The float test is great, but the smell test is the gold standard of egg truth. Crack an egg into a bowl—do it alone, not with other eggs—and give it a quick sniff. If it smells like anything other than neutral egginess? Throw it away immediately. A rotten egg has a very distinct, sulfuric odor that will make your eyes water.
Fun fact: Your nose is far more sensitive than any date on a package. If an egg smells fine, it’s almost certainly safe to eat. That’s why I’ve eaten eggs two months past their sell-by date (don’t judge me) and lived to tell the tale. They were fine. Delicious, even.
But what about the yolk color and texture?
You might notice that an older egg’s yolk is paler and the white is runnier. That’s normal. It just means the egg is, well, older. It’s still perfectly fine for baking or scrambling. Honestly, those eggs are perfect for hard-boiling because they peel like a dream. Fresh eggs stick to the shell like they owe it rent. Old eggs? You’ll peel them in one glorious, clean strip. It’s oddly satisfying.
Eggs: Safe to Eat Past Expiration Date? What to Know
