🧊 Keep Refrigerated

• Store eggs in the refrigerator at all times

• Do not leave eggs out on the counter

• Keep in the original carton (it protects from odor absorption and damage)

Once cold, always cold. Eggs don’t like temperature drama.

⏳ Freshness & Shelf Life

• Best used within 8 weeks

• Often remain good beyond that if kept consistently refrigerated

• Use the first-in, first-out rule

If an egg smells off after cracking, don’t overthink it—discard it.

🧪 Freshness Check

• Place egg in water:

  • Sinks and lays flat = very fresh

  • Stands upright = older but usable

  • Floats = discard

Simple physics. No guesswork.

🥣 Before Use

• No need to rewash

• If desired, rinse just before cracking

• Crack eggs into a separate bowl when baking or cooking for others

This keeps one bad egg from ruining a whole recipe (or your mood).

🔥 Cooking & Food Safety

• Cook eggs until whites are firm and yolks reach desired doneness

• For young children, elderly, pregnant, or immune-compromised individuals, cook eggs fully

• Hard-boiled eggs keep up to 7 days refrigerated

Farm-fresh eggs are hard to peel because they are too fresh; the membrane sticks tightly to the albumen (egg white) due to higher acidity in older eggs, so letting fresh eggs age a week or using tricks like adding baking soda or starting them in boiling water can help, though an ice bath after cooking is crucial. The problem isn't the washing (which removes the natural protective bloom), but the egg's internal chemistry and membrane sticking, which improves with age as the egg becomes more alkaline. 

🧺 Handling Tips

• Wash hands after handling eggs or cartons

• Clean surfaces that contact raw eggs

• Do not reuse egg cartons for food storage unless sanitized

🌱 What to Expect

• Shell color, size, and yolk color will vary naturally

• Thicker whites and richer yolks are normal with fresh eggs (Nature doesn’t do uniform)