to toss it. By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 17, 2023 Medically reviewed by Brierley Horton, MS, RD Medically reviewed by Brierley Horton, MS, RD Brierley Horton is a registered dietitian nutritionist with 15 years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets such as Cooking Light, EatingWell, Livestrong.com, and All Recipes. She has been the editor of articles that won journalism awards from the James Beard Foundation and the American Society of Journalists and Authors. She's appeared on the TODAY Show, MSNBC's Thomas Roberts, and more. Brierley holds a master’s degree in Nutrition Communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. learn more Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Fact checked by Khara Scheppmann Khara Scheppmann has 12 years of marketing and advertising experience, including proofreading and fact-checking. She previously worked at one of the largest advertising agencies in the southwest. brand's fact checking process Share Tweet Pin Email We firmly believe that a little too much egg salad is a good problem to have—unless you're not sure whether it is still safe to eat. And, when it comes to delicious egg salad, you really don't want to rely on the "sniff test" to be the deciding factor. According to FoodSafety.gov, if it has been properly stored, it is safe to eat the salad within four days. This rule also applies to similar mayonnaise-based salads like chicken, tuna, ham, and macaroni salads. The keywords are "properly stored." What does that mean? It's important to store any leftover egg salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator (and kept at 40°F or cooler). And also, once you've made the egg salad, remember the two-hour rule: throw out any leftovers that have sat out for more than two hours (when temperatures are 90°F or hotter, that window drops to one hour). If you plan to entertain for longer than that, put the salad bowl over ice. Azurita / Getty Images If you ended up with too much egg salad because you hard-cooked too many eggs, keep this handy tip in mind next time you're prepping: when making egg salad, make one and a half to two hard-boiled eggs per person. There's a little wiggle room in the number of eggs because it depends on how many other ingredients are in the egg salad. Our delicious and summery Picnic Egg Salad includes radishes, scallions, and fresh dill; some people even like to add potatoes! The number of eggs also depends on how you like to eat egg salad. You will need slightly different amounts depending on whether you serve it atop a bed of salad greens, slather it over two slices of bread to make an overstuffed egg salad sandwich, or spread it thinly over toast points. However you enjoy this simple, satisfying dish, now you can prepare exactly as much as you need, or make a little extra to enjoy a few days later—safely. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. FoodSafety.gov. Cold food storage chart. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Game day food safety tips.