Why Do Eggs Freeze in the Refrigerator?

Eggs are a staple food item found in the majority of refrigerators throughout the world There are a number of different types of edible eggs but the most common egg for consumption is the chicken egg. 

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you could possibly consume. They have a ton of health benefits. Interestingly, eggs rank directly behind breast milk as the 2^nd highest food in terms of human nutrition value. 

Are you surprised? I’m sure you knew eggs were nutritious but did you know they were THAT nutritious?

The thing is, do you have problems with your eggs freezing when you store them in the refrigerator? Why do eggs freeze and is there anything you can do to prevent that? Do you have to worry about the egg if it freezes?

Why do eggs freeze in the refrigerator?

The number one reason that eggs tend to freeze in the refrigerator has nothing to do with the makeup of the egg and everything to do with where you are placing the eggs in your fridge. The key to preventing your eggs from freezing in your refrigerator is to keep it as far away from the freezer as possible.

Not to worry, we’re here with everything you need to know about eggs, why they freeze, and what to do if they freeze as well as a few tips for possibly preventing them from freezing. 

Keep reading to learn everything you should know about refrigerating your eggs, why they freeze, and more. 

The Value of Eggs & How to Care for Them

We already mentioned to you that eggs are incredibly nutritious, but let’s break that down a bit more and discuss just what nutritious properties they contain and what makes them so great. We can tell you one thing, but honestly, the proof is in the pudding – or the egg in this case. 

If you can’t or won’t eat eggs, or are just curious about another alternative to eggs, check out this article we wrote about The Best Vegan Egg Alternatives.

Eggs are a natural source of Vitamin D. A natural, good source of Vitamin D! Additionally, eggs are an excellent protein. You cannot find better protein anywhere – forget your protein powders and various protein meats, eggs are THE protein to use. 

You can have a large egg for breakfast and consume 70 calories at maximum and only about 5 grams of healthy fat. Eggs are packed full of amino acids that we humans desperately need in our bodies. 

With the nutrition of eggs covered, you should also be aware that eggs are not always good for everyone. There are new studies that have pinpointed some specific health concerns with eggs for certain health risks in people. 

These concerns do not negate the nutrition value of eggs but rather give certain categories of individuals information to consider in their egg consumption.

Here are a few of the identified health concerns related to eggs.

• Eggs can lead to high cholesterol if consumed in high amounts. 
• Eggs could potentially cause heart risks if you are at risk for heart disease and consume an extreme amount of eggs. 
• The fat in eggs is saturated fat which should be considered when you are determining how many eggs to have per day. 
• Some studies have shown that eating more than 3 eggs per day could cause a risk of prostate cancer. 

Most of these scenarios are specific to certain situations. These are also facts that are beginning to evolve and be shared from recent studies. However, with that being said, you should know that the studies also declare that these results are only a concern for excessive egg consumption. 

The studies also report that consuming 1-3 eggs per day will most likely not have any ill side effects. However, if you are at risk for these specific factors you may want to simply cut back on eggs. There is no need to remove them from your diet. 

Why Eggs Freeze & How to Work with Freezing Eggs

It seems like no refrigerator can get the temperature JUST right to avoid freezing your eggs. Or maybe it boils down to a lack of training and general information to the population to know where in the fridge they can store eggs for them to not freeze. 

Whatever the case, there is a definitive issue when it comes to protecting refrigerated eggs from becoming frozen. How does affect your eggs? Are they still safe to use? 

Yes, your eggs are protected only by a thin shell. This is more protection than a lot of items that you put into the fridge I am sure. The thing is, where do you normally store your eggs in the fridge? 

Here is the hard news about this subject. The best placement for eggs in the refrigerator is dependent upon a number of factors. For example, if you have a refrigerator that has the freezer drawer on the bottom the lower levels of the fridge will be the coldest. 

Do you see what we mean? This could get confusing fast! But we’re going to break it down and point you in the right direction for properly storing your eggs to keep them from freezing. 

So, How Do I Keep My Eggs from Freezing?

Here’s the first tip. Egg trays in refrigerators are often in the door or on the top shelf. In some cases, this is an ideal spot for your egg placement in the fridge. However, this is not always the case. 

To keep your eggs from freezing in the refrigerator, consider these tips. We’ve broken the information down the best that we can here. 

1. Determine where the fans are in your refrigerator. Be sure that your egg location is not directly in front of the fan. 
2. Where is your freezer? One of the key points to determining the best place for your eggs is to place them as far away from your freezer as possible. Despite the separation of the fridge and freezer, the closer you get to the freezer the colder the temperature tends to be. 
3. If your freezer is on the bottom, move your eggs to the top shelf, but away from the fan or an ice maker if you have one of those in the doors. If the freezer is on the top, move your eggs to the center, away from fans. And if you have a side-by-side, the center is also a good place – on the side farthest from the freezer, or in an egg tray in the door. 
4. You will notice we never said the bottom shelf. Cold air in the refrigerator tends to sink to the bottom so the bottom shelf is also extra cold. If all else fails, use the center shelf. 

If Your Eggs Freeze

While you’re getting a feel for where to keep your eggs, it’s inevitable that you might struggle with frozen eggs. Even if you find the best place, you might still find your eggs freezing depending on the temperature in your refrigerator. 

If your eggs freeze, don’t worry too much about them. As long as the freezing did not cause the eggs to crack you should be ok to go ahead and use the eggs as normal. While it is recommended not to let fresh eggs freeze, you can still work with them. 

If the shell cracks from freezing, you should discard the egg. However, if the shell is still intact the egg is still good. There is no need to thaw the eggs right away or anything. Let them stay frozen until you are ready to use them. 

You can let them thaw in the fridge a couple of hours in a different area or at room temperature for about 30 minutes. But ultimately, you can use them without thawing them. You can simply proceed to using them as normal if the shell did not crack. 

Related Questions

We hope that you have found the information in this article to be useful in relation to eggs freezing and what might cause that to happen, as well as some tips for potentially preventing your eggs from freezing. 

We invite you to check out the question section for additional information. 

Can I Just Store My Eggs at Room Temperature?

You can store eggs at room temperature but it is not recommended. Eggs stored in the refrigerator can last up to 5 times longer. 

How Can You Clean Up Yolk When You Drop an Egg?

If you drop your egg on carpet or a surface that you cannot simply wipe up the egg, you can pour a generous amount of salt on the egg and yolk over the dropped egg. This helps to absorb the gooey raw egg so you can easily clean it up.