How Long Eggs Stay Fresh in Your Refrigerator

Raw eggs last three to five weeks when stored properly in your refrigerator

The shelf life of raw eggs depends on how they were handled before you bought them and how you store them at home. Most eggs sold in U.S. grocery stores are already three to ten days old by the time you bring them home—the packing date is printed on the carton. From that point, you have roughly three to five weeks before the egg inside begins to deteriorate noticeably. The key is keeping them at a steady temperature below 40°F and storing them in their original carton, not loose in your refrigerator door.

The reason eggs last so long is that the shell itself is a barrier. It has thousands of tiny pores, but they're sealed with a protective coating called the bloom. When you wash an egg, you remove that coating and shorten its life significantly. This is why store-bought eggs—which are washed and sanitized—need refrigeration, while farm eggs with the bloom intact can sit on a counter for weeks. Once an egg is in your refrigerator, the cold slows the growth of bacteria inside and keeps the yolk and white from separating.

Key Takeaways

• Raw eggs in their original carton last three to five weeks in a refrigerator set to 40°F or below.
• Store eggs in the carton on a shelf, not in the door, because the door temperature fluctuates every time you open it.
• Cooked eggs last three to four days in an airtight container on a refrigerator shelf.
• A floating egg or one with a cracked shell should be discarded, as it may harbor bacteria.
• The date on the carton tells you when the eggs were packed, not when they expire—you have weeks after that date.

Why the refrigerator door is the wrong place for eggs

The refrigerator door is the warmest part of your fridge. Every time you open and close it, warm air enters and the temperature inside the door rises. Eggs are sensitive to temperature swings because they expand and contract slightly with each change, which can draw bacteria through the shell's pores. The door also exposes eggs to light and vibration from the door closing, both of which speed up aging.

Move your eggs to a shelf in the main body of the refrigerator, ideally on a middle or lower shelf where the temperature stays most stable. Keep them in their original carton—the carton protects them from absorbing odors from other foods and from rolling around, which can crack the shell. If you've transferred eggs to a different container, move them back to the carton or use a covered egg holder that sits flat on a shelf.

How to tell if an egg is still good

The most reliable test is the float test. Fill a bowl with cold water and gently place an egg in it. A fresh egg sinks and lies flat on the bottom. An older egg stands up on its pointed end or floats near the top. This happens because as an egg ages, moisture escapes through the shell and air fills the space inside, making it more buoyant. A floating egg is not necessarily unsafe—it depends how old it is—but it's a sign the egg is past its prime for most uses.

You can also crack an egg into a bowl and look at it. A fresh egg has a thick, cloudy white and a yolk that sits high and doesn't break easily. An older egg has a thin, clear white and a yolk that flattens out. For baking or scrambling, either works fine. For frying sunny-side up, you want a fresher egg so the yolk stays intact. Never use an egg with a cracked or leaking shell—bacteria can enter through the break.

Cooked eggs and egg dishes have a shorter window

Once you cook an egg, the clock resets. Hard-boiled eggs last three to four days in the refrigerator if kept in an airtight container or sealed in plastic wrap. Scrambled eggs, omelets, and egg salad also last three to four days. Baked goods that contain eggs as an ingredient—like cakes, cookies, or quiches—follow the shelf life of the most perishable ingredient in them, which is usually dairy or meat. A quiche with ham lasts three to four days; a plain custard tart lasts four to five days.

The reason cooked eggs spoil faster is that cooking breaks down the protective structures in the egg white and yolk, making them more vulnerable to bacteria. Store cooked eggs in a shallow, airtight container on a shelf, not in the door. Label the container with the date you cooked them so you don't lose track. If an egg dish smells off or looks slimy, throw it away—trust your senses.

Freezing eggs extends storage to several months

If you have more eggs than you can use in five weeks, freezing is a reliable option. Raw eggs don't freeze well in the shell—the contents expand and crack the shell—but you can freeze them out of the shell. Crack eggs into a bowl, whisk them together lightly, and pour them into ice cube trays or a freezer container. Label the container with the date and the number of eggs. Frozen eggs last three to four months.

Thaw frozen eggs in the refrigerator overnight before using them. They work best in baked goods, scrambled eggs, and omelets. The texture changes slightly after freezing, so they're less ideal for frying sunny-side up. Hard-boiled eggs don't freeze well—the white becomes rubbery and the yolk becomes grainy. If you want to preserve hard-boiled eggs, keep them in the refrigerator and use them within four days.

Temperature and humidity matter more than you think

Your refrigerator should be set to 40°F or below. If you have a thermometer, check the actual temperature on the shelf where you store eggs—many refrigerators run warmer than the dial suggests. A refrigerator that's too warm will shorten egg life to two to three weeks. A refrigerator that's too cold (below 32°F) can freeze eggs in the shell and damage them, though this is rare in a standard fridge.

Humidity also plays a role. Eggs lose moisture through their shells over time, which is why older eggs float. A refrigerator with very low humidity will dry eggs out faster. If your fridge feels very dry, keeping eggs in a sealed container or in their carton helps. Most home refrigerators maintain adequate humidity naturally, so this is only a concern if you notice eggs drying out unusually fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat an egg that floats in the water test?

A floating egg is old but not necessarily unsafe. If it sinks to the bottom and lies flat, it's fresh. If it stands on end, it's older but still usable for baking or scrambling. If it floats at the top, it's very old and should be discarded. When in doubt, crack it into a bowl and smell it—a bad egg has a sulfurous, rotten smell.

Do eggs go bad if I leave them out of the refrigerator for a few hours?

Eggs can sit at room temperature for up to two hours without significant risk. Beyond that, bacteria can begin to multiply inside the shell. If eggs have been left out for more than two hours, refrigerate them and use them within one to two weeks rather than the full three to five weeks. If the room was very warm (above 90°F), discard them.

Why do some eggs have a date and others don't?

The date on the carton is the packing date, not an expiration date. It tells you how old the eggs are when you buy them. Eggs are good for three to five weeks after that date. Some cartons also show a "sell by" date, which is typically 30 days after packing. You can still use eggs after the sell-by date as long as they pass the float test and smell normal.

Can I store eggs in a plastic container instead of the carton?

The original carton is best because it protects eggs from absorbing odors and keeps them from rolling around. If you use a plastic container, make sure it's airtight and sits flat on a shelf. Avoid storing eggs in the door compartment of a plastic organizer, as the temperature there is too warm and fluctuates too much.

How do I know if a hard-boiled egg has gone bad?

Hard-boiled eggs last three to four days in the refrigerator. If the shell is cracked or leaking, discard it. If it smells sulfurous or off, throw it away. If the yolk has turned gray or greenish around the edges, it's still safe to eat—that's just a harmless chemical reaction from cooking—but use it within a day or two for best quality.