Important Egg Storage Safety Guidelines

Eggs are an affordable food staple because they are so versatile. You can eat them any time of the day and they provide high-quality protein. I always have 2 dozen eggs in the fridge for making egg salad, omelets in the morning, baking, or even just hard boiled for snacks. Check out my post about eggs.

To be healthy is also to know food safety guidelines. For a full list of guidelines and egg safety info, check out this PDF.

• When purchasing, check eggs to make sure they are clean and not cracked. If cracked at home, transfer to a clean container and cook within 2-days. Check the sell-by date to see if they are not expired.
• Refrigerate after purchase because egg quality and safety is at risk if you leave them out at room temperature.
• Don't leave out of the refrigerator for more than 2-hours. Eggs should have a stable cold temperature to maintain freshness or stave off bacteria.
• Store egg in the inside shelf and not the door. Storing dairy on the door is risky because the temperature is less stable because of opening/closing. Storing the eggs in the cold part (suggested - 41 degrees) of the refrigerator is the best idea. Uncooked eggs should not be frozen in the shell, but you can freeze egg whites in a container and store for up to 12 months.
• Keep eggs no longer than 4-5 weeks. Cooked hard-boiled eggs can be stored safely for 1 week.
• After handling raw eggs, wash hands and cooking utensils with soapy warm water.
• If using raw eggs for recipe (such as poppy seed dressing), you could use fresh pasteurized eggs and store in the cold part of the refrigerator.

Buying organic eggs is worth the money to benefit your health. I love this Aug. 2008 article about healthy foods for $1 from Dr. Mercola. The first on the list is eating 2 organic eggs for $.84! I spend $3.80 a dozen of organic eggs, but that is only $.31 per egg! People complain about the price of organic eggs, but it's much healthier for you because of the quality of the feed that the hens get, which are passed on to the nutrients in the eggs - that YOU are eating.

If you live in an area with more land, you can raise your own hens and have fresh eggs. Our friends raise their own hens and the kids love it. When the hens stop producing eggs, they eat the chickens. You could probably use a butcher to process the chicken if you didn't want to do it yourself. Or find a local supplier who sells farm fresh eggs directly. My husband's family live in Amish country Indiana and you can buy eggs for about $1-2 a dozen!