How Long Do Hard Boiled Eggs Last?

How long do hard boiled eggs last?
Hard boiled eggs can spoil quickly if not handled properly. Hard boiled eggs are fresh whole eggs that have been boiled for 10 minutes. Chicken eggs are the most common choice for this process. Because of their relatively low-cost, high protein, versatility and portability hard boiled eggs are a popular protein choice. The shelf life of hard boiled eggs depends on a variety of factors such as when they were boiled and how the hard boiled eggs were stored. So, how long do hard boiled eggs last in the fridge? When properly stored, the shelf life of hard boiled eggs after boiling is:

	Refrigerator
(Shells On)	Past Boiled Date
Hard Boiled Eggs last for	7 Days
(Peeled)	Past Boiled Date
Hard Boiled Eggs last for	5 Days

Of course, the question of how long do hard boiled eggs last in the fridge or how long are boiled eggs good for depends on if they were stored properly in the fridge or not. Freezing hard boiled eggs is NOT recommended, as this will reduce the shelf life of hard boiled eggs by destroying their cellular structure. But remember, eggs, like a lot of other dairy products (actually eggs are technically classified as animal by-broducts but they are purchased in the dairy section of stores), usually have a sell by date and not a use by date. Because of this distinction, hard boiled eggs are good for and may safely be used to compliment your favorite meals even after the sell by date has lapsed.

Why Do Hard Boiled Eggs Expire Before Fresh Eggs?

The shelf life of hard boiled eggs is shorter than fresh eggs because egg shells themselves are porous, which means air and bacteria can enter. In nature, when the hen lays the egg she adds a special natural coating which helps to seal the egg. However, the government mandates that eggs be sanitized and washed before they are sold to consumers, eliminating this protective coating. To counter this, the egg processing plants spray an odorless natural mineral oil to “reseal” the egg, this thin layer makes the egg air tight again and makes the shelf life of eggs last longer. Consequently, when you boil an egg to create hard boiled eggs, it washes off this protective coating and again makes a porous egg shell which is open and vulnerable to bacteria, odors and other contaminants – all things you do not want!

How long are hard boiled eggs good for in the fridge? – How To Tell If Hard Boiled Eggs are Bad!

To find out how long hard boiled eggs are good for yourself, although it is not a perfect test, use your senses. Senses are typically the most reliable instruments to tell if the shelf life of hard boiled eggs have expired and gone bad. Some common traits of bad hard boiled eggs are discoloration and a rotten smell. There are, of course, certain health risks associated with spoiled eggs so always remember to practice food safety and enjoy them before the shelf life of hard boiled eggs has expired!
If your eggs have gone bad, check our egg substitute page.

Hard boiled egg storage – how to store hard boiled eggs to extend their shelf life?

Proper food storage is the key to extending the expiration date of hard cooked eggs or hard boiled eggs shelf life. You can extend the answer to how long do hard boiled eggs last by storing them in your fridge (refrigerator) immediately after use. Once prepared, hard boiled eggs should be stored in a tightly closed container to keep out moisture and other contaminants.
Freezing eggs is not recommended because the whites become very rubbery and discolored after freezing and thawing. Some benefits of proper food storage include eating healthier, cutting food costs and helping the environment by avoiding waste.

How long to boil eggs to make hard boiled eggs?

Ten minutes – for instructions please visit our Blog page on how long to boil eggs.

How long do boiled eggs last – Interesting Facts about Hard Boiled Eggs:

• The term hard boiled eggs is actually misleading because eggs should never be placed in a rigorous boil, it should be a gentle boil. Thus, a more proper term for hard boiled eggs is hard cooked eggs.
• Rinsing eggs with cold water right after boiling will make the hard boiled eggs easier to peel.
• Salmonella is killed by the heat of cooking (once the yolk and white are both firm).
• Boiling removes the protective coating on the egg shell.
• Rolling the egg on the counter with gentle pressure right before peeling makes the shell of the hard boiled egg easier to remove.

What to do with too many hard boiled eggs?

If you’ve boiled more eggs than you care to eat, try one of these simple recipes:

• Peel and chop the hard boiled eggs into a bowl with a little mayonnaise, salt and pepper for egg salad sandwiches.
• Peel and chop some hard boiled eggs into your dinner salad.

How long are hard boiled eggs good for when prepared in a dish?

How long are hard boiled eggs good for? How long do hard boiled eggs last? That depends. How long does cheese last? In general, hard boiled eggs last only as long as the quickest expiring ingredient in the recipe. To find out how long those other ingredients are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date!

What are our shelf life resources?

In answering the question of how long do hard boiled eggs last and how long are hard boiled eggs good for our information incorporates testing and research from multiple resources, including the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food & Drug Administration. In addition, we scoured the web for informative articles and reports related to food safety, food storage and how long hard boiled eggs last. For more information on USDA recommended procedures for the safe handling of eggs, please visit their page on playing it safe with eggs.

*An important note about expiration dates …

Although the how long are hard boiled eggs good for information on Eat By Date is generally reliable, please remember that individual cases will vary and our advice should only be taken as an opinion and not a substitute for your health care provider. So, how long will food last? Let’s find out!