How long will a sandwich with mayo last in an insulated lunch bag (no ice pack)

[Anonymous]

I think I forgot to put an ice pack in my son's lunch bag this morning. I made the sandwich (has meat and mayo) around 6:45 am. I'm not exactly sure what time his lunch is (it switches around each day) but probably before noon at the latest. Will the mayo spoil before then? It's a lunch box similar to this one



So some insulation.

[Anonymous]

They don’t even refrigerate Mayo in Europe. It’s fine

[Anonymous]

I think it’ll be ok! I’m sure others will chime in that you’re being a helicopter parent and have anxiety but I think about things like this too, and I see no harm in asking others about food safety.

[Anonymous]

Totally fine. I have never used on ice pack in my kid's lunches. They are in college now and quite healthy.

[Anonymous]

I worry about food safety too, but I'd be fine with this, unless you packed something hot in the same lunch box.

Assuming other things are either room temperature or cold, it will be just fine.

[Anonymous]

Are there other cold things next to the sandwich like juice box, cheese stick, for example?

[Anonymous]

I bring my lunch to work every singe day and never refrigerate or put an ice pack in. Ice packs in lunches are a very recent thing we never had them growing up. Heck I never even used an insulated bag, just a paper bag. He will be fine

[Anonymous]

You’re supposed to refrigerate it?

[Anonymous]

Totally fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re supposed to refrigerate it?

Do you often have diarrhea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re supposed to refrigerate it?

Do you often have diarrhea?

Never.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re supposed to refrigerate it?

Do you often have diarrhea?

Never.

Same for me, it's totally fine.

[Anonymous]

Acidic foods are more shelf stable than non-acidic foods, so adding mayo to a sandwich won't make it more perishable than lunch meat alone.

[Anonymous]

Mayo is oil, egg (denatured) and acid. Its going to be fine.

I would be more concerned with the deli meat, frankly.

[Anonymous]

When we were kids everyone brought their lunches in brown paper bags. No ice packs. Many ham sandwiches.