Dates on eggs / how long do they keep for?

HappyMJ

I always fully cook any egg after it's use by date. I never have dippy eggs with old eggs.

BitterAndTwisted

I've used eggs well-past their use-by date and never had any ill effects. *touch wood* But I do break them individually like Pink-Winged. But then I think I have a fairly robust immune system. I wouldn't really recommend doing the same for invalids or young children.

Mistral001

Just a thought. I was was always told that eggs did not need to be kept in the fridge. Is this true? I know they do not store them in the fridge in most shops.

PixieDust

we haven't stored ours in the fridge for years...perhaps they go off more quickly in a warmer atmosphere? The last batch of eggs were about three weeks out of date and there was only one "borderline" one when I did the jug test...that one was given to the cat

ariba10

PixieDust wrote: »

The last batch of eggs were about three weeks out of date and there was only one "borderline" one when I did the jug test...that one was given to the cat

What ever has the cat done to you?

BitterAndTwisted

Mistral001 wrote: »

Just a thought. I was was always told that eggs did not need to be kept in the fridge. Is this true? I know they do not store them in the fridge in most shops.

I daresay eggs might keep longer in the fridge but I suspect that the keeping of them out of the fridge isn't to do with the freshness of them but the cooking. I wouldn't expect baking a cake or whatnot with fridge-cold eggs to give the right results. As for boiling fridge-cold ones and them not cracking, forget it.

morwenna

Pink-winged wrote: »

Just remember that the egg didn't come out of the chicken's wotsit with a date stamp on it! Pink

Ohhh, I thought there was a special breed of "printer chickens!"

Seriously though, I agree with the majority, I don't pay any attention to the dates, just the float test if in doubt and otherwise, as Pink does, crack the seperately before adding to a dish. (I learnt that one the hard way) I don't store them in the fridge either

DawnW

morwenna wrote: »

Ohhh, I thought there was a special breed of "printer chickens!"

I can confirm that they definitely do not emerge from the chickens' bottoms with a date stamped on them :rotfl:I have kept chooks for thirty odd years, and it has never once happened

I agree re the floating in water, cracking into ramekins approach, but tbh I rarely bother, and have rarely found that an egg has 'gone off'. I don't keep them in the fridge either.

Stephen_Leak

As for storage of eggs, I agree that they don't need to be stored in the fridge. The Mk.1 egg shell is a far superior food package than anything Homo Sapiens has come up with. In an old-fashioned cardboard egg box in a cool, dry cupboard is best. And they cook best when at room temperature.

However, I live on my own and the best VFM for me is the plastic boxes of 15 for £1.25 (8.33p each). Even I can't eat that many eggs that quickly, so I've come up with a compromise. I keep 6 in a cardboard egg box in the cupboard and, as I use these, I top it back up from the plastic box in the fridge. It works for me.

karlahine

chunkychocky wrote: »

I always put eggs in a big jug of water. If they float they are off (the gases make them float) if they don't they are safe. Usually fine for ages beyond their use by date, and very occasionally get a bad one before its use by date so always worth checking.

I'm using the term use by loosely as I don't know whether they usually say best before or use by.

I've heard that theory too, it seems to be a good one! Also why put eggs in the fridge? It's like people who leave banana's in there too! Eggs are not sold in the supermarket from the fridge, so why put them there? lol :-)