EGGcellent Egg Safety Tips You Should Know

Egg safety can be a bit confusing. Do you opt for refrigeration? What’s the best way to store them? How do you know when they’re properly cooked? We’ve got some good news, neighbor — your friends at Food Town have pulled together some of our top egg safety tips to make it easy to incorporate these great sources of protein into healthy (and delicious) meals. Read on for all sorts of great info!

Keep Eggs Cold
Before you buy your eggs, give them a quick once-over to make sure the shells aren’t cracked. Once you get them home, pop them into your refrigerator as soon as possible. Eggs need to be stored cold, at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler, to prevent bacteria from forming. Bacteria such as salmonella can make people sick. (Rest assured that, at Food Town, food safety is of the utmost importance. We have certified Food Safety Managers on duty at all of our stores, and our eggs remain at safe temperatures until you buy them.)

Use Eggs Quickly
As a general rule, eggs last around three weeks in their original carton. For a family, that’s plenty of time to go through a dozen eggs. But if only one person eats eggs, you may need to keep an eye on the calendar. Luckily, there are many simple egg dishes that can use up a half dozen eggs if you need to finish a carton. Try bacon and egg lasagna, or an omelet in a bag for fun family meals. Need to store eggs longer than three weeks? Beat the yolks and whites together and freeze them in a plastic container or bag. They’ll last frozen for up to a year!

Cook Safely
Be sure to cook egg dishes to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to remove the risk of foodborne illness. Scrambled eggs can be soft, but they should be cooked through and not runny. Wash any dishes or surfaces that came in contact with raw egg using soap and hot water, or a disinfecting cleanser, to prevent the spread of bacteria. Once eggs are cooked, they’ll last three to four days in the refrigerator. When in doubt, if it looks or smells strange, go ahead and throw it out.

Eggs are high in protein and low in calories, which makes them a great choice for healthy meals. Following these egg safety tips will help you incorporate more eggs without introducing the risk of illness. (Want to know even more about egg safety? This USDA egg chart offers all sorts of helpful information.) If you’re ready to get rolling on your next egg dish, head into your neighborhood Food Town! We offer EGGcellent prices — and eggs from local producers, too. We look forward to seeing you!