StillGood?
/
USDA-based guidance

Salads

On the FoodSafety.gov cold chart, mayo-bound egg, chicken, ham, tuna, and macaroni salads share a leftover-style refrigerator row — each filling still has its own page here. Past a fridge window, discard it. Fridge = safety; freezer = quality (these salads usually freeze poorly).
Egg Salad fridge 3–4 days · freezer Does not freeze well standard windows Egg + mayo salad — refrigerate promptly; does not freeze well. Chicken Salad fridge 3–4 days · freezer Does not freeze well standard windows Chicken + mayo salad — inherits cooked-chicken leftover risk. Ham Salad fridge 3–4 days · freezer Does not freeze well standard windows Ham + mayo salad — refrigerate promptly; freeze quality is poor. Tuna Salad fridge 3–4 days · freezer Does not freeze well standard windows Tuna + mayo salad — opened tuna becomes a fridge leftover. Macaroni Salad fridge 3–4 days · freezer Does not freeze well standard windows Pasta + mayo salad — picnic favorite; watch the two-hour clock.

Fridge vs freezer

These salads are treated as perishable leftovers on the cold chart: a short refrigerator safety window, and freezer entries that often say they do not freeze well because mayonnaise separates and texture collapses (FoodSafety.gov; FSIS leftovers). Past the fridge window, discard it — do not “refresh” with more mayo.

How to tell a salad is spoiled

Sour or yeasty smell, watery separated dressing, slimy pasta or meat, and visible mold mean discard it. Mayo itself is acidic and not the villain of picnic lore; the risk is the protein and the time spent in the danger zone (FSIS leftovers / steps-keep-food-safe). Do not taste to check.

Storage tips

Safety notes

Chicken salad inherits cooked-poultry leftover risk; egg salad inherits egg handling rules. Open the specific page for that filling’s notes. This site is not medical advice.

Sources

Related: picnic two-hour rule · leftovers · all foods