How Long After The Use By Date Do You Use Eggs?

[RabbitsRock]

Mine go out of date tomorrow but hoping to do ham egg & chips on Sun. Would you use eggs that long after the use by date?

Can't say I've ever paid any attention to dates on eggs. The ones we have on the go at the moment say use by May 22nd! You know if an egg is off. If in doubt do the float test. Even if they half float, they're fine if you cook them through, no runny yolk.

I take absolutely no notice of the use by dates on eggs and never have done. You can tell if an egg is off when you crack it. As ores have said you can also do the float test before you crack it if you prefer.

I never check the dates on eggs, they last absolutely ages, float them if you’re really unsure but I pretty much ignore dates on everything, it’s really obvious if food is off.

I don't look at dates on eggs, other than which to use first.
When you crack an off egg, you know. They stink, and are almost luminous in colour. That egg wasn't a supermarket egg, so no idea how old it was.

It could have just been a reused box?

I’ve eaten eggs at least 3 weeks out of date with no ill effect. I do keep mine in the fridge though out of lifelong habit.

A month or more.

Ages after as long as they pass the float test

Unless they look or smell bad I’d use them. Those dates are a scam to make you buy more and waste more!

Used one yesterday 6 weeks past it’s date. It was fine

I keep eggs in the fridge, and I'm still often using them a month or so after the use by dates. Just do the float test, but I can't imagine why you couldn't use them.

Are people panic buying two boxes of eggs whenever they find them due to empty shelves? Or just hardly ever eat them? I don't think I've ever had this issue!

I buy my eggs from local people who have chickens so they don't have a date on them.

You know if eggs are off, there’s no need to pay attention to the date.

Same here. We use at least a dozen eggs a week and there's only two of us. Out of date eggs is a myth like leftover wine here.

@SweetBirdsong Yogurts are good for at least a week or two past the date so I'd not be buying new ones until all the existing ones have been eaten. If DH wants a yogurt he can eat an out of date one to learn how ridiculous he's been to date.

I take them out of the packet and into my egg container so I have no idea! I just go ahead and use

Didn't know about the float test, will be trying that!

Weeks or months past the use by date here - never had an issue!

You can smell if an egg has gone off.

I use them a couple of weeks out of date, although I do the float test as pp's have mentioned. I have had just one floater in years of doing this!!

Eggs have use by dates? I buy mine from a poultry retailer and he'll box them up for me. I try not to let them go beyond two weeks but it's happened. I don't think age plays a role with regard to salmonella and suchlike.

2-3 weeks out of best by date are fine. I keep my eggs in the fridge anyway.

I've never once looked at a date on an egg so I couldn't say. Mine live in a basket on the side.

I've not once cracked open a bad egg, I'm pretty sure it'd be obvious.

I never check. Eggs smell if they're off.

Sometimes months. Never had a bad one yet. You'd know straight away if it was off. You'll be absolutely fine to eat them on Sunday.

Question for the 'I use them months out of date' people (I've never let them go more than a few days beyond, mostly because we use a lot of eggs, so they don't get that far).

Is it a gradual process? I know about float test and the white going a bit watery, but is there an 'in between' stage between perfectly fine and obviously off? Has anyone found one 'a bit funny' but not obviously black and stinking? I'm more concerned about ruining a whole dish due to a slightly bad egg rather than making anyone ill.

Something that the 'I'd never eat them a second past the date and sometimes I throw them away the day before just to be sure' people (although they seem mercifully absent on this thread for once) might like to take note of it that eggs are graded for quality as well as production method and any that are a bit old/crap are used in ready made food, so often any bought cakes etc will have been made with slightly dodgy, but obviously not unsafe, eggs.