The Secret Meaning Behind the Numbers on Your Egg Carton

An egg carton's expiration date is not as reliable as it seems. Here's how to tell if eggs are fresh.

Chances are you almost always have eggs in your fridge. Whether baked, scrambled or poached, they’re one of the most versatile items on the grocery list. Here’s how to choose the best eggs at the store. You might think the best way to pick a carton is by checking the grade, size, and expiration date—but there’s a secret, more efficient way to tell how fresh your eggs are.

Interested? Keep reading.

How to Decode Your Egg Carton

On the side of your egg carton, right by (or below) the “Sell By” date, you’ll see a three-digit code. No, it’s not an arbitrary serial number; it’s the Julian date, your fail-safe guide to fresh eggs.

Ranging from 001 to 365, the Julian date represents the day the eggs were packaged. Each code corresponds to a day in the year, so 001 would be January 1 and 365 would represent December 31. Once the eggs are packaged, they’ll keep in your fridge for four to five weeks.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, eggs can be sold for up to 30 days after they were packaged. So even if they’re in stock and not expired, they might be weeks old. Eew!

Ever notice that egg yolks were different shades? This is why.

So, Why Does It Matter?

It’s obvious newly packaged eggs (or eggs right from the chicken) taste better, but an egg’s quality can significantly deteriorate over time. As an egg ages, it loses moisture and carbon dioxide, making the whites thinner and the yolk more susceptible to breaking. And when you eat old, expired eggs, your risk of getting a food-borne disease from them increases.

As for the code starting with a “P” right next to the Julian date? That’s the plant code, which represents where the eggs were packaged. If there’s an egg recall, the plant code will determine whether your carton is included.

Look, I know how stressful grocery shopping can be, but checking the Julian date is an extra step worth taking. If you don’t want to whip out your calendar and calculator (I don’t blame you), here’s a general rule of thumb to follow. If you’re buying eggs in early to mid January, look for lower numbers (015 will be significantly fresher than 364). If you’re buying eggs later in the year, look for the highest number possible.

Now that you know how to select your eggs, the next step is to break them. Check out some egg recipes on my blog! Bon appétit!