Just like raw meat and poultry, eggs are highly perishable and require proper storage to prevent bacterial growth and maintain their quality. Knowing the correct timelines and temperatures for your eggs will help keep your kitchen safe.
Refrigerator Storage Times
The USDA provides clear guidance on how long you can safely keep eggs and egg products in the refrigerator:
- Raw eggs in their shells can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 weeks from the date of purchase.
- Eggs should be kept in their original carton and placed in the main compartment of the fridge at 40 °F or colder, rather than in the refrigerator door where temperatures frequently fluctuate.
- Hard-boiled eggs, whether peeled or still in the shell, have a significantly shorter shelf life and should be consumed within 1 week of cooking.
- Raw egg whites and yolks that have been removed from their shells will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Leftover cooked egg dishes should be refrigerated promptly and used within 3 to 4 days.
Freezing Eggs
If you cannot use your eggs within the safe refrigeration window, you can freeze them—but it requires a little prep work.
- You should never freeze eggs while they are still in their shells.
- To freeze whole eggs, you must beat the yolks and whites together first. Whole beaten eggs and separated egg whites can be safely frozen for up to 1 year.
- Egg yolks do not freeze well on their own because the freezing process causes them to thicken and gel; to prevent this, the American Egg Board suggests adding 1/8 teaspoon of salt or 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup of yolks before freezing.
Signs of Freshness and Safety
You can use a few visual cues and tests to ensure your eggs are still safe and high quality:
- You can perform the float test to check for age: if an egg sinks to the bottom of a bowl of water, it is within its safe window and is generally safe to eat.
- When cracked, a cloudy egg white is actually a sign that the egg is very fresh, whereas a clear egg white indicates the egg is aging.
- For food safety, washed commercial eggs should never be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, as this allows bacteria like Salmonella to multiply rapidly.
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