Pulled out some deli meat from fridge. My mother-in-law says it’s wasteful not to use it, but it looks bad to me. What should I do?

Understanding how long deli meat actually lasts

Not all deli meat is created equal, but none of it is immortal.

As a general rule of thumb:

– Pre-packaged deli meat: usually safe for about 7–10 days after opening, if kept in the fridge.
– Freshly sliced from the deli counter: best eaten within 3–5 days.

These timelines assume the meat has been kept cold the whole time, sealed properly, and hasn’t been sitting out on the counter. If the package has been open “for a while” and nobody remembers when… that’s already a bad sign.

Expiration or “use by” dates are a starting point, not a guarantee. Once it’s open, the clock runs faster.