How to Know if My Eggs Are Still Good?

Wondering if your eggs are still fresh? It’s not always easy to tell, but don’t worry, there are simple ways to check so you don’t have to guess. Here’s how to know for sure.

Check the Expiration Date

I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, but I have to start with the obvious, check the expiration or “best by” date on the carton. Eggs can still be fine a week or two after that, but it’s a good place to start. If they’re past the date, don’t toss them just yet, keep reading to check for freshness using other methods.

The Water Test (Freshness Test)

One of the easiest ways to check if your eggs are fresh is the water test. Here’s how to do it:

Fill a bowl with cold water. This helps the eggs move properly so you can see the result clearly.
Gently place your eggs in the water. Be careful not to crack them when putting them in the water.

Watch what happens:

Fresh eggs will sink and lie flat at the bottom. Fresh eggs have very little air inside, so they are heavy and stay at the bottom.
Older eggs may stand up or tilt to one side. As eggs get older, air gets inside them. This makes them a little lighter, so they stand up or tilt. They are still safe to eat, but it’s better to use them for cooking like hard-boiling or baking.
Bad eggs will float to the top. As eggs get even older, more air gets inside. This makes them float. If an egg floats, it’s not safe to eat and should be thrown away.

How to Use the Sniff Test to Check if Your Eggs Are Still Good

The sniff test is one of the most reliable ways to tell if your egg has gone bad. When you crack the egg open, it should have little to no smell. Fresh eggs usually don’t have much of a scent at all.

If the egg smells strongly of sulfur or has a rotten egg smell, it’s a sign that the egg has gone bad. This strong smell happens because bacteria in the egg have started to break it down. The bacteria produce gases that cause that unpleasant odor.

If you notice this bad smell when cracking the egg, discard it immediately. Even if the egg looks fine, the smell is a clear sign that it’s no longer safe to eat. Always trust your nose!

How to Visually Check if Your Eggs Are Fresh

I’ve learned this from my mom, I used to watch her closely in the kitchen (she’s the reason I love cooking so much!), and anytime she cracked an egg and the yolk was super runny or flat, she’d throw it away without a second thought.

After cracking your egg, take a good look at it. A fresh egg has a thick, firm white that stays close to the yolk, and the yolk should look round and sit up high. That’s usually a sign the egg still has good moisture and that the yolk’s membrane is strong.

[Quick note: sometimes we crack the yolk by accident, it happens to everyone. That doesn’t mean the egg is bad. When an egg is actually not fresh, you’ll notice the yolk is really runny, almost watery, and it spreads quickly across the surface. That’s when you know it’s time to toss it.]

As eggs age, the white becomes runny or watery, and the yolk may appear flatter. This happens because the egg loses moisture over time, and the proteins in the white break down, making it less firm. While this doesn’t necessarily mean the egg is bad, it does indicate that the egg is older. These eggs are still safe to eat, but they’re better for cooking methods like hard-boiling or baking, where the texture of the white isn’t as important.

Look for discoloration inside the egg. If you see black, green, or pink spots, this could be a sign of bacterial contamination, and you should discard the egg. These colors are often a result of bacteria or mold growth inside the egg, which could make you sick.

Blood spots are not uncommon and occur when a small blood vessel breaks during egg-laying. Blood spots are harmlessand don’t affect the safety of the egg. If you find one, you can simply remove it with a spoon or use the egg as usual. However, if you’re uncomfortable with it, you can always throw the egg away.

How to Inspect Your Egg Shell for Freshness

Before cracking, check the shell for cracks, as these can allow bacteria inside. Also, if the shell feels slimy or powdery, this could be a sign of mold or bacteria growth, and you should toss it.

How Long Do Hard-Boiled Eggs Last

I used to believe that hard-boiling eggs made them last longer than raw eggs, but that’s actually not true. After you boil eggs, the shelf life shortens compared to raw eggs.

Here’s why: When you boil eggs, the shell is still there, but boiling doesn’t stop the egg from aging. After boiling, eggs lose moisture, and their shells become easier for bacteria and smells to get into. This makes them more likely to spoil faster.

To keep your hard-boiled eggs safe, make sure to cool them quickly and refrigerate them within 2 hours. Hard-boiled eggs should be eaten within one week. Even though hard-boiling may seem like it would extend their shelf life, it actually doesn’t. The boiling process just changes the texture, and they become more sensitive to bacteria and contamination after a week in the fridge.

Always perform the sniff test before eating. If the egg smells off, throw it away. This is the best way to make sure your eggs are still safe to eat.

Storing Eggs to Keep Them Fresh Longer

To keep your eggs fresh longer, store them in the main part of your fridge (not the door). Why? Because every time you open your fridge the temperature changes for the ingredients you have on the door, so that’s where you should put the ingredients that are not too sensitive to temperature changes.