Can I eat eggs with an August 26th sell by date?

I probably would. There is some sort of rule that if the egg floats in water it is bad, or something like that. Maybe someone else would know, or you can google it. That is if it is true, it might be an old wives tale. I think if you keep the eggs in the fridge it should be fine.

Depends on how fresh the source is. Crack one open – if it doesn’t smell bad and if the yolk is more towards the middle, then it should be fine.

I get eggs from a local source – they are good for at least month past the sale date. The grocery store brand spoils before the sale date. So just check one out.

@JLeslie is right. You can drop the egg in a glass of cool water and see how it reacts. If it lays on its side on the bottom of the glass, it is safe to eat. If it stands up or floats, then it has started to go bad.

@JLeslie & @TheOnlyNeffie – glad to get that info! I’d heard something along those lines, but didn’t know how it worked. Thanks!

Usually it should be good for about a week after the sell-by date. You are skirting the edge. Do the test.

Eggs actually last a while past the sell by date, up to a few months if I’m not mistaken.

Plus you’ll know its bad the second you crack it open. (or that floating trick)

yes! eggs last forever. eat those babies.

If you keep the eggs in the fridge I think it’s fine. I think the dates are meant if you leave them outside the fridge, as most supermarkets don’t store eggs in fridges, but would need confirmation for this.

Funny you should ask. I just made a batch of hard-boiled eggs yesterday, and the Sell By date is Aug. 13. When put in the pot, the wider end pointed up, but they didn’t float to the top. It just means that they aren’t entirely fresh. If they float to the top of the water, it’s probably best to get rid of them.

llewis also brings up a great tip for checking if they are still good or not…crack one open and smell it. If it appears to be okay, I recommend just cooking it thoroughly. I wouldn’t eat an egg sunny-side up unless it is fresh.

Ame_Evil also brings up a valid point…it depends on how you store them. Mine are in a very cold refrigerator. In England, they are sold on a non-refrigerated shelf in stores and some people leave them out. I suspect that they are more prone to going bad more quickly. This may be why the Brits have a pretty big concern about salmonella.

eggs have a remarkably long shelf life. according to this web site http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/EggsSell.htm eggs are good for four to five weeks after the sell by date.

Have an omelette for dinner tonight!

Great question! I just returned from three weeks away, and the eggs in the frig read Aug. 29th. I will do the test on them. Thanks for all the great answers.

Yes, but I’ll eat just about anything. Sometimes I drink the water in some third world countries and don’t get sick.

I never refrigerate the buggers, and they are always excellent. Be sure too cook them thoroughly due to the salmonella scare.

I am going to have to DISAGREE with my jellies here; it’s September, the eggs say August. It’s been a hot summer. They are only eggs, for #$$^^$&‘s sake. Worth the salmonella and other yucky things you can get to save a few bucks? Reminds me of the other questions about expired foods, and can I scrape this off and still eat it… for God’s sake, people, unless you’re homeless and it’s your only meal – please… lay off the expired food.

@zen_ I understand what you are saying. In this case, there isn’t an expiration date on the package; only a Sell By date. Essentially, the question is: how long are eggs good for after the Sell By date. If they aren’t spoiled and are cooked thoroughly, there is rarely, if ever, a risk of illness.

Well, let us know the results.

I eat egg 3 or 4 days after the sell by date sometimes even 5. I’ve never got sick from eggs. Knock on wood.

I had some eggs that were three weeks past the sell date that I was going to toss out today, but this post got me curious. I tested them, they were OK. I decided that they’d be better boiled though, since older eggs make better boiling eggs—and they last for a week or so after being boiled so there’s no huge rush to eat them all.

They taste just fine, and being nice and old, the shells just slid right off. Newer eggs make lousy boilers. The albumen sticks too much and the shells are a pain to get off. Also, fresher boiled eggs don’t really taste that different from an older one—unlike an old fried egg—bleah.

Thank you all! It’s been 15 hours since breakfast, during which I consumed two of these eggs, and I feel fine! Although I just started farting a lot a few minutes ago.

@sliceswiththings you say that last part like it’s a bad thing!