Can You Eat Expired Eggs? The Truth About Those Best-By Dates

You’re standing in front of the fridge at 7:00 AM. You’ve got the pan heating up, the butter is sizzling, and you reach for the carton. Then you see it. The date stamped on the side says the eggs "expired" three days ago. Now you're stuck. Do you toss them and settle for a sad bowl of dry cereal, or do you take the risk?

Most people panic. We’ve been conditioned to treat expiration dates like a countdown to a biological weapon. But honestly? That date doesn’t mean what you think it means. When people ask can you eat expired eggs, they are usually looking for a "yes" or "no," but the reality is tucked away in the nuances of food science and USDA regulations.

Eggs are surprisingly resilient. They come in their own sterile, protective packaging. Unlike a steak or a bag of spinach, an egg is designed by nature to stay viable for a long time.

What those dates actually tell you (and what they don't)

Federal law in the United States doesn’t actually require a "sell-by" or "use-by" date on egg cartons. It's true. Some states have their own rules, but at the federal level, it's mostly a voluntary thing for quality control.

If you see a "Sell-By" date, that is for the grocery store. It tells the manager when to get the carton off the shelf to make room for fresher stock. It has almost nothing to do with food safety. Then there is the "Best-By" or "Use-By" date. This is basically the packer’s way of saying, "Hey, we guarantee these will taste amazing and have a firm yolk until this day." After that, the quality starts a slow slide downhill. The white gets thinner. The yolk might flatten out more easily in the pan. But it doesn't mean the egg is suddenly full of poison at midnight on the 15th of the month.

There is another number you should look for. It's the "Julian Date." Look for a three-digit code near the expiration date. It represents the day of the year the eggs were packed. If the code is 001, they were packed on January 1st. If it's 365, they were packed on December 31st. Eggs are typically safe to eat for four to five weeks after that pack date, provided they’ve been kept at 45°F or lower.

The Float Test: Science or Old Wives' Tale?

You’ve probably seen the trick. You drop an egg into a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom and lays flat, it’s fresh. If it stands up on one end, it’s getting old. If it floats? Most people say that’s when you toss it.

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Here is the thing: a floating egg isn't necessarily a "bad" egg. It’s just an old egg.

Eggshells are porous. Over time, moisture evaporates through the shell and is replaced by air. This creates a larger air cell at the blunt end of the egg. The more air inside, the better it floats. An egg that floats might just have a runny white and a yolk that breaks easily. It doesn't mean it has Salmonella. However, if you're asking "can you eat expired eggs" and they are floating, you should definitely give them a closer look and a sniff before you commit to that omelet.

The "Sniff Test" is the gold standard

Forget the date for a second. Your nose is a highly evolved tool for survival. If an egg has actually gone bad—meaning it has been colonized by bacteria that produce gases—you will know the second you crack it.

A truly spoiled egg smells like sulfur and regret. It is unmistakable. If you crack an egg into a bowl and it smells like... nothing, or just like a normal egg, you’re likely in the clear. If there is even a hint of a funky, "off" odor, don't try to be a hero. Toss it.

Visual Red Flags

• The Shell: Is it slimy or powdery? That could be mold or bacterial biofilm.
• The White: If it looks pink, iridescent, or green, that is a huge red flag for Pseudomonas bacteria. This is a "do not pass go" situation.
• The Yolk: A flat yolk is fine, but a yolk that looks like it’s disintegrating or has odd discolorations is a no-go.

The Salmonella factor

Let’s talk about the elephant in the kitchen. Salmonella.

The CDC estimates that Salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections a year in the U.S. But here is a bit of nuance: the bacteria can be inside the egg before it's even laid, or it can get in through cracks in the shell. It has very little to do with the "expiration date." An egg can be perfectly "fresh" according to the carton and still carry Salmonella. Conversely, an egg that is three weeks past its "Best-By" date can be perfectly clean.

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The key is how you handle them. Keep them cold. Don't leave them on the counter for hours. Most importantly? Cook them. Heat kills Salmonella. If you’re worried about older eggs, just don't use them for over-easy or soft-boiled dishes. Hard-boil them or scramble them until they are firm. The USDA recommends cooking eggs until both the yolk and white are firm.

Why European eggs stay on the counter

You might have friends in London or Paris who keep their eggs in a bowl on the kitchen table. In the U.S., that's a recipe for disaster. Why?

It’s about the "cuticle." In the U.S., commercial eggs are washed to remove dirt and bacteria like Salmonella. This process also strips away the natural protective coating (the cuticle) that seals the pores of the shell. Without that coating, the egg must stay refrigerated to prevent bacteria from getting inside. In many European countries, they don't wash the eggs. They vaccinate the chickens against Salmonella instead. Because the cuticle is intact, the eggs can sit at room temperature.

Once an egg has been refrigerated, you have to keep it that way. A cold egg left out will "sweat" (condensation), and that moisture can actually help bacteria move through the shell into the egg.

What to do with those "older" eggs

If your eggs have passed the date and they pass the sniff test, they are actually better for certain things.

Hard-boiled eggs are the best example. Fresh eggs are a nightmare to peel because the membrane sticks tightly to the shell. As an egg ages and the pH of the white increases, that membrane loosens up. If you want perfectly smooth hard-boiled eggs for your deviled egg platter, use the ones that have been in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

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They also work great in baking. If you are making a cake or brownies, the slight thinning of the egg white won't affect the structure of your bake significantly.

Real talk about food waste

We throw away an insane amount of food. According to the USDA, about 30-40% of the food supply in the United States is wasted. A huge chunk of that is because of confusing date labels. People see a date, get scared, and dump perfectly good protein down the drain.

When you wonder can you eat expired eggs, remember that these dates are often about the manufacturer protecting their brand reputation. They want you to eat their product when it’s at its absolute peak. They aren't necessarily telling you when it becomes dangerous.

Trust your senses. Use the float test as a guide for age, but use the sniff test as a guide for safety.

Actionable Steps for Egg Safety

1. Check the Julian Date: Look for that three-digit code on the carton to see when they were actually packed.
2. Store them in the back: Don't put your eggs in the little shelf on the fridge door. That's the warmest part of the fridge. Keep them in the main body where the temperature is consistent.
3. Leave them in the carton: The carton isn't just for transport; it protects the eggs from absorbing odors (like that leftover onion) through their porous shells.
4. Perform a "Cracker Test": If you’re unsure, crack the egg into a separate small bowl first. If it looks or smells weird, you haven't ruined the rest of your ingredients.
5. Cook thoroughly: If you're nervous about the age, avoid runny yolks. Heat is your best friend for safety.
6. Wash your hands: Always wash up after handling raw shells. Cross-contamination is often the real culprit in foodborne illness, not the egg itself.

If you follow these steps, you'll rarely have to throw away an egg again. Most eggs are perfectly fine to eat for weeks after that stamped date, provided they’ve been stored properly and don't give off a funky vibe. Be smart, use your nose, and enjoy your breakfast.