How long does potato salad last?

Checked 24 Oct 20263 official publishers, 4 sources

Potato salad: 3-5 days in the fridge and freezing is not recommended.

Official stance

“Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads” CDC

Storage times for potato salad by state and place
StateCounterFridge 40 °FFreezer 0 °F
Potato salad 2 hours max CDC 3-5 days FoodKeeper Not recommended FoodKeeper
Times assume continuous refrigeration at 40 °F or below. When in doubt, throw it out. Freezer times are for quality: “Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.” FDA

Sources compared

SourceStateCounterFridgeFreezer
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018Potato salad-3-5 daysNot recommended
CDC 2025Potato salad2 hours--

A dash means that source gives no time for that place.

Handling and freezing notes

  • “Irish potatoes, baked or boiled In soups, salads, sauces or with butter Soft, crumbly, water-logged, mealy” Extension

What the sources say

FoodKeeper gives potato salad 3 to 5 days in the fridge and does not recommend freezing it.1

The National Center for Home Food Preservation lists baked or boiled potatoes meant for salads, soups or sauces among foods that do not freeze well, because they turn soft, crumbly, water-logged and mealy after thawing.3

CDC puts premade deli salads, potato salad among them, on its list of foods to avoid for people at higher risk of Listeria infection, and suggests homemade deli salads instead.4

The groups CDC names as higher risk are women who are pregnant, newborns, people 65 or older and people with a weakened immune system.4

Rules that apply here

The 2-hour ruleFridge and freezer temperature
Mashed potatoesCooked pastaHard boiled eggs

Sources

  1. USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 191: Potato salad. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Potato salad. Refrigerate: 3-5 Days; Freeze: Not Recommended
  2. Preventing Food Poisoning | Food Safety | CDC. CDC. Dated 2025-11-24. Checked 2026-10-24. Never leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if exposed to temperatures above 90°F).
  3. Foods That Do Not Freeze Well - National Center for Home Food Preservation. National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia). No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24. Irish potatoes, baked or boiled In soups, salads, sauces or with butter Soft, crumbly, water-logged, mealy
  4. Preventing Listeria Infection | Listeria Infection | CDC. CDC. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24. Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads
  5. REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24. Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.