Potato salad
Any type of salad with a mix of ingredients, like potato, egg, or broccoli salad, shouldnt be left out for more than two hours at a time, Dr. Mills says. You dont have to run around with a food thermometer, but just be cognizant of the time frames and keeping items chilled down, she says. Leave them in the fridge or cooler until youre ready to serve them, then let the salads sit on the buffet for an hour before putting them back in the fridge. But dont leave them in the same deep serving bowl. Shallow containers let the food cool down faster, so transfer salads to a flat container before refrigerating, Dr. Mills says.