How long does coleslaw last?
Coleslaw keeps for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Times are USDA FoodKeeper quality guidelines from the point of purchase unless noted.
No guideline
3 to 5 days
from purchase
No guideline
How coleslaw compares with other deli & prepared foods
USDA FoodKeeper gives coleslaw one time: 3 to 5 days in the fridge from purchase, and no figure for the other places. A blank usually means the food is not stored that way, not that the data is missing. The foods USDA lists next to coleslaw in deli & prepared foods show the range for the group:
| Food | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian bacon(first of 2 kinds) | no guideline | 2 weeks | 2 months |
| Casseroles | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | no guideline |
| Chicken(first of 2 kinds) | no guideline | 1 to 2 days | 12 months |
| Chicken salad | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | Not recommended |
| Commercial brand vacuum-packed dinners | no guideline | 2 weeks | Not recommended |
| Cooked pasta | no guideline | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Cooked rice | no guideline | 4 to 6 days | 6 months |
| Egg salad | no guideline | 3 to 4 days | Not recommended |
| Fruit, cut | no guideline | Use by the package date | Not recommended |
About deli & prepared foods. Deli meats, prepared salads, leftovers and rotisserie chicken are ready to eat, which means any bacteria present can grow without further cooking to stop them. These foods depend heavily on quick refrigeration and short turnaround times to stay safe. All deli & prepared foods.
How to tell coleslaw has gone bad
General signs for deli & prepared foods, the group USDA lists coleslaw under.
- Sour, sulfur-like or generally off smell from ready-to-eat food
- Sliminess on deli meat or a slick film on salad
- Watery separation showing up in mayonnaise-based salads
- Dry, hardened edges on rotisserie chicken left uncovered
- Colour that has dulled or greyed since purchase
More on deli & prepared foods. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Refrigerate deli and prepared foods within two hours of purchase or cooking, in shallow covered containers for faster cooling. Use most within three to four days, and reheat leftovers until steaming hot before eating. Freeze portions you will not finish in time, and label them clearly with the date.
More in deli & prepared foods
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). Times assume a fridge at 40 F (4 C) and a freezer at 0 F (-18 C). How we decode the data.