How Long Does Deli Turkey Last?

Last updated on September 11th, 2022 at 07:24 pm

If you enjoy eating sandwiches, then you have most likely had one featuring deli turkey. Deli turkey is available in a variety of flavors from smoked to roasted. It pairs well with some lettuce, mayo and cheese (and any other sandwich fillings you like to use) smashed between two pieces of bread. 

Deli turkey makes for a great lunch or even snack. When you’re grocery shopping, you may even want to pick up a couple packages of the turkey meat just to have on hand. But, you don’t want it to end up going bad.

So, how long does deli turkey last?

When stored properly, deli turkey meat lasts for about 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Lunch meat should be refrigerated at all times. If you want to keep it longer than a few days, you can freeze the turkey for about 1 to 2 months as well. 

Do you like eating sandwiches for your lunch? It can be fast and easy to just grab a couple slices of the meat and make a sandwich with it. Deli meat is yummy and great for sandwiches, wraps, appetizers, etc. It can be eaten cold or hot. 

There are many brands and flavors of lunch meat you can choose from. Deli turkey cannot be left out at room temperature because bacteria can begin to grow on it. So, if left on the kitchen counter for more than 2 hours, it should be thrown away. 

All deli meat, turkey included, should be stored in the fridge. You can get deli meat at your local grocery store in the meat department. There are many different types of lunch meats already packaged for you. Or you can head on over to the deli department of the grocery store and have some of the meat sliced and wrapped for you. 

Deli meat should be kept in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep it from going bad. In the fridge, deli turkey meat will last for about 3 to 5 days. For best results you should eat it within this time frame. Lunch meat packages have an expiration date on it and you can check this to see when you should eat the meat by. 

If you want to save deli meat for longer than 3 to 5 days, then you can freeze it. To freeze deli meat, overlap its original package with heavy duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, freezer paper, or you can place it inside of a freezer bag. This will help to prevent freezer burn. 

Once wrapped and in an airtight container, you can store the deli turkey in the freezer for a month or two. It will remain safe past this time, but it will start to lose quality. For best results, eat the frozen turkey meat in 1 to 2 months. 

Deli meat can go bad and should be eaten by either its package’s expiration date or after 3 to 5 days of being stored in the fridge.

Is Deli Turkey Good After 10 Days?

Deli meat makes for easy packed lunches. Slices of turkey can easily be placed in between bread or a wrap for a great on-the-go and healthy meal. During your weekly grocery shopping, you may pick up a lot of deli turkey meat so you have enough for lunches during the week ahead. 

But then, when the weekend starts to roll around, some things may cause you to wonder if the meat is going bad. Is the turkey deli good after 10 days?

Deli turkey is still good after 10 days if the package hasn’t been opened yet and it is still before its expiration date. But, once the package is opened, the deli meat should be eaten within 3 to 5 days before it goes bad.

Already packaged deli turkey can last until its expiration date. This can be longer than 10 days after you purchase it. So deli turkey is good after 10 days. But, there’s a catch, if the package is opened, then the turkey is only good for up to 5 days. 

If you get the deli meat from the deli department at the grocery store, then this probably won’t last for 10 days. It should be eaten in about 5 for best results. Now, if the meat looks a little suspicious even though it hasn’t reached its expiration date or hasn’t been in the fridge for too long, there are some things to check for to see if the truly deli meat has gone bad. 

Here’s a list of things to check for to see if turkey deli meat, or any deli meat is spoiled:

1. How it looks. Check out its color and if it has changed color to a gray, brown or yellow, then it is probably no longer safe to eat. If you notice any mold this is a sure sign that you should toss the lunch meat.
2. How it smells. If it smells bad at all then it should be discarded. Lunch meat can take on sour or vinegar smells, then this isn’t a good sign.
3. How it feels. Touch the lunch meat and if it has a slimy or sticky film on it, or parts of it that feel very hard then it is most likely bad.

Be sure to store lunch meat correctly to avoid it spoiling. The fridge is where you typically keep the lunch meat so it is important to keep track of how long it has been in there and look for signs that show it may be going bad. If it has any of these signs then it should be tossed because it is not safe to eat. 

Deli turkey can be good after 10 days if the package isn’t opened but if opened then it will only last about 3 to 5 days.

Final Thoughts

Remember that deli turkey meat only lasts for a few days in the fridge once opened and about 1 or 2 months in the freezer. If the package isn’t opened it could stay good for 10 days. But, if opened, deli turkey meat should be eaten soon or it will spoil. 

When the meat does spoil, it will have some noticeable signs. 

As you can see, deli turkey meat doesn’t last for very long, and so it is a good idea to eat it up as soon as you are able. Be sure to store lunch meat properly in airtight containers or sealed freezer bags to keep it good. 

Deli turkey only lasts for about 3 to 5 days when stored properly in the fridge.