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March 29, 2024—If you celebrate Easter—and especially if you have kids—chances are you're busy prepping for an Easter egg hunt.

If you're using real eggs for the hunt, now's a good time to make sure you've got the "eggspertise" you need to keep those eggs safe to eat.

These tips from the Partnership for Food Safety Education and other experts can help:

• Ban bad eggs. Toss out eggs that are cracked or dirty or have been out of the fridge for more than two hours.
• Keep eggs clean and cold. To prevent food poisoning, always wash eggs and put them back in the refrigerator as soon as they are found.
• Pick the right hiding place. Hide Easter eggs above ground—and away from dirt that might be contaminated with bacteria from pets or other animals.
• Use within one week. Use leftover Easter eggs within one week to prevent food poisoning.
• Don't put all your eggs in one basket. To minimize health risks, consider cooking two sets of eggs. Use one for your egg hunt and the other for eating. Or use plastic eggs for hiding. That way the eggs you plan to eat will stay properly refrigerated and free from bacteria picked up from the ground.

What's the deal with green eggs?

Finally, here's an answer for a common question about Easter eggs—or any hard-boiled egg for that matter: Is a boiled egg with a green yolk safe to eat?

Absolutely. That green tint is merely the result of overcooking, so don't pass on the egg. Enjoy!

Sources

• Partnership for Food Safety Education. "Egg-stra Care for Spring Celebrations." https://www.fightbac.org/egg-stra-care-for-spring-celebrations.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. "Shell Eggs From Farm to Table." https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/eggs/shell-eggs-farm-table.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "What You Need to Know About Egg Safety." https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/what-you-need-know-about-egg-safety.