How long does tuna salad last?
Store-prepared (or homemade): 3-4 days in the fridge and freezing is not recommended.
“Avoid Choose these instead ... Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads” CDC
| State | Counter | Fridge 40 °F | Freezer 0 °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-prepared (or homemade) | 2 hours max CDC | 3-4 days FoodKeeper Extension Sources disagree: 3-5 days FDAExtension | Not recommended FoodKeeper FDA |
Sources compared
| Source | State | Counter | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018 | Store-prepared (or homemade) | - | 3-4 days | Not recommended |
| FDA 2018 | Store-prepared (or homemade) | - | 3-5 days | Not recommended |
| NDSU Extension | Store-prepared (or homemade) | - | 3-4 days | - |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension | Store-prepared (or homemade) | - | 3-5 days | - |
| CDC 2025 | Store-prepared (or homemade) | 2 hours | - | - |
A dash means that source gives no time for that place.
What the sources say
FoodKeeper files tuna salad under seafood salads, together with shrimp, salmon and mixed seafood salads, and gives them 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.1
It also lists freezing seafood salads as not recommended.1
On the FDA storage chart, store-prepared or homemade tuna salad sits in a single row with egg, chicken, ham and macaroni salads, allowed 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, and the freezer column for that row reads "Don't freeze".2
The NDSU Extension food storage guide lists the same group of deli salads, tuna included, at a shorter 3 to 4 days in a refrigerator at 32 to 40 °F, in line with FoodKeeper.312
A University of Wisconsin-Extension sheet on food product dating uses tuna salad as its example of a meat salad and says to eat it within 3 to 5 days of receiving it.4
With the FDA and Wisconsin allowing up to 5 days and FoodKeeper and NDSU stopping at 4, the shorter time is shown first.2413
CDC names premade tuna salad among the deli salads that people at higher risk of Listeria infection should avoid, and points to homemade deli salads as the choice to make instead.6
Rules that apply here
Related foods
Sources
- USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 417: Seafood salads, (tuna salad, shrimp salad, salmon salad, mixed seafood salad, etc.). USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Seafood salads, (tuna salad, shrimp salad, salmon salad, mixed seafood salad, etc.). Refrigerate: 3-4 Days; Freeze: Not Recommended
- REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24.
Store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads 3 - 5 days Don't freeze
- 1 • FN579 • Food Storage GuideNDSU Extension. NDSU Extension. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-25.
store-prepared (or homemade) egg, chicken, tuna, ham, macaroni salads * 3 to 4 days *
- Safe and Healthy: Food Product Dating. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24.
Meat salads or sandwiches If you receive refrigerated deli meat, meat salads like tuna salad, or pre-made sandwiches, eat these within 3-5 days.
- 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).
- Preventing Listeria Infection | Listeria Infection | CDC. CDC. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24.
Avoid Choose these instead ... Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad Homemade deli salads