How Long Can A Sandwich Last in The Fridge? (Explained)

Sandwiches are one of the yummiest and most filling snacks for a busy day ahead. So, it’s always great to have them on standby.

However, you’d need to find a reliable preservative method to ensure the sandwich doesn’t lose its taste while on standby.

While others insist that you can preserve your sandwich in the fridge, others are skeptical about how long they’ll last. Well, this article discusses all of that.

A sandwich can last between three to five days in the fridge, depending on a few important factors. For example, sandwiches made with less perishable ingredients before refrigeration will last longer than those made with more. Asides from that, you’d need to properly wrap the sandwich and store it at 92° F for it to last longer.

In this article, I’ll explain if you can keep a sandwich in a fridge and if refrigeration changes the taste of a sandwich.

By the end, you’ll learn if sandwiches can go bad in the fridge, how to know it’s gone bad, and how long a refrigerated cold-cut sandwich lasts.

Can You Keep a Sandwich in a Fridge?

You can store a sandwich in a fridge to keep it from going bad after a few hours, and it could last for a couple of days.

It’s also safe to store sandwiches in the fridge rather than in the open when you plan to eat them in a few hours instead of the next day.

Interestingly, when you store your sandwiches in a fridge, they’re also safe from germs that could cause food poisoning.

However, you’ll need to prepare and pack your sandwiches properly to keep the ingredients fresh and reap the benefits of storing them in the fridge.

Below are some tips on the best ways to prepare and pack your sandwiches before storing them in the fridge:

#1. Prepare Your Sandwich With Crusty Bread

Crusty bread can last longer in the fridge without getting soggy and tasteless before consumption.

This feature makes it ideal to choose crusty bread, such as baguettes or boules, to make sandwiches you plan to refrigerate.

However, if you don’t have either of those bread options, you can toast your bread slices to make them crusty before preparing your sandwich.

The above measures will keep moisture from your sandwich, and you’ll easily avoid struggling with soggy bread and ingredients.

#2. Stick To Dry Ingredients

Dry ingredients keep your sandwich feeling fresh with each bite after being refrigerated for a few days.

On the other hand, wet ingredients tend to make your sandwich soggy and unsatisfactory after being refrigerated.

However, you can avoid the latter by lightly spreading butter on the insides of your bread to trap moisture before adding your ingredients.

You can also stick to dry ingredients when you don’t have plans to eat a sandwich immediately after preparing it.

Alternatively, you can separate tomatoes, veggies, and other wet ingredients and refrigerate them in a separate container to avoid sogginess.

#3. Pack Your Sandwiches Using Parchment Paper

Parchment paper is an ideal wrap material for your sandwiches if you want them to last longer in the refrigerator.

You can ensure that your sandwich remains fresh and dry when you carefully wrap it in parchment paper before storing it in the fridge.

However, if you don’t have parchment paper at home, you can store it in a Ziploc bag and seal it securely to prevent air from entering.

If it’s still hot, remember to wrap your sandwich in tin foil instead of parchment paper.

#4. Place the Sandwich in a Tupperware

It’s important to place your sandwich in Tupperware after wrapping it in parchment paper, tin foil, or a zip-lock bag.

Your sandwich will be more secure in Tupperware and less likely to be mashed by other items in the fridge.

However, you still need to ensure that no heavy items or fruits are placed on your sandwich to avoid displacing the ingredients.

How Long Is a Refrigerated Sandwich Good For?

A refrigerated sandwich is safe for consumption within two to five days of being stored in the fridge.

However, the time limit varies from one sandwich to another based on the shelf life of the ingredients used to prepare it.

If you’d like your sandwich to last up to five days in the fridge, you should use fresh and dry ingredients because they have a longer shelf life.

It’s also important to avoid condiments close to their expiration date to reduce the risks of getting food poisoning.

If you need some pointers, some ingredients that keep your sandwich good for a long time are cabbage, kale, carrots, and hard cheese.

You can also keep your usage of sauces and other wet ingredients minimal except if you plan to eat your sandwich in the next two days or earlier.

However, to guide you further, the table below shows how different ingredients affect the shelf life of various sandwiches that you store in a fridge;

Types of Sandwiches	Shelf Life in a Fridge
Meat sandwich	3 to 4 days
Tuna fish sandwich	2 days
Grilled cheese sandwich	3 days
Vegetable sandwich	4 to 5 days
Salmon sandwich	3 to 4 days
Nutella or peanut butter sandwiches	1 to 2 days

Does Sandwich Change Taste in the Fridge?

The taste of your sandwich can change while it’s in the fridge, but it’s not a static change in taste that would make it unappealing. 

Generally, when certain foods are refrigerated, they lose a bit of flavor when reheated before consumption.

This rule also applies to sandwiches, but it depends on the ingredients used in your sandwich and how long you refrigerated it.

For example, a Nutella sandwich will taste less chocolatey and unappealing after being refrigerated for a day or two.

On the other hand, a meat sandwich will still taste good after being stored in a refrigerator for a day or two.

However, after two or three days, a meat sandwich might lose most of its flavor, especially if it has other perishable ingredients.

If you’d love to retain the natural flavor of a sandwich, it’s best to consume them after a day or two instead of leaving them in the fridge for up to five days.

Can a Sandwich Go Bad in the Fridge? (How Can You Tell?)

A sandwich can go bad in the fridge when its ingredients lose their freshness and taste after a few days.

You should eat a refrigerated sandwich within the first two to five days after it’s been refrigerated else it might go bad.

However, the ingredients used to prepare the sandwich play an important role in how early or late it goes bad in the fridge.

The means of packaging the sandwich is also another factor that contributes to how soon a sandwich goes bad while being refrigerated.

Asides from the points mentioned above, below are other ways you can tell that a refrigerated sandwich has gone bad; 

• The perishable ingredients in the sandwich will start to smell to indicate that it has gone bad.
• You may notice mold growth on the bread after storing it for too long.
• The meat in the sandwich will look pale and slimy or give off an unpleasant smell.
• Flies in the fridge may surround the sandwich to show it is spoilt.

How Long Does Cold Cut Sandwich Last in the Fridge?

Cold-cut sandwiches are the best options if you’d like to store your sandwiches and enjoy them daily by simply heating them.

Unlike homemade sandwiches, cold-cut sandwiches can last up to two weeks in the fridge if the package is still sealed.

However, if the package of the cold-cut sandwich has been opened, it’d only last three to five days like regular sandwiches.

A cold-cut sandwich lasts longer than a regular sandwich because most of its ingredients are dry and uncooked.

The nature of their ingredients gives them an advantage over other sandwiches because it is less likely to get soggy or lose taste while being refrigerated.

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