Vegetable salad is the queen of Polish cuisine during Christmas. When it’s fresh, and it is not harmful as long as it is eaten in reasonable quantities.
In many Polish homes, however, more of it is prepared “in stock”, which means it stays in the fridge for days and nights, because it is a shame to throw it away. Like every one it has an expiration date. When it passes, it is better to get rid of it to avoid food poisoning.
Classic vegetable salad with mayonnaise can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 2-3 days. On the fourth day, it is better not to take risks and not reach for it, even if everything seems fine at first glance.
That’s because the mentioned mayonnaise is sensitive to bacterial growth. Moreover, cooked vegetables also lose their freshness quickly. The consistency of the salad itself doesn’t help matters either which favors the development of microorganisms.
Importantly, if you are wondering as soon as you have to eat a vegetable salad that has been on the table, its shelf life decreases even more. It must be consumed within a few hours.
Even if it has not yet passed its expiry date, vegetable salad should be thrown away if it has an unusual, or a sour taste. A sticky, slippery consistency is also an alarm signal.
It is also better not to eat it when it changes color, e.g. yellowish spots appear on it, it becomes watery or gassy.. If you have any doubts about whether it is good, don’t try it. You can get poisoned this way.
When storing vegetable salad in the refrigerator, make sure that the device is set to the correct temperature (no more than 4 degrees Celsius). Put it in an airtight container, not in a bowl with foil. Do not mix old portions with new onesand when scooping a portion of vegetable salad, use a new spoon each time.
It is best if you make a vegetable salad without mayonnaise, eggs, mustard and onion. This is not a joke. Then it will stay in the fridge longer. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to eat it without these basic ingredients. Just prepare them separately and add them to the salad you eat.
