Should eggs be kept in the fridge or not?

March 12th, 2012

There are arguments for both keeping eggs in the fridge and for keeping eggs in the cupboard – but for fear of sitting on the fence (think Humpty Dumpty) we’re going with the most recommended option, the fridge.

The case for the eggs in the fridge.

Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse, easy to prepare and affordable to boot. Don’t let them go to waste! Eggs will be kept fresh for much longer in the fridge.

In Australia, the used by date on the carton assumes that they will be kept in the fridge.

What’s more, government food safety websites suggest storing eggs in the fridge. This is because eggs are also a delicate food such as meat or dairy, and more bacteria will grow in eggs at higher temperatures.

Where and how you store eggs in the fridge is also important. Eggs are best kept at a constant temperature. This means, don’t keep them in the fridge door, as this part of the fridge experiences the greatest temperature fluctuations.

Also, keep eggs in the carton. This is because an egg’s shell is porous and it will absorb strong smells and flavours around it such as onions in the fridge. Keeping them in the carton makes this less likely to happen.

So many fridges come with egg trays so what can you use them for instead?

Eggs aren’t the only thing to last longer in the fridge, perfume and nail polish does too! And these bottles can fit nicely into egg trays.

Also try lemons, limes, leftover avocados, onions, sauces, tomatoes.

For the sake of a balanced argument, let’s take a quick look at the case for the cupboard.

So long as your eggs are kept in a cool, dry place, they should be OK. Ask any farmer’s wife and they’ll tell you ‘eggs in the cupboard’ for sure.

Eggs aren’t kept in coolers at the supermarket, either. (Then again, the whole supermarket is kept at a frosty temperature.)

The little nuggets have a long shelf life in or out, but it is dramatically reduced out of the fridge.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.

One response to “Should eggs be kept in the fridge or not?”

Robert Brindley says:

March 13, 2012 at 5:23 pm

I am definitely in the leave- in- the- cupboard camp and absolutely leave- in- the- carton camp. One good reason to leave in the carton is that they are protected from damage and fit perfectly snug and will be very happy eggs.
And think that the eggs, like meat, are best cooked at room temperature.