Here’s the thing: eggs can stay fresh for three to five weeks past the pack date, even after that “Sell By” or “Expiration” date has come and gone. The USDA is surprisingly chill about this: if they’ve been refrigerated properly, you’re golden.
Of course, “properly” means keeping them at a steady 40°F (4°C) or colder. No leaving them on the counter while you make a three-hour phone call, okay? Guilty as charged.
The real trick: the float test (yes, it works)
Instead of panicking at the date on the carton, just fill a bowl with cold water. Gently drop your egg in—if it sinks to the bottom and lies flat, it’s fresh as a daisy. If it stands on its tip, it’s still fine, just a little old.
If it floats to the top like a tiny, sad submarine? That’s your cue to say goodbye. The floating happens because the egg’s shell is porous, and air has seeped in over time. No air means fresh; lots of air means trouble.
